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jusitn007000
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
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 Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:17 pm Post subject: Didn't Get the Job with Epik |
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I learned today that I didn't pass my interview. I don't want this thread to be about self pity, as much as I am trying to figure out a common thread for those of us who were rejected.
My theory as to why I was rejected is I have an M.A. and will cost a little more money; if they do truly view native speakers as interchangeable native English speaking bags of meat with clean CRC's and 4 year or better degrees, a BA in a lower pay grade with similar work experience (IE no real qualifications to be an English teacher) would have a leg up on a job over me.
I do have very limited teaching experience, one of my letters highlighted that as a tutor for an undergraduate history class I very diligently worked with a Saudi Arabian who struggled to speak English, much less understand the basics of Western History. I have also spent some time substitute teaching, so I do have some experience in dealing with the classroom discipline issues that come with teaching below the college level.
I have international experience, I spent 10 weeks studying abroad at the University of Havana (I also wonder if this hurt me, seeing that they don't have diplomatic relations with Cuba). I have taken a couple of university field trips abroad, one to Italy and one to China, and I presented a paper at an academic conference in Turkey last fall.
There is also the real chance that they were inundated with candidates holding TESOL, TEFL, and English degrees who would be more qualified Than me. Again I am not looking for pity, just trying to see if their is a common theme between those of us whom were rejected. |
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RMNC
Joined: 21 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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| This early? No, it's because you hold an M.A., sadly. Believe it or not you're overqualified. You should try to get a job at an actual university since this didn't work out for you. You might not get exactly the ivy league of Korea, but many are happy to just have an M.A. holder of any subject to teach English. |
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Ribena
Joined: 07 Apr 2011
Location: UK
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| Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Perhapse you didn't come across well during the interview or your voice wasn't to their liking. Afterall surely they would have known that you had an MA before they interviewed you. |
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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:00 am Post subject: |
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| You can find public school jobs without going through EPIK, I did. Search the major job sites for public school work and you might get lucky. The education board here in Yeosu hire through a recruiter, maybe it works like that in other places too |
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NYC_Gal 2.0
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:12 am Post subject: |
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| Try Korean Horizons. I got an EPIK job through him. He did the interview himself--not the school. He's good, too. |
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Ramen
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:04 am Post subject: |
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you are not the tape recoder type.  |
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sigmundsmith
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe next time you could take your MA off your resume when you next apply - with EPIK or whoever.
Yeah, they don't want to pay you more money. Also, Korea co-teachers may feel intimidated by an educated (or more educated) native teacher. The curriculum is not extensive in the demands put on the students so they don't see the necessity of hiring someone with high qualifications |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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| If you don't want to go the university route. You can try Foreign Language Highschools. Most of them do their hiring direct and require / strongly prefer someone with a Masters |
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roybetis1
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Location: Not near a beach like my recruiter promised.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Has anybody with a MA gotten into SMOE or GEPIK? I'm just finishing my M.eD in TESOL and I'm getting the feeling I've educated myself out a job. |
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sigmundsmith
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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| roybetis1 wrote: |
| Has anybody with a MA gotten into SMOE or GEPIK? I'm just finishing my M.eD in TESOL and I'm getting the feeling I've educated myself out a job. |
A few years ago anyone with an MA, especially a certified teacher with an MA got into SMOE. But they had to pay to top rate.
Obviously the powers that be felt that what was being accomplished (what the students were actually doing in the classroom) did not need someone who had high qualifications. As long as they were breathing. A TESOL certificate seems to be a prerequisite these days. but then again the quality of that doesnt matter either.
In my time here I have seen the needs of an English teacher (what they deem to be a sought after commodity) change. Blonde hair and blue eyes to someone who has more qualifications back to blonde hair and blue eyes.
The thing is Koreans don't know how to educate, they only know how to have students regurgitate information. That is what highschool is for here. Not about learning but about remembering information for the college entrance exam.
Until they get out of this mentality it will just keep going round and round.
When they talk about Korean students being far ahead in math, it is not because they can solve problems or critically think solutions, it is because they have memorized the calculations and the formulas. They are not expanded thinkers. (sorry, I know off topic)
But this comes back to English education, and education in general. They don't want creative teachers in any field. They want someone that the students feel comfortable with and will remember what will be on the test.
Many European countries win hands down when it comes to educating the population. Many and most are bi/tri/multi-lingual by the time the leave high school. They are more advanced in math and science. And families spend less money and students less time on education than Koreans do. But for some reason Korean seem to follow the American model. And as we all know that system is failing considerably.
They really need a major overhaul in what they want their future students to be. Because even though their methods have been successful up until now, if they continue they will just start and continue to flounder. |
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hondaicivic
Joined: 01 Jul 2010
Location: Daegu, South Korea
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:41 pm Post subject: |
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| sigmundsmith wrote: |
| roybetis1 wrote: |
| Has anybody with a MA gotten into SMOE or GEPIK? I'm just finishing my M.eD in TESOL and I'm getting the feeling I've educated myself out a job. |
A few years ago anyone with an MA, especially a certified teacher with an MA got into SMOE. But they had to pay to top rate.
Obviously the powers that be felt that what was being accomplished (what the students were actually doing in the classroom) did not need someone who had high qualifications. As long as they were breathing. A TESOL certificate seems to be a prerequisite these days. but then again the quality of that doesnt matter either.
In my time here I have seen the needs of an English teacher (what they deem to be a sought after commodity) change. Blonde hair and blue eyes to someone who has more qualifications back to blonde hair and blue eyes.
The thing is Koreans don't know how to educate, they only know how to have students regurgitate information. That is what highschool is for here. Not about learning but about remembering information for the college entrance exam.
Until they get out of this mentality it will just keep going round and round.
When they talk about Korean students being far ahead in math, it is not because they can solve problems or critically think solutions, it is because they have memorized the calculations and the formulas. They are not expanded thinkers. (sorry, I know off topic)
But this comes back to English education, and education in general. They don't want creative teachers in any field. They want someone that the students feel comfortable with and will remember what will be on the test.
Many European countries win hands down when it comes to educating the population. Many and most are bi/tri/multi-lingual by the time the leave high school. They are more advanced in math and science. And families spend less money and students less time on education than Koreans do. But for some reason Korean seem to follow the American model. And as we all know that system is failing considerably.
They really need a major overhaul in what they want their future students to be. Because even though their methods have been successful up until now, if they continue they will just start and continue to flounder. |
Do you really think the powers that be want an educated population that can think for themselves/outside the box. Keep dreaming man. If that ever happens, the entire country collapse. No, they want a population that's easily docile and controlled. It's the same with China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and a lot of Asian countries. Even though Japan and Taiwan fly under the banner of "democracy", we all know that the elites in those country are just paying lip service in order to look "good" in the global stage. They're all authoritarian not by politics but by culture.
The American education system is failing if you only look at the urban/city areas such as LA, Atlanta, New York, etc. Go to any white middle class......sorry I should rephrased that: any "middle" class suburbs outside of the city and the US education system still kicks ass. You tout the European education system, but tell me why Europe doesn't have a silicon valley like the US. Tell me where Google, youtube, facebook, ebay, Cisco, Intel, HP, AMD, and so many other startup companies are located and founded? Exactly. The culture in a lot of European companies and as well as government policies do not create the Entrenprenurship mentality that is so prevalent in here in the states, especially California. Lack of venture capitalists and entrenprenurship is the reason why Europe haven't produced a mark zucerburg, steve jobs, bill gates, steve chen, jerry yang, etc. |
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sigmundsmith
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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| hondaicivic wrote: |
| sigmundsmith wrote: |
| roybetis1 wrote: |
| Has anybody with a MA gotten into SMOE or GEPIK? I'm just finishing my M.eD in TESOL and I'm getting the feeling I've educated myself out a job. |
A few years ago anyone with an MA, especially a certified teacher with an MA got into SMOE. But they had to pay to top rate.
Obviously the powers that be felt that what was being accomplished (what the students were actually doing in the classroom) did not need someone who had high qualifications. As long as they were breathing. A TESOL certificate seems to be a prerequisite these days. but then again the quality of that doesnt matter either.
In my time here I have seen the needs of an English teacher (what they deem to be a sought after commodity) change. Blonde hair and blue eyes to someone who has more qualifications back to blonde hair and blue eyes.
The thing is Koreans don't know how to educate, they only know how to have students regurgitate information. That is what highschool is for here. Not about learning but about remembering information for the college entrance exam.
Until they get out of this mentality it will just keep going round and round.
When they talk about Korean students being far ahead in math, it is not because they can solve problems or critically think solutions, it is because they have memorized the calculations and the formulas. They are not expanded thinkers. (sorry, I know off topic)
But this comes back to English education, and education in general. They don't want creative teachers in any field. They want someone that the students feel comfortable with and will remember what will be on the test.
Many European countries win hands down when it comes to educating the population. Many and most are bi/tri/multi-lingual by the time the leave high school. They are more advanced in math and science. And families spend less money and students less time on education than Koreans do. But for some reason Korean seem to follow the American model. And as we all know that system is failing considerably.
They really need a major overhaul in what they want their future students to be. Because even though their methods have been successful up until now, if they continue they will just start and continue to flounder. |
Do you really think the powers that be want an educated population that can think for themselves/outside the box. Keep dreaming man. If that ever happens, the entire country collapse. No, they want a population that's easily docile and controlled. It's the same with China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and a lot of Asian countries. Even though Japan and Taiwan fly under the banner of "democracy", we all know that the elites in those country are just paying lip service in order to look "good" in the global stage. They're all authoritarian not by politics but by culture.
The American education system is failing if you only look at the urban/city areas such as LA, Atlanta, New York, etc. Go to any white middle class......sorry I should rephrased that: any "middle" class suburbs outside of the city and the US education system still kicks ass. You tout the European education system, but tell me why Europe doesn't have a silicon valley like the US. Tell me where Google, youtube, facebook, ebay, Cisco, Intel, HP, AMD, and so many other startup companies are located and founded? Exactly. The culture in a lot of European companies and as well as government policies do not create the Entrenprenurship mentality that is so prevalent in here in the states, especially California. Lack of venture capitalists and entrenprenurship is the reason why Europe haven't produced a mark zucerburg, steve jobs, bill gates, steve chen, jerry yang, etc. |
Well you didnt read my post properly. The education in Korea doesnt need people to be critical thinkers and the American system doesnt need people to be educated. Now, if you want to get into a political debate. America doesnt want an educated public. Yes, they want a few smart people, but the population being educated and smart, they dont want that. They dont want that in Canada, the UK, Aus, NZ etc. They want most of the people being laborers of some form. And they want the upper mobile well off to do staying at the top and the rest down the bottom. If you think this is not what they want, they have been doing it for centuries in England. It is only now in America that they call this conservatism, Republicanism politics.
And if you are saying that American education is great.... my step father was a professor at a university in Florida. He left after one semester under the ridiculous political BS that was education. Now before you say that my step father is a socialist/Obama supporter. he was a naval pilot who fought in vietnam (I only say this for the not so sane people who read this and say he is a socialist/unAmerican). |
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jrwhite82
Joined: 22 May 2010
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| Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:12 am Post subject: |
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| roybetis1 wrote: |
| Has anybody with a MA gotten into SMOE or GEPIK? I'm just finishing my M.eD in TESOL and I'm getting the feeling I've educated myself out a job. |
I have a MA in Elementary Ed. I got a job. I applied directly to the school though.
You haven't out educated yourself. |
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blm
Joined: 11 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:40 am Post subject: Re: Didn't Get the Job with Epik |
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| jusitn007000 wrote: |
I learned today that I didn't pass my interview. I don't want this thread to be about self pity, as much as I am trying to figure out a common thread for those of us who were rejected.
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Could just be the interview.
Unless it's changed it's a very weird interview that doesn't give you any real indication of where you stand.
If you luck out and get say the Epik head of recruitment you get an interview that could easily be performed by a tape recorder. Weird pauses, not taking into consideration your answers etc etc. Very dry.
A nessesary evil if you want to apply through Epik but I'm not a fan. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 4:20 am Post subject: |
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Lots of good advice on applying for PS positions through other paths already so here is my take...
If you apply directly through EPIK and have a M.A. you stand a lesser chance of being hired. EPIK is for the most part an entry-level program. they seek assistant teachers who will support the Korean co-teacher. In that respect, they feel a B.A. is sufficient.
so you basically worked against yourself by applying in an employment stream that prefers B.A. holders.
Change your tactic, apply through other means as was discussed earlier in this thread. You are not over-qualified but your higher qualifications will work against you depending on how you apply for a position. |
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