Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SeoulNate]

I've been prepping for the hiring season for the upcoming spring term and I have a few questions if any uni vets out there would be so kind as to help me out with a few answers.

1. When do most of the jobs get listed? From what I remember with previous years, October-ish seems to be a general rule with interviews being in November or December. Is this still correct?

2. Applications, are they still done by sending everything in hard-copy to as many universities as you can find addresses for? Or has the electronic age completely taken this over? This is from information that I can find here and on some other websites that recommend just sending in your documents in a file to a slew of universities when the hiring season comes around.

3. What's the best way to 'break-in'? From what I have heard, most of the jobs are going to friends of people who already work at the decent and better universities. Despite the fact that I have been here a long time and done a bunch of networking, I really dont know anyone who is working in that kind of position that would even be able to inform me of openings, much less recommend me for the job. I'm just wondering how people, in the last few years, have gotten jobs if they didnt know people already working at the schools?

I'm fairly confident that if I can get an interview at a mid-level school I will be able to impress them, its just getting to that stage which is a bit worrying.

So far I have complied (or will have complied before a few months are out) some stuff to help me:

1. MAT:TESOL - from a top 15 school in the US, graduated with distinction
2. 7 years of teaching experience, various levels - unfortunately, none in uni
3. Bachelors of Education for secondary education - teaching licence in US (probably doesn't help, but cant hurt to mention)
4. A few different 12-16 week course plans for writing, speaking and general english classes
5. Tailored resumes/cover letters for different university potions.
6. Reference letters
7. Portfolio of work done at a few schools I have worked at

Is there anything else I should have going into this process?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Lucas]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/awesome-beards-photos_n_1470936.html

the 13th one.

[SeoulNate]

rofl, if that's all it took. I would get started today

[drydell]

You've got great qualifications and experience - I'm sure you'll get in somewhere... It's not all a old boys club network.. Don't fret about that..

My one piece if golden advice is this ...uni's hire early and late.. The late hiring uni's will have loads of applicants but get few turning up for interviews.. Even the good uni's. that is when to maximize your chances of being hired... Turn up to a late hiring uni interview.. And research the hell our of the place.. So you know if it is good or not ( for English teachers - v different from if if is good for k profs)..

[12ax7]

Since you're a certified teacher and you've got other qualifications, if I were you, I'd get a job at a public school in the US in a state that 1) needs teachers with your qualifications and 2) pays their teachers well after a few years of experience. You'd be better off in the long run.

Not trying to discourage you, but one of my friends had been teaching here for about 5 years, returned back home about 7 years ago, got a job with a school district, and is doing very well (the head of his department), earning more than double what he would have earned had he stayed at his high school job here.

Of course, money isn't everything.

[tob55]

I sent you a PM. cheers

[globusmonkey]

With those credentials, you should get some interest. The biggest thing that will help you aside from all that is your paperwork. Make sure you have all your documents that are required for new hires (Background check, apostilled diplomas, etc.) ready to go by October 1st. Some universities will start the process in September, but you need to calculate how long your background check is good for so it is still valid when you start in March. Get scans of all the documents and your resume and everything else, and tailor your applications to each school you apply to. It's a lot of work, but there are some good jobs out there. Do some searching online for examples of past job postings to help you find what you will need. The only secret to this is preparation, patience, and persistence. Good luck!

[SeoulNate]

[SeoulNate]

[ttompatz]

[globusmonkey]

The university I was hired at, along with many I saw advertised, required a current CBC at time of application. Whether or not is a "must-have" I can't tell you, but as far as documentation requirements for a complete application go, it is a good idea. There were some people hired that didn't have a current one, so I guess it's possible, but they all had to scramble and get one once the semester started at the school's request. It might be a requirement of the university you apply to; whether that is correct or not doesn't matter if you want the job. Lots of hoops to jump through, and they're always changing. It'll cost you more, but if it's the difference between you getting hired and not getting hired, it would be smart to have one. Also, when I switched from E-2 to E-1 visa, immigration asked to see one (which I'm pretty sure is not a requirement, but I had it anyway. I always get two copies of important paperwork. Be prepared, right?). Ttom knows more about the laws than I do (or just about anyone), but this was my experience as of last fall. It's up to you, I suppose.

[SeoulNate]

[Swampfox10mm]

The uni I work at has offset the contract dates on some waygook contracts simply so they can continue to wait until the last possible moment to renew them, and so they can avoid the rush at immigration (my guess). So this school has professors getting their visa extended another year while they have already begun teaching the new school year (yet they still have a week left on their contracts). It seems odd to me, and not sure I would let them do that to my contract.

[SeoulNate]

[I'm With You]