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Can't seem to find work - any advice?
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L.Bilyk



Joined: 03 Oct 2010

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:40 pm    Post subject: Can't seem to find work - any advice? Reply with quote

I can't seem to find work and I have been looking. My educational background is in biology and physics, and I have a TESOL certificate. I don't really have much teaching experience except for tutoring. Unfortunately I can't seem to find work! Any advice? Or is it so competitive these days that I don't stand a chance
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RMNC



Joined: 21 Jul 2010

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tell us your sex, race, age, teaching history, height, weight, what kind of accent you have and how you've been searching for work and we'll be able to help you more.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Can't seem to find work - any advice? Reply with quote

L.Bilyk wrote:
I can't seem to find work and I have been looking. My educational background is in biology and physics, and I have a TESOL certificate. I don't really have much teaching experience except for tutoring. Unfortunately I can't seem to find work! Any advice? Or is it so competitive these days that I don't stand a chance


Undergrad degree in Biology and Physics + TESOL cert?

Your only problem is that you are mid term so you are competing with all the other unemployed American grads for the few hagwan positions that come up each month.

Options:
Keep looking - new term ads for public schools will appear in Dec/Jan for March 2nd starts.
Look at some other counties.
Thailand fall term starts at the end of the month; lots of positions open now.
China has lots of open positions for language academies but again, you are late for mainstream schools.
Vietnam has openings in the language schools and the pay can be as good as Korea with a lower cost of living.

Advice:

DON'T take the first job that comes along.

Look closely at it first BEFORE you sign on the dotted line or you will join the long list of "Help- I have been here for 2 months and can't take it any more - what can I do." threads.


.
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Oliver



Joined: 19 Apr 2008
Location: Seoul, Korea

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you have a degree? Are you from a native speaking country? If yes to both of those questions then you are qualified to teach in Korea. Make sure you are taking the right steps to find a job.

Step one is be flexible on location.

Step two make a resume which is directly applicable to the job that you are applying for. If neccessary write up a cover letter too.

Step three get a professional photograph, not passport style.

Step three search and apply for jobs.
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Hotwire



Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OMG prepare to be slammed....
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chellovek



Joined: 29 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CV advice as above, then you just got to keep firing away at it until you succeed. Perserverance, yo.
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northway



Joined: 05 Jul 2010

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think you have to be flexible on location to the point that you're willing to live on a mountaintop in Jeolla. If you say you're down to go to a Seoul satellite city, you'll find something. If you say you only want to be in "central Seoul" (whatever the hell that is), you're not going to get much love from recruiters.
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L.Bilyk



Joined: 03 Oct 2010

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

RMNC wrote:
Tell us your sex, race, age, teaching history, height, weight, what kind of accent you have and how you've been searching for work and we'll be able to help you more.


Male, white, 27, tutoring/TESOL, 5'9, 180lbs, no accent, have been applying here and worknplay

I do have a degree, yes

Don't bash me guys - I am really at a loss here and I need to know what to do. It seems friends with less education and nothing but retail store experience were placed before me.
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northway



Joined: 05 Jul 2010

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

L.Bilyk wrote:
RMNC wrote:
Tell us your sex, race, age, teaching history, height, weight, what kind of accent you have and how you've been searching for work and we'll be able to help you more.


Male, white, 27, tutoring/TESOL, 5'9, 180lbs, no accent, have been applying here and worknplay

I do have a degree, yes

Don't bash me guys - I am really at a loss here and I need to know what to do. It seems friends with less education and nothing but retail store experience were placed before me.


lol
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dumpring



Joined: 06 Apr 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 1:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PM sent.
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L.Bilyk



Joined: 03 Oct 2010

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

northway wrote:
L.Bilyk wrote:
RMNC wrote:
Tell us your sex, race, age, teaching history, height, weight, what kind of accent you have and how you've been searching for work and we'll be able to help you more.


Male, white, 27, tutoring/TESOL, 5'9, 180lbs, no accent, have been applying here and worknplay

I do have a degree, yes

Don't bash me guys - I am really at a loss here and I need to know what to do. It seems friends with less education and nothing but retail store experience were placed before me.


lol


Well.. North American accent. I believe that is the type of English that the Koreans prefer, no? When I say no accent, I mean no non-native accent.
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Hotwire



Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

^ So you have a 'non native English speaker' accent?

No wonder you're finding it hard to get a job.

Official Native English Speaking countries in random oreder off the top of my bonce - UK, Ireland, S.Africa, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Australia.
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northway



Joined: 05 Jul 2010

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hotwire wrote:
^ So you have a 'non native English speaker' accent?

No wonder you're finding it hard to get a job.

Official Native English Speaking countries in random oreder off the top of my bonce - UK, Ireland, S.Africa, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Australia.


Quote:
I mean no non-native accent.
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jrwhite82



Joined: 22 May 2010

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found that by actually calling recruiters that spam you with their crap postings works to getting yourself put on the top of their stack. So start calling the day after your email. (Keep track of who you emailed and called because it gets rather confusing!)

Do you have all your documents ready? Make sure recruiters know that you have them and are ready to go.
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Hotwire



Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

northway wrote:
Hotwire wrote:
^ So you have a 'non native English speaker' accent?

No wonder you're finding it hard to get a job.

Official Native English Speaking countries in random oreder off the top of my bonce - UK, Ireland, S.Africa, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Australia.


Quote:
I mean no non-native accent.


Whoops. Apologies.
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