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matt__
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Location: from circumstances
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 Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:33 pm Post subject: Thin resume? |
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Hi, I've been reading through the various forums here for a few weeks trying to get all the information on ESL I can and have found this place immesurably useful.
The main problem I can see standing between myself and a decent job in Korea is that my CV is pretty thin. I didn't work at anything I can reference while I was doing my degree, and my jobs since then have been for the most part temp office gigs. Admin assistant and the like. Being temp positions, they don't last long and it seems fairly unlikely that they'd even remember me if I approached any of them for a reference letter. I'm looking to Korea as an entry into ESL, to see if I have any aptitude for the role of teacher, so I don't have a CELTA. I still have time to enroll for a CELTA course somewhere in the UK before the end of the summer, would that help counterbalance my unimpressive resume? The CELTA is a pretty substantial investment anywhere in the world it seems, and especially so in the UK, costing the guts of �1000 in most places.
Any advice is welcomed, thanks. |
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RachaelRoo
Joined: 15 Jul 2005
Location: Anywhere but Ulsan!
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| Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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The demand for foreign English teachers in Korea currently exceeds the supply. By a lot.
So, as long as you are under 40 years of age and don't look like a total freak, your thin resume won't matter at all. Your job search will consist of you trying to sort out the good job offers from the bad ones, not competing with other applicants (if you are looking for the average hagwon deal).
Don't spend any money on an EFL course, at least not until you've had some experience and have decided that a CELTA is a worthwhile long term investment. |
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matt__
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Location: from circumstances
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| Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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| RachaelRoo wrote: |
The demand for foreign English teachers in Korea currently exceeds the supply. By a lot.
So, as long as you are under 40 years of age and don't look like a total freak, your thin resume won't matter at all. Your job search will consist of you trying to sort out the good job offers from the bad ones, not competing with other applicants (if you are looking for the average hagwon deal).
Don't spend any money on an EFL course, at least not until you've had some experience and have decided that a CELTA is a worthwhile long term investment. |
Well that was the basic plan, thanks for that. I don't think I look like a total freak, I can always brush my hair over the third eye.
One of the reasons there isn't a lot of work experience is because I've travelled quite a bit in Europe and Asia, would working this into a personal statement in the CV help?
Now just to get my head around securing sealed, signed transcripts and certified copies of my degree. I forsee a lot of stamp licking in my immediate future, which bugs me because I've never liked trusting anything to the whims of the postal service. Ah well, can't be helped! |
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ilovebdt
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Location: Nr Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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As you are probably going to be working a hagwon, I would advise you to get some experience of working with children if you haven't already.
I am a Brit myself, so I'd suggest you contact your local Volunteer Bureau or CSV and try to volunteer on a summer playscheme or something like that.
Any questions, please PM me.
ilovebdt |
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Zark
Joined: 12 May 2003
Location: Phuket, Thailand: Look into my eyes . . .
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| Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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You really don't even need to be under 40 - my first job in Korea (in 1992) was at age 42.
Hogwan jobs really are entry level. Really, just make sure your resume meets Asian standards and looks sharp - they don't expect much else.
A good place to see about resumes and CVs appropriate for this part of the world is:
http://tefldaddy.com/Resumes_and_CVs.htm
Good luck! |
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Njord
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:10 pm Post subject: Re: Thin resume? |
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| matt__ wrote: |
| The CELTA is a pretty substantial investment anywhere in the world it seems, and especially so in the UK, costing the guts of �1000 in most places. |
You can cut the cost by going to Central Europe for your CELTA course. I did mine in Bulgaria with this school which I highly recommend. They offer the course for �686 or a package with accommodation, a weekend trip, and airport transfer for �900. Food in Sofia is very cheap and good, so that won't set you back too much. I do think that the CELTA is a very good idea if you can afford it in terms of time and money.
In any case, don't worry about finding a job here. Good luck! |
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Pak Yu Man
Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Location: The Ida galaxy
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| Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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| YOu could always lie about your qualifications. There a pretty good chance your boss will be lying to you...so return the favor. Hey a bunch of clowns can get jobs with no degrees, you should have no problem finding one. |
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matt__
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Location: from circumstances
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| Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Pak Yu Man wrote: |
| YOu could always lie about your qualifications. There a pretty good chance your boss will be lying to you...so return the favor. Hey a bunch of clowns can get jobs with no degrees, you should have no problem finding one. |
I find this worrying and reassuring in equal measure  |
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SirFink
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:20 am Post subject: |
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| matt__ wrote: |
| One of the reasons there isn't a lot of work experience is because I've travelled quite a bit in Europe and Asia, would working this into a personal statement in the CV help? |
The fact is you really don't need help. If you have a 4-year degree, are a native English speaker and have a pulse you can get a job here. Also keep in mind that most of the schools and recruiters reading your CV have very poor English skills and all they're really looking at is that you have the degree and aren't completely ugly. "You like children? You like teachee?" Answer yes to both questions and you'll have a dozen job offers within a week. |
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itchy
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:12 am Post subject: Re: Thin resume? |
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| matt__ wrote: |
Hi, I've been reading through the various forums here for a few weeks trying to get all the information on ESL I can and have found this place immesurably useful.
The main problem I can see standing between myself and a decent job in Korea is that my CV is pretty thin. I didn't work at anything I can reference while I was doing my degree, and my jobs since then have been for the most part temp office gigs. Admin assistant and the like. Being temp positions, they don't last long and it seems fairly unlikely that they'd even remember me if I approached any of them for a reference letter. I'm looking to Korea as an entry into ESL, to see if I have any aptitude for the role of teacher, so I don't have a CELTA. I still have time to enroll for a CELTA course somewhere in the UK before the end of the summer, would that help counterbalance my unimpressive resume? The CELTA is a pretty substantial investment anywhere in the world it seems, and especially so in the UK, costing the guts of �1000 in most places.
Any advice is welcomed, thanks. |
do you want to work in Daegu, Ilsan, or Bundang? Email me: [email protected], I can hook you up with a school that is hiring, they pay pretty well and the hours are good. |
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Hotpants
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:34 am Post subject: |
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No work experience to date? Too old? Too ugly? No problem. One of the jobs I had listed on my early resume was 'toilet cleaner'. Didn't affect my chance of being hired as a teacher.
The quote you have for the Bulgarian course is expensive. If you take a TESOL it'll be cheaper. Oxford House College in London, for example has TESOL cert programs starting from 500 pounds.
TESOL, CELTA, TEFL...doesn't matter. It's only useful if you are considering teaching as a potential long term career. Otherwise, you can get by without it. But, yeah, experience with kids is perhaps the best thing you can have prior to coming over to teach. Apart from that, if you can write a good cover letter, you can get a decent job. Guaranteed. |
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creeper1
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 7:55 pm Post subject: honestly |
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| SirFink wrote: |
| matt__ wrote: |
| One of the reasons there isn't a lot of work experience is because I've travelled quite a bit in Europe and Asia, would working this into a personal statement in the CV help? |
The fact is you really don't need help. If you have a 4-year degree, are a native English speaker and have a pulse you can get a job here. Also keep in mind that most of the schools and recruiters reading your CV have very poor English skills and all they're really looking at is that you have the degree and aren't completely ugly. "You like children? You like teachee?" Answer yes to both questions and you'll have a dozen job offers within a week. |
Wonderful reading this old thread. I honestly think this advice applies even today.
Roll on the good times Korea EFL!!!!  |
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Jodami
Joined: 08 Feb 2013
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| Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 6:10 am Post subject: |
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Hi Matt__
Don't worry - there's plenty of efl gigs out there, for backpackers like you. You'll probably end up doing kindy stuff.
Here's some golden advice that I always give to newbies;
When you teach kindy, ALWAYS ALWAYS wear a 3 piece suit. Being immaculately dressed, will easily overcome your paper thin resume.
Good luck. |
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