|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
 Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:42 pm Post subject: Applying for Sept 2012: Need some advice |
 |
|
EDIT: So I've decided to apply to JUST GEPIK. However, I'm quite confused about the application process. It seems to be different from EPIK. I've emailed a bunch of recruiters asking exactly what date the application starts, and none of them told me a precise date. Is there a precise date??? For EPIK, it's always April 1st.
Can anyone give me an outline of how GEPIK works? Do you submit an application and then get to view a list of jobs, pick some, the recruiters send in your resume, and wait and see if anyone is interested? Or is it like EPIK and they assign you to a random location?
I know that GEPIK hires outside the regular hiring season, I can start in mid-July at the earliest, and I looked at a recruiter's job list and there are public schools hiring for months outside the regular August/September Feb/March starting dates such as June, July and October.
* * *
I am planning on applying for jobs in Korea for the September 2012 intake. There has been news that SMOE will be closed down in 2014, so they will no longer be hiring.
I would like to work around Seoul/Gyeonggi-do/Incheon because my boyfriend and friends, who are all Korean, live in that area.
I also heard that GEPIK is in the midst of a hiring freeze, although I could not find as much recent information on this.
I was wondering if some people could give me some advice. Should I still try applying for SMOE (which I understand is a part of EPIK) and GEPIK? Or should I focus on looking for jobs individually? As you can tell, the location is quite important to me, since I know people in Korea and they are one of the primary reasons why I wish to move there.
I'm afraid if I apply to EPIK, I won't get into Seoul/SMOE since it's unclear if they are still hiring, and if they are, I doubt there will be many spots. I am also afraid that I won't get into Incheon, which has some of the least amount of jobs.
Right now I'm thinking I should just bank on GEPIK and looking for jobs individually... but should I get two of each document then, just in case? (CRC, etc.) And to those who found a job outside EPIK/GEPIK, or anyone else who would know, is there a significant amount of jobs outside EPIK/GEPIK-funded schools?
Also, when does GEPIK applications start? It seems later than EPIK, which is April 1st? I can't seem to google the date anywhere.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
I'd really like to work in a public school and not a hagwon, which is why I'm worrying even more... but it looks like I have to have an open mind to hagwons as well.
Last edited by rayne on Sun Jan 01, 2012 2:42 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
jrwhite82
Joined: 22 May 2010
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
For a public school job, If you have a boyfriend and other friends in and around Seoul, your best bet is to have them contact their local education offices and find out what schools are looking for teachers for September 2012. There will be someone at the office who knows. Get this person your resume and photo. Doing it now will not help you because the schools don't know about their September funding or whether or not their existing teachers are staying or leaving. Wait until May or June then start this process.
You're a bit early.
Hagwons hire year round. Nowadays, you usually need all your documents (background check, diploma, etc...) in hand to increase your chances, unless you have experience or some other kind of quality that separates you from the pack.
If you have a boyfriend and friends here your first stop should be working this network to find a good job. Also, if you can come here with all your documents and afford your own airfare, you could come in on a tourist visa and scout for a job. When you find one, you could then do a visa run to Japan to switch from a tourist visa to an E2 work visa and then start working.
Or you could just marry your boyfriend and then come here as a tourist and then switch to an F2 marriage visa and find work easily at your own pace. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| jrwhite82 wrote: |
For a public school job, If you have a boyfriend and other friends in and around Seoul, your best bet is to have them contact their local education offices and find out what schools are looking for teachers for September 2012. There will be someone at the office who knows. Get this person your resume and photo. Doing it now will not help you because the schools don't know about their September funding or whether or not their existing teachers are staying or leaving. Wait until May or June then start this process.
You're a bit early.
Hagwons hire year round. Nowadays, you usually need all your documents (background check, diploma, etc...) in hand to increase your chances, unless you have experience or some other kind of quality that separates you from the pack.
If you have a boyfriend and friends here your first stop should be working this network to find a good job. Also, if you can come here with all your documents and afford your own airfare, you could come in on a tourist visa and scout for a job. When you find one, you could then do a visa run to Japan to switch from a tourist visa to an E2 work visa and then start working.
Or you could just marry your boyfriend and then come here as a tourist and then switch to an F2 marriage visa and find work easily at your own pace. |
I really thought knowing people in Korea would help me, but I seriously have bad luck. My boyfriend is going to the army in March so he isn't much help. My friends are all older than me and have graduated/are almost graduating and I don't think they have the time to do that to me... and I feel bad for asking them to do this, plus I think I have a bit too much pride... I'm trying to push my pride out of the way since I know getting a job is starting to get harder and harder due to cut backs in Korea.
Since EPIK's applications start in April, I should start planning now because I need to get the process started fro the CRC in Feb/March and I have to get reference letters from my professors/boss and if I decide to apply for SMOE in EPIK, I have to make up a lesson plan. Also, I still have one semester of university left to go (ends in April) so I'll also be schooling while doing all this. That's why I'm planning early and want info.
Unfortunately, although we are very serious and plan to get married, we won't be getting married soon. He's going to the army and then still has to finish his degree. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jrwhite82
Joined: 22 May 2010
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Do you have Korean ancestry? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| jrwhite82 wrote: |
| Do you have Korean ancestry? |
No, I am Canadian, and ethnically Chinese, which sucks because I heard employers prefer Caucasians. And since I don't have Korean ancestry I won't get the visa for it and won't have that advantage either. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jrwhite82
Joined: 22 May 2010
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| rayne wrote: |
| jrwhite82 wrote: |
| Do you have Korean ancestry? |
No, I am Canadian, and ethnically Chinese, which sucks because I heard employers prefer Caucasians. And since I don't have Korean ancestry I won't get the visa for it and won't have that advantage either. |
Yeah, I was asking to see if you could get an F4 visa. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I emailed a bunch of recruiters, and I got the following answers about GEPIK:
1. There are limited jobs for GEPIK
2. GEPIK is no longer hiring due to budget cuts
3. You cannot find public school jobs outside of GEPIK (I know this is not true)
4. GEPIK hires every month (the recruiter told me to contact them back in May)
5. GEPIK is already starting to hire for August 2012 (I was asked to send them my resume and photo immediately)
I got a wide range of answers after only contacting about 10 recruiters. The people who told me that GEPIK is not hiring/have limited positions suggested that I try EPIK Seoul/Incheon but judging from the news, budget cuts in Seoul are worse aren't they?
Should I apply for both EPIK and GEPIK and get multiple documents for both? At first I was only going to go for EPIK, and after hearing about the cuts in Seoul, I was only going to do GEPIK. Now I'm thinking I should try out for both... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Spinning your wheels. You want to wait at least 2-3 months BEFORE you want to come over, with ALL your documents in hand so if a school asks- POOF! You are ready to be on that plane going to Incheon.
You want to be here in September however most recruiters are working with schools that need someone in March. Trust this next line: No one prepares here like they do back home.
If you are only serious about getting a Sept 2012 hire, look into applying in June/July 2012 and make sure you have your documents (FBI check, Apostilled diploma, any extra bonuses TEFL/CELTA).
Also get some emergency cash for anything that may come (flight money + 800 bucks)
Good luck |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
Spinning your wheels. You want to wait at least 2-3 months BEFORE you want to come over, with ALL your documents in hand so if a school asks- POOF! You are ready to be on that plane going to Incheon.
You want to be here in September however most recruiters are working with schools that need someone in March. Trust this next line: No one prepares here like they do back home.
If you are only serious about getting a Sept 2012 hire, look into applying in June/July 2012 and make sure you have your documents (FBI check, Apostilled diploma, any extra bonuses TEFL/CELTA).
Also get some emergency cash for anything that may come (flight money + 800 bucks)
Good luck |
The thing is EPIK's applications start in April, so I was worried about that... I was going to apply for my CBC in March (I think that's pretty much the only thing I need to think ahead for, everything else doesn't have as long as a waiting period).
Should I give up on EPIK then? And just go for GEPIK which seems to have no set application date? Ah, so confused. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
You can apply for EPIK/GEPIK directly (which only takes one application and may reject you) or you can apply directly to the (PUBLIC) school using multiple recruiters.
Most people I know get their jobs done by applying directly. That way you know where you will be located rather than take the EPIK/GEPIK lottery.
If you do apply to EPIK directly that is okay- however you should let your future recruiter know so they don't void your app by also putting you into that system |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
You can apply for EPIK/GEPIK directly (which only takes one application and may reject you) or you can apply directly to the (PUBLIC) school using multiple recruiters.
Most people I know get their jobs done by applying directly. That way you know where you will be located rather than take the EPIK/GEPIK lottery.
If you do apply to EPIK directly that is okay- however you should let your future recruiter know so they don't void your app by also putting you into that system |
I thought GEPIK is a separate thing? From what I remember (I've been reading a lot of information so I may be confused) EPIK and GEPIK used to be one thing and then GEPIK separated. Just like how SMOE used to be one thing but is now a component of EPIK, things were switched up. Is that not correct? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Modernist
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Location: The 90s
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 11:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| ) EPIK and GEPIK used to be one thing and then GEPIK separated. |
I don't think GEPIK was ever related to EPIK officially. EPIK itself was founded, like so many things in Korea, in emulation of something in Japan, the JET Programme.
I THINK, though I'm not sure, that in the beginning EPIK had a set number of funded slots which were roughly evenly distributed through the different provinces and cities. Some provinces, for their own political reasons, either wanted more teachers than EPIK was willing to offer, or wanted a program that local politicians could control [and take public credit for]. So, as an example, Jeollanam in the southwest has a relatively small independent program called JEP. Ulsan has a program run completely through its MOE. There are others.
Gyeonggi, which has over 10 million people and quite a lot of money due to its proximity to Seoul, went this same route but MUCH more so. They have a few EPIK-funded teachers, but I believe the political goal at one point was to have at least one NET in every public school in the province. A LOT of teachers, far more than any other area, and all financed through their own budget. Those teachers have NOTHING to do with EPIK at all. The reason you can't find a GEPIK website is because they don't have one--all their positions were filled through recruiters [same as my program]. Their name does sound like EPIK but that's typical of the lack of creativity in this country.
When their politics changed, they decided to kill off their NET program, thus leading to the current mess. As to what they intend to do in the future [hire new people in March? In August?] I doubt even they know for sure. Hence the recruiters are not able to give you a straight answer because there is no answer to be had, yet.
I wouldn't stake your future on working in a Gyeonggi PS, though. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 11:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Modernist wrote: |
| Quote: |
| ) EPIK and GEPIK used to be one thing and then GEPIK separated. |
I don't think GEPIK was ever related to EPIK officially. EPIK itself was founded, like so many things in Korea, in emulation of something in Japan, the JET Programme.
I THINK, though I'm not sure, that in the beginning EPIK had a set number of funded slots which were roughly evenly distributed through the different provinces and cities. Some provinces, for their own political reasons, either wanted more teachers than EPIK was willing to offer, or wanted a program that local politicians could control [and take public credit for]. So, as an example, Jeollanam in the southwest has a relatively small independent program called JEP. Ulsan has a program run completely through its MOE. There are others.
Gyeonggi, which has over 10 million people and quite a lot of money due to its proximity to Seoul, went this same route but MUCH more so. They have a few EPIK-funded teachers, but I believe the political goal at one point was to have at least one NET in every public school in the province. A LOT of teachers, far more than any other area, and all financed through their own budget. Those teachers have NOTHING to do with EPIK at all. The reason you can't find a GEPIK website is because they don't have one--all their positions were filled through recruiters [same as my program]. Their name does sound like EPIK but that's typical of the lack of creativity in this country.
When their politics changed, they decided to kill off their NET program, thus leading to the current mess. As to what they intend to do in the future [hire new people in March? In August?] I doubt even they know for sure. Hence the recruiters are not able to give you a straight answer because there is no answer to be had, yet.
I wouldn't stake your future on working in a Gyeonggi PS, though. |
Hmmm okay. I think I should not rely on EPIK and GEPIK then, I should just find recruiters that can help me find public schools in Seoul/Gyeonggi-do. Most of them are telling me they only hire for EPIK or lie and say you can't get a job outside of EPIK/GEPIK though. I guess I need to find more recruiters... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 2:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
I updated my original post, any help would be greatly appreciated!
So I've decided to apply to JUST GEPIK. However, I'm quite confused about the application process. It seems to be different from EPIK. I've emailed a bunch of recruiters asking exactly what date the application starts, and none of them told me a precise date. Is there a precise date??? For EPIK, it's always April 1st.
Can anyone give me an outline of how GEPIK works? Do you submit an application and then get to view a list of jobs, pick some, the recruiters send in your resume, and wait and see if anyone is interested? Or is it like EPIK and they assign you to a random location?
I know that GEPIK hires outside the regular hiring season, I can start in mid-July at the earliest, and I looked at a recruiter's job list and there are public schools hiring for months outside the regular August/September Feb/March starting dates such as June, July and October. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Airborne9
Joined: 01 Jun 2010
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| rayne wrote: |
I updated my original post, any help would be greatly appreciated!
So I've decided to apply to JUST GEPIK. However, I'm quite confused about the application process. It seems to be different from EPIK. I've emailed a bunch of recruiters asking exactly what date the application starts, and none of them told me a precise date. Is there a precise date??? For EPIK, it's always April 1st.
Can anyone give me an outline of how GEPIK works? Do you submit an application and then get to view a list of jobs, pick some, the recruiters send in your resume, and wait and see if anyone is interested? Or is it like EPIK and they assign you to a random location?
I know that GEPIK hires outside the regular hiring season, I can start in mid-July at the earliest, and I looked at a recruiter's job list and there are public schools hiring for months outside the regular August/September Feb/March starting dates such as June, July and October. |
Well what happened to a few years ago when I switched from a Hogwon to GEPIK was I applied to recruiters who were advertising PS positions Starting for the end of May. I filled out their application form and sent in my CV. The recruiter sent me back two schools that he had that were looking for a teacher around that time. I chose one. Then I had an interview with my co teacher and after that actually went to the school for an interview with the principal (obviously I was in Korea at the time)
I think GEPIK will still have the hiring freeze between May and August which it had last year. The only reason I was renewed was because my school was funded through the city hall. So if you can get some schools I think that the choice of location will be limited.
But I think you are way too early for applying for the Autumn intake. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
