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Ibsen
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
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 Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 11:45 pm Post subject: How do you apply for ESL jobs? |
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This may sound like a really stupid question, but I really just don't know.
I currently have all documents in hand except for my CBC, which probably won't be ready for another 3-4 months or more (sent prints in about a month ago, then gotta get an apostille). But how do I go about applying to jobs? I am not dealing with any company or recruiter, so I don't really have anyone guiding me along in this process. The jobs posted on the Korean Job Board on this site are appealing and appear to be from recruiters, so would I just shoot them an e-mail saying I'm interested and attach my resume? Is this a good way to actually land a job or did I screw myself by choosing not to go with a big reputable company like EPIK?
Sorry if this has been asked a lot, but I searched and couldn't really find anything. Any help or guidance would be appreciated. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:08 am Post subject: Re: How do you apply for ESL jobs? |
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| Ibsen wrote: |
This may sound like a really stupid question, but I really just don't know.
I currently have all documents in hand except for my CBC, which probably won't be ready for another 3-4 months or more (sent prints in about a month ago, then gotta get an apostille). But how do I go about applying to jobs? I am not dealing with any company or recruiter, so I don't really have anyone guiding me along in this process. The jobs posted on the Korean Job Board on this site are appealing and appear to be from recruiters, so would I just shoot them an e-mail saying I'm interested and attach my resume? Is this a good way to actually land a job or did I screw myself by choosing not to go with a big reputable company like EPIK?
Sorry if this has been asked a lot, but I searched and couldn't really find anything. Any help or guidance would be appreciated. |
EPIK is not a company. It is the government of Korea.
Yes, as a newbie, you will probably have to use a recruiter. 95% of all newbie jobs in Korea are landed through a recruiter.
No, you have not screwed yourself. There is NOTHING you can do until you have ALL your documents in hand (passport, CBC with apostille, degree copy with apostille) and EPIK quit taking applications last Dec. 1 for the spring intake. The fall intake (Aug. starts) won't open until about April 1.
Hagwans hire year round.
Time to head for the FAQs. Spend a few hours reading. It will pay off in the long run and with the exception of a few changes in documentation, nothing much has changed in the last 10 years.
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Ibsen
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:19 am Post subject: Re: How do you apply for ESL jobs? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
EPIK is not a company. It is the government of Korea.
Yes, as a newbie, you will probably have to use a recruiter. 95% of all newbie jobs in Korea are landed through a recruiter.
No, you have not screwed yourself. There is NOTHING you can do until you have ALL your documents in hand (passport, CBC with apostille, degree copy with apostille) and EPIK quit taking applications last Dec. 1 for the spring intake. The fall intake (Aug. starts) won't open until about April 1.
Hagwans hire year round.
Time to head for the FAQs. Spend a few hours reading. It will pay off in the long run and with the exception of a few changes in documentation, nothing much has changed in the last 10 years.
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Thanks for the quick reply, you always give the best information.
I do plan to apply to hagwans since they hire year round. So there is nothing I should be doing right now other than waiting for my documentation? And when that comes would I just send the recruiters who post on the job board an e-mail with my resume? Or would it be better to go through their websites?
I have been trying to get into the FAQ's since I figured there would be some good info in there, but for some reason it never loads, it just gets stuck at a white page. I have no idea why, might be a problem with Firefox. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:23 am Post subject: Re: How do you apply for ESL jobs? |
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| Ibsen wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
EPIK is not a company. It is the government of Korea.
Yes, as a newbie, you will probably have to use a recruiter. 95% of all newbie jobs in Korea are landed through a recruiter.
No, you have not screwed yourself. There is NOTHING you can do until you have ALL your documents in hand (passport, CBC with apostille, degree copy with apostille) and EPIK quit taking applications last Dec. 1 for the spring intake. The fall intake (Aug. starts) won't open until about April 1.
Hagwans hire year round.
Time to head for the FAQs. Spend a few hours reading. It will pay off in the long run and with the exception of a few changes in documentation, nothing much has changed in the last 10 years.
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Thanks for the quick reply, you always give the best information.
I do plan to apply to hagwans since they hire year round. So there is nothing I should be doing right now other than waiting for my documentation? And when that comes would I just send the recruiters who post on the job board an e-mail with my resume? Or would it be better to go through their websites?
I have been trying to get into the FAQ's since I figured there would be some good info in there, but for some reason it never loads, it just gets stuck at a white page. I have no idea why, might be a problem with Firefox. |
When you have your documents in hand, make LOW resolution scans of them and mail your resume and scans off to every job posting that interests you.
Look at what comes back and make your best choice.
Do your own due diligence about the school, sign on the dotted line, send the hard copies to Korea, wait for your visa confirmation number, go to the embassy and get your visa, then buy a ticket and get on a plane bound for Korea.
Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.
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Ibsen
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 11:28 am Post subject: Re: How do you apply for ESL jobs? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| Ibsen wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
EPIK is not a company. It is the government of Korea.
Yes, as a newbie, you will probably have to use a recruiter. 95% of all newbie jobs in Korea are landed through a recruiter.
No, you have not screwed yourself. There is NOTHING you can do until you have ALL your documents in hand (passport, CBC with apostille, degree copy with apostille) and EPIK quit taking applications last Dec. 1 for the spring intake. The fall intake (Aug. starts) won't open until about April 1.
Hagwans hire year round.
Time to head for the FAQs. Spend a few hours reading. It will pay off in the long run and with the exception of a few changes in documentation, nothing much has changed in the last 10 years.
. |
Thanks for the quick reply, you always give the best information.
I do plan to apply to hagwans since they hire year round. So there is nothing I should be doing right now other than waiting for my documentation? And when that comes would I just send the recruiters who post on the job board an e-mail with my resume? Or would it be better to go through their websites?
I have been trying to get into the FAQ's since I figured there would be some good info in there, but for some reason it never loads, it just gets stuck at a white page. I have no idea why, might be a problem with Firefox. |
When you have your documents in hand, make LOW resolution scans of them and mail your resume and scans off to every job posting that interests you.
Look at what comes back and make your best choice.
Do your own due diligence about the school, sign on the dotted line, send the hard copies to Korea, wait for your visa confirmation number, go to the embassy and get your visa, then buy a ticket and get on a plane bound for Korea.
Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.
.
. |
Thank you again |
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airfilter
Joined: 22 Jan 2010
Location: New York
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:01 am Post subject: |
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I didn't want to make a new thread, but about all the ads asking for a photo.
Is it good to just look normal and clean?
Is smiling too much?
Is dressing up in a suit too much? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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| airfilter wrote: |
I didn't want to make a new thread, but about all the ads asking for a photo.
Is it good to just look normal and clean?
Is smiling too much?
Is dressing up in a suit too much? |
Passport type.
Head and shoulders, professional dress, no a suit is not too much and a small smile is not bad either (softens the face).
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Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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| airfilter wrote: |
I didn't want to make a new thread, but about all the ads asking for a photo.
Is it good to just look normal and clean?
Is smiling too much?
Is dressing up in a suit too much? |
This is also used to weed out the undesirables. Sorry hagwons and recruiters will discriminate on age, race, looks, etc.
Still tompattz is right. Make it look nice and professional. Remove thos nose rings. Cover up any tattoos.
Some people recommend an action shot like you of teaching.
Also be aware that some places will bin your application since you are so far away in time as a hire. Until you have your CRC in hand most places will not deal much with you.
Still you might make some inroads with looking a head of time. Also consider networking a bit now. Find a city or area you want and find a Facebook page related to it (Daejeon Peeps). Make some friends and when the time comes you have some people who can hand you off to some reputable or less skeazy schools. Heck hang around here and ask intelligent questions. Send some PM to some people and ask if the have any leads. The worst is people will ignore you and say no.
Read the forums. Stick to the Job Related and FAQ sections. Look a little into the General. Avoid wasting your time in the others. |
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nick2012
Joined: 13 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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Hey guys, thanks to those in the know for helping us newbies. Maybe someday we'll be in your position passing on our fountain of knowledge and wisdom to those lesser-experienced!
Anyway a quick and probably simple as question... I know our degree has to be apostilled and notarised, but how about our teaching qualification? Does my CELTA certificate have to go through the same process too, or is just a quick scan and a photocopy or 2 enough? |
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thebektionary
Joined: 11 May 2011
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| Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 12:02 pm Post subject: |
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You don't have to wait 3-4 months for your docs. Contact your congressperson about the CBC and they will get it to you in 2 weeks or less. Then send it to WWW.uslegalization.com for your apostille and it will only take a day.
It's 40 bucks but it will save you a month of waiting. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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| nick2012 wrote: |
Hey guys, thanks to those in the know for helping us newbies. Maybe someday we'll be in your position passing on our fountain of knowledge and wisdom to those lesser-experienced!
Anyway a quick and probably simple as question... I know our degree has to be apostilled and notarised, but how about our teaching qualification? Does my CELTA certificate have to go through the same process too, or is just a quick scan and a photocopy or 2 enough? |
My recruiter did ask me to get an apostlille for my TEFL cert. The reason they gave was that I got it quite a while ago. Not sure what that had to do with anything but I went ahead and did it anyway.
I'm not sure if it was a recruiter stipulation or an EPIK one, but I read that as long as you were going to bring your original TEFL certificate (or CELTA) with you to Korea, then you don't need an apostlille for the copy you make.
The way things are going though, I might just do it anyway. It's just as easy as getting your diploma notarized and apostlilled. |
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Chet Wautlands
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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Ttompatz, why do you recommend low resolution scans?
Smaller file size? Identity theft? |
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nick2012
Joined: 13 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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| isitts wrote: |
| nick2012 wrote: |
Hey guys, thanks to those in the know for helping us newbies. Maybe someday we'll be in your position passing on our fountain of knowledge and wisdom to those lesser-experienced!
Anyway a quick and probably simple as question... I know our degree has to be apostilled and notarised, but how about our teaching qualification? Does my CELTA certificate have to go through the same process too, or is just a quick scan and a photocopy or 2 enough? |
My recruiter did ask me to get an apostlille for my TEFL cert. The reason they gave was that I got it quite a while ago. Not sure what that had to do with anything but I went ahead and did it anyway.
I'm not sure if it was a recruiter stipulation or an EPIK one, but I read that as long as you were going to bring your original TEFL certificate (or CELTA) with you to Korea, then you don't need an apostlille for the copy you make.
The way things are going though, I might just do it anyway. It's just as easy as getting your diploma notarized and apostlilled. |
Yeah, you're right. I'll just send it in together with the degree to save any hassle. It'll cost a few extra bucks but better to be prepared I guess! Thanks anyway. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| nick2012 wrote: |
| isitts wrote: |
| nick2012 wrote: |
Hey guys, thanks to those in the know for helping us newbies. Maybe someday we'll be in your position passing on our fountain of knowledge and wisdom to those lesser-experienced!
Anyway a quick and probably simple as question... I know our degree has to be apostilled and notarised, but how about our teaching qualification? Does my CELTA certificate have to go through the same process too, or is just a quick scan and a photocopy or 2 enough? |
My recruiter did ask me to get an apostlille for my TEFL cert. The reason they gave was that I got it quite a while ago. Not sure what that had to do with anything but I went ahead and did it anyway.
I'm not sure if it was a recruiter stipulation or an EPIK one, but I read that as long as you were going to bring your original TEFL certificate (or CELTA) with you to Korea, then you don't need an apostlille for the copy you make.
The way things are going though, I might just do it anyway. It's just as easy as getting your diploma notarized and apostlilled. |
Yeah, you're right. I'll just send it in together with the degree to save any hassle. It'll cost a few extra bucks but better to be prepared I guess! Thanks anyway. |
No problem. Just food for thought, though, it might not be as much of a problem if you've got a CELTA. My recruiter may have asked me to get mine apostlilled because they hadn't heard of the school. I don't think 2006 was really that long ago.
But anyway, trends being what they are, if Korea is concerned about diplomas not being legitimate, and TEFL/CELTA becoming a new minimum requirement to teach, seems like they'll eventually start asking for these to be authenticated, too. |
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aznhybrid
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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| thebektionary wrote: |
You don't have to wait 3-4 months for your docs. Contact your congressperson about the CBC and they will get it to you in 2 weeks or less. Then send it to WWW.uslegalization.com for your apostille and it will only take a day.
It's 40 bucks but it will save you a month of waiting. |
I have a question about this. So we just contact the State Representative for our district and ask them if it is possible to rush the CBC? |
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