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Heisenberg87
Joined: 08 Jan 2012
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 Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 5:01 pm Post subject: Do hagwons require reference letters for first timers? |
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| I am in a position where I cannot obtain good reference letters and was hoping I could bypass this process if I apply to hagwons. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 5:25 pm Post subject: Re: Do hagwons require reference letters for first timers? |
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| Heisenberg87 wrote: |
| I am in a position where I cannot obtain good reference letters and was hoping I could bypass this process if I apply to hagwons. |
Yes.
Reference letters in Korea are NOT the same as reference letters at home.
They are simply certificates of employment.
Chances are that your new hagwan boss won't be able to read them. If he can he probably wouldn't understand the nuances of the language used in one. They WON'T make an international call to check them.
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Heisenberg87
Joined: 08 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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| My previous employer won't write a letter because of some bizarre company policy in which they can't release any biased records of employees. So are you saying that with no reference letters, it is impossible to teach in Korea? |
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thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Heisenberg87 wrote: |
| My previous employer won't write a letter because of some bizarre company policy in which they can't release any biased records of employees. So are you saying that with no reference letters, it is impossible to teach in Korea? |
A certificate of employment is a statement that you worked from a certain date until another certain date, and that you indeed had a job with the company or school you claimed to work for. This letter contains only factual information, and as such, would not be a "biased" record of employees. You can get one from your former employer. In fact, the "bizarre" policy you are talking about isn't so bizarre considering how litigious folks in the US can be, and I worked at several schools in the US that would NOT give letters of recommendation -- they merely provided a certificate of employment.
They won't write you a letter saying you were good or bad, but they will write a letter stating that you worked from such-and-such a date until such-and-such a date, and the latter is all you need for the job. |
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Heisenberg87
Joined: 08 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| I may be able to get such a certificate. I think I am still misunderstanding this though. Are saying that in order to work at a hagwon, I need to get such a certificate from every previous job I've had? If so, that could be even more time consuming than the CBC process! |
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thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think you need cerfticates of employment every place you have been to simply be hired -- some schools that may start you off with a higher salary due to experience may require you to prove that you HAVE the experience for which they are paying extra, and in that case, you may need to have them. Otherwise, if you have ANY letters of reference or certificates of employment, you are probably fine.
If you don't have any letters, from anywhere, at any time in your life, to suggest that you would be a good person to hire, or that you have ever held a job...well...I dunno what to say. Get your mom to write a letter for you? |
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Heisenberg87
Joined: 08 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm sure I can get a couple of certificates, I do have character reference letter from a volunteer trip I went on last month. One of my college professors said she might write for me as well. I just want to make sure that this isn't a dead end type issue and I'm just going to be wasting my time by trying to apply once the rest of my paperwork is ready. |
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plchron
Joined: 26 Feb 2011
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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| just forge it. If it is a hagwon, they won't be calling/ contacting. |
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cincynate
Joined: 07 Jul 2009
Location: Jeju-do, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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Just scribble some stuff on a piece of paper and send it to them. They can't read them anyway and certainly won't check on them. Have your friends write you a letter of recommendation.
Anyway, most hagwons don't request them, so you have nothing to worry about. |
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mwalls
Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Location: WA, USA--soon to be Namhae
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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This is really interesting. My understanding (from my recruiter for a public school) is that they're in a "professional capacity," which would include an employer AND/OR the school from where I received my cert. Which is what I have--former boss and a course director. Will this be a problem?
Emailing recruiter now for clarification. |
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dmillika
Joined: 24 Nov 2011
Location: Changwon
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:53 am Post subject: |
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| I didn't at mine, but maybe it varies? If it's a run-of-the-mill hagwon, I doubt it being issue. Maybe others that are reputable might want some. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:28 am Post subject: |
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Getting an employment certificate should be no problem. That can work just as well as a recommendation letter.
You should not have problems getting a Hakwon position providing you meet the visa requirements (E2 visa I assume). |
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Heisenberg87
Joined: 08 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:15 am Post subject: |
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Yeah Patrick, just got my CBC back, all clean  Now, it's just a matter of apostilling. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:43 am Post subject: |
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| All is well then. |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:28 am Post subject: Re: Do hagwons require reference letters for first timers? |
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| Heisenberg87 wrote: |
| I am in a position where I cannot obtain good reference letters and was hoping I could bypass this process if I apply to hagwons. |
Most hogwans and most recruiters will not ask for any reference letters.
Your best bet is just don't mention the subject at all unless you are asked for references. You should go ahead and obtain the best possible references for any instance where a request is made for references and then use whatever you have. |
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