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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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caffeinateme
Joined: 02 Jan 2011
Location: CA
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 Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:26 am Post subject: Re: What are my chances as a recent grad, Asian female? |
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| millyfrend wrote: |
Did you end up finding a job yet?
| caffeinateme wrote: |
Hi everyone,
Over the past few weeks, I've been diligently reading the posts here on Dave's, as well as doing some online research about teaching in Korea.
I'm about to graduate from university (May 2011) and have been thinking about taking a year off after getting my Bachelor's to get some "real world" experience before applying to graduate school. I am now looking into the possibility of teaching English in Korea.
After coming across many posts about discriminatory hiring practices in Korea, I felt sort of discouraged since I feel it is quite disappointing that my English may be questioned even though I was born and raised in Canada, and have lived here all my life. However, after reading some newer posts, it seems like there has been some positive changes/improvement (especially in the public school sector)?
Anyways, I was wondering what my chances are of obtaining a job through EPIK or GEPIK (I'm leaning towards EPIK for the August 2011 recruitment). I've already started collecting my letters and applied for CRC. Here is some info about me:
- Will be graduating in May 2011 from one of the top 3 universities in Canada
- Major: Honours Sociology
- GPA: 3.7
- Teaching experience: nothing related to ESL teaching; taught piano for 2 years part-time. I'm also an alumnae liaison (teaching assistant) for a summer course at my university
- Certification: currently doing an online 100-hour TESL course, will be done soon
- Reference letters: I asked 3 professors just in case, although I know I only need 2; Professors know me very well (I have research assistantships with all 3 profs)
- Asian-descent (Vietnamese); Canadian citizen
- Decent looking. Lighter skin..? Big eyes.. My great grandfather was a French man, so I've been mistaken as being half-Caucasian before.
- Past employment: bank teller, piano teacher, research assistant, undergraduate journal editor, teaching assistant
1) What are my chances of getting an entry-level public school teaching position?
2) Which is easier to obtain a job? EPIK or GEPIK?
3) Would working with a recruiter improve my chances if this is the first time applying for a job?
4) Has anyone ever worked with Joyce from KorVia? I've been speaking to her for the past few weeks.. Seems nice and responds quick to my questions, but I'm cautious...
Sorry that this post is so long. Please let me know what you think! I really appreciate it. |
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Hi millyfrend,
Haven't applied yet! I'm aiming for the August 2011 GEPIK/EPIK recruitments.. Still collecting documents and what not, so that I'll be ready to apply in April.  |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:29 pm Post subject: |
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OP you qualify for a teaching job, no debate there.
Preparing your documents in advance is a smart plan and will save you time later.
The diploma issue is something you need to check however. A recruiter can tell you a letter is sufficient but at the end of the day Korean Immigration issues the E2 visa and they tend to demand an actual diploma. So, my advice is for you to contact the Korean Embassy nearest you and confirm that a letter from your university is sufficient to get a teaching visa.
You seem determined to apply for a Public School position which is a decent choice. However, I would not ignore hakwons (private academies) in your application drive. Many hakwons offer good positions and offer advantages Public Schools do not (smaller class sizes being one, having your own classroom instead of co-teaching).
Each type of job has its advantages and disadvantages.
When you apply for Hakwons you can choose your location more precisely (which city). When you apply for PS you do not really control where you end up in Korea.
Just do your research so you make an informed choice.
If you have questions, contact me (I will pm you so you can respond) as I worked in Korea from 1997 to 2008 and still have contacts and friends there.
Your degree is only relevant in that its a BA from a University in one of the approved countries, so your actual major, unless its education related or TEFL-ESL related is irrelevant to your employement chances as is your GPA. |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 1:19 am Post subject: |
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| machoman wrote: |
| once they got my picture, they told me they only had locations in daegu or some other far away smaller city. |
To the OP don't discount the smaller cities. To many Seoul residents, anything outside of Seoul is 'rural', but some of the major Korean cities are large. with over 2 million people. Also, small to mid-sized cities (150k to 1 million) are often less than 1 hour away from a major city. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 6:27 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like you'll be a great teacher. You just need to apply and make sure you have all your paperwork together. Maybe start on your FBI Background Check and get your degree apostille.
FBI background check takes about 3-5 weeks this time of year. Before it would take 6-12 weeks. So get started on that.
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Why would a Canadian do that? |
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teedram
Joined: 23 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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Hi OP,
It's great that you're preparing yourself very early. As previously suggested, don't rule out hagwon positions. There are good jobs and there are bad jobs in both private and public schools. You might even want to consider hagwons just in case your PS position falls through. It's good to have an abundance of options.
As a Filipino-American female, I didn't have a huge problem finding offers from hagwons. Just get in touch with recruiters that give a lot of individual attention (when they actually call/skype you or give you an e-mail then they will help you out). I was born in Phils so I had to explain my US citizenship and passport. You won't have to, since you were born in Canada. They just care that you meet the qualifications. Get some recommendation letters, and some casual pics of you that indicate that you are friendly and approachable. Personally, I used a pic of me with my 4-year-old niece and that didn't hurt at all, heh
I got a great offer from a decent hagwon and the housing is better than what other schools offer and the benefits are great. And they pay teachers on time, etc. Two of the teachers love working there and are treated well. Over a few weeks I got three offers.
You seem insistent on EPIK/GEPIK. That's alright. At least for the former...be prepared for the loooong, bureaucratic-ish application process and you might start to feel uneasy especially in the last few weeks before you go to Korea (when you wait for your notice of appointment/contract). They're usually quite last minute with everything. It's worth it, though, and you seem prepared.
Good luck. |
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enchoo
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Location: Heading to a reality show near you
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| Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 6:52 am Post subject: Key thing is don't limit yourself to one recruiter or organi |
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zation.....Yes you are preplanning too that's great.
Try to apply to some universities....you might like the lifestyle!! |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 7:09 am Post subject: Re: Key thing is don't limit yourself to one recruiter or or |
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| enchoo wrote: |
zation.....Yes you are preplanning too that's great.
Try to apply to some universities....you might like the lifestyle!! |
That would be a long shot with no experience, no MA and not being in Korea but what the heck, some people love the extremely long odds. |
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olsanairbase
Joined: 30 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 10:49 am Post subject: Re: Key thing is don't limit yourself to one recruiter or or |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| enchoo wrote: |
zation.....Yes you are preplanning too that's great.
Try to apply to some universities....you might like the lifestyle!! |
That would be a long shot with no experience, no MA and not being in Korea but what the heck, some people love the extremely long odds. |
These jobs in Korea are more based on luck, timing and who know than what you know and how long you have known it. |
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greatunknown
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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I also graduate this semester, From Memorial University in Newfoundland. I get my degree around May 25'th. So far I haven't bothered contacting any recruiters. But I can get my passport, sealed transcripts, CBC all together next month.
Is there anything I'm not thinking about that might slow me down? |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 3:19 pm Post subject: Re: Key thing is don't limit yourself to one recruiter or or |
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| olsanairbase wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| enchoo wrote: |
zation.....Yes you are preplanning too that's great.
Try to apply to some universities....you might like the lifestyle!! |
That would be a long shot with no experience, no MA and not being in Korea but what the heck, some people love the extremely long odds. |
These jobs in Korea are more based on luck, timing and who know than what you know and how long you have known it. |
Not quite but you can believe that if you want to.
Who you know is important.
Timing is also important but is not luck at all, timing can be assured through planning.
If you do not have the qualifications, no matter how lucky you are and who you know, your odds of landing a good university position are very slim. How do i know?
I worked for a University for a few years until 2008 and I was on the hiring committee for most of my time there.
Also, the number of qualified applicants with MAs in relevant fields is growing and that means BA holders are working at a severe disadvantage for the better jobs, in fact all too often those not meeting the qualification standards are simply rejected.
If you means Unigowns then you are right, a BA holder can get those positions if he applies at the right time. |
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Paddycakes
Joined: 05 May 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: What are my chances as a recent grad, Asian female? |
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| caffeinateme wrote: |
- Asian-descent (Vietnamese); Canadian citizen
- Decent looking. Lighter skin..? Big eyes.. My great grandfather was a French man, so I've been mistaken as being half-Caucasian before. |
Hard to say about your situation.
I'd need to see some pics first. |
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olsanairbase
Joined: 30 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: Key thing is don't limit yourself to one recruiter or or |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| olsanairbase wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| enchoo wrote: |
zation.....Yes you are preplanning too that's great.
Try to apply to some universities....you might like the lifestyle!! |
That would be a long shot with no experience, no MA and not being in Korea but what the heck, some people love the extremely long odds. |
These jobs in Korea are more based on luck, timing and who know than what you know and how long you have known it. |
Not quite but you can believe that if you want to.
Who you know is important.
Timing is also important but is not luck at all, timing can be assured through planning.
If you do not have the qualifications, no matter how lucky you are and who you know, your odds of landing a good university position are very slim. How do i know?
I worked for a University for a few years until 2008 and I was on the hiring committee for most of my time there.
Also, the number of qualified applicants with MAs in relevant fields is growing and that means BA holders are working at a severe disadvantage for the better jobs, in fact all too often those not meeting the qualification standards are simply rejected.
If you means Unigowns then you are right, a BA holder can get those positions if he applies at the right time. |
LOL @ "unigowns"; I hadn't heard that term before but it sounds so accurate.
If you were on a hiring committee then you know Korean school rarely if ever are willing to recruit talent overseas. While the rest of the world has adopted to Skype interviews Korea, with all its technology, still can't figure out how to do a skype interview. Also, most uni jobs are not willing to sponsor you going out of country to get your visa.
When Korea starts recruiting overseas and starts paying university jobs better then maybe even an MA won't get you in the door. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 7:29 am Post subject: Re: Key thing is don't limit yourself to one recruiter or or |
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| olsanairbase wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| olsanairbase wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| enchoo wrote: |
zation.....Yes you are preplanning too that's great.
Try to apply to some universities....you might like the lifestyle!! |
That would be a long shot with no experience, no MA and not being in Korea but what the heck, some people love the extremely long odds. |
These jobs in Korea are more based on luck, timing and who know than what you know and how long you have known it. |
Not quite but you can believe that if you want to.
Who you know is important.
Timing is also important but is not luck at all, timing can be assured through planning.
If you do not have the qualifications, no matter how lucky you are and who you know, your odds of landing a good university position are very slim. How do i know?
I worked for a University for a few years until 2008 and I was on the hiring committee for most of my time there.
Also, the number of qualified applicants with MAs in relevant fields is growing and that means BA holders are working at a severe disadvantage for the better jobs, in fact all too often those not meeting the qualification standards are simply rejected.
If you means Unigowns then you are right, a BA holder can get those positions if he applies at the right time. |
LOL @ "unigowns"; I hadn't heard that term before but it sounds so accurate.
If you were on a hiring committee then you know Korean school rarely if ever are willing to recruit talent overseas. While the rest of the world has adopted to Skype interviews Korea, with all its technology, still can't figure out how to do a skype interview. Also, most uni jobs are not willing to sponsor you going out of country to get your visa.
When Korea starts recruiting overseas and starts paying university jobs better then maybe even an MA won't get you in the door. |
Korean Universities prefer to hire people already in Korea for several reasons. First they get to interview the candidates in person. Skype interviews with webcams would be a good way to simulate this as you said.
Second, people already in Korea typically pose fewer problems when it comes to adaptation. They tend to have local experience which is a plus for any employer.The rest of the world has not adopted the skype interview in the broad sense but it is becoming more common. |
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enchoo
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Location: Heading to a reality show near you
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| Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:35 am Post subject: Yes Patrick you are right |
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| You need some work done in Korean to have a reasonable chance to get a university position with just a BA without experience. Sorry I skimmed through the pages extremely quickly. |
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wallythewhale
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:29 pm Post subject: Re: What are my chances as a recent grad, Asian female? |
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1) What are my chances of getting an entry-level public school teaching position?
Very high considering that you have teaching experience and a TESOL certificate. They normally don't look at your GPA.
2) Which is easier to obtain a job? EPIK or GEPIK?
EPIK since you have the rest of South Korea whereas GEPIK is dedicated to a certain area and SMOE (EPIK) to Seoul alone. I currently work with SMOE and it was easy to get in.
3) Would working with a recruiter improve my chances if this is the first time applying for a job?
Yes, it will save you time unless you have connections from over here.
4) Has anyone ever worked with Joyce from KorVia? I've been speaking to her for the past few weeks.. Seems nice and responds quick to my questions, but I'm cautious...
No, but ask any and everything while you can. The recruiters need you as much as you need them. They get paid when you get laid...with a job!
I'm Asian American and there was no discrimination involved in the hiring process. I felt like there were more Asians at the orientation than any other race. Enjoy the paperwork process and obesity while you still can because there's little room for that in Korea [/b] |
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