Korean Job Discussion Forums

dulouz · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus

These is a conceptual angle to this but I'm not interested in that. I'd rather here the answer in terms of American HR practices. If I send a resume to an American business and insist I have supervisory experience, will the HR depart agree? Its still not that simple - when one applicant has experience in the exact same occupation setting versus an education setting I would assume the exact same occupation setting applicant gets a plus even when I have had over 1000 students under my charge.

What do you know?

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

You must be in a supervisory position. I don't / didn't understand a thing you said......

Not being mean, just doesn't make sense. In particular the phrase "insist I have supervisory experience" Of course they will agree, you should know what kind of experience you have/had. Sounds simple.

Could you elaborate for this blue collar billy....

plattwaz · Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Location: <Write something dumb here>

I'm not 100% sure what you're asking here, but I *think* you are asking whether or not teaching experience counts as "supervisory" when applying to a position in a business or company....yes/no?

I was an HR Manager for quite a long time, and I would have to say that generally, no, teaching experience is not considered to be supervisory. Supervisory experience within the education sector would involve being Department Head or Head Teacher with other adult employees under your supervision. What you see as "supervising" your students is actually "educating" or "mentoring" and not the same kind of supervision.

Within a business setting supervision most often involves ensuring employees are performing required duties and tasks, perhaps monitoring employee attendance (authorizing vacation time, etc), and taking on more responsibilities than the others in your group or team. Many companies prefer those in supervisory positions to be a little older than other members of the team (or those being supervised) although that can't outright be requested due to employment equity. The supervisor will hold more responsibility when things go wrong, and is often the one responsible for reporting directly to a line manager about the progress of the others. These skills are not directly related to "supervising the educational progress and/or behavior of children." You can insist all you want what experience you have, but if they dont' feel it "qualifies" you, then that's the employer's choice.

That said, occassionally I have overlooked the requirement for supervisory experience, and recommended a candidate for employment that had never been a supervisor before, on the strength of other skills - a personality that I felt was well suited to the added responsibilities. It depends on the job position.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

dutchman · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: My backyard

Save your money. It's the most practical thing you will take with you when you leave Korea. Unless you're going into teaching back home your experience here will mean very little to a potential employer. Assume you'll be getting an entry-level position.

Money, save it. It will open many more doors than your ESL teaching experience.

YoungLi · Joined: 06 Sep 2005

plattwaz · Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Location: <Write something dumb here>

forgesteel · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Location: Earth

Teaching is Management experience

I've done substitute teaching in California. I did it for two years. It is much harder than teaching in Korea (and pays significantly less), even though the regular teacher is generally expected to give you the lesson plan on a silver platter. Kids in America are much more prone to getting into real trouble, and you have WAY less authority in the kids' eyes, and in actual practice. You MUST be a tyrant in order to get the kids to behave reasonably well in America. As a sub, you MUST limit their behavior options radically if you want to work consistently and not get letters written about you from the administration.

That said, I can imagine some high pressure environments, and other variables where your management or supervisory experience might not be all that applicable to the job in question. But generally, your experience is VERY supervisory, and very management related. It is no stretch to claim this. I'd back it up with the latest trendy book on management, and the latest buzzwords in the industry you are applying to. Car dealership mangement is different from restaurant management is different from high tech cubicle mangement, etc. etc. Learn your interested industry's buzzwords, practices, and expectations.

I can't imagine that a restaurant manager applying to a restaurant manager position would NOT be given the job, over you, all other things being equal. Just like you, all other things being equal, will be given the chance to go get a Master's degree before some guy who 'likes the idea' of teaching, but doesn't yet have his Bachelor's degree (asuming you are a legal E-2 visa holder).

It works the same all over. There's horizontal movement and there's vertical movement. Horizontal movement is retaining the same title or employing the same skills to do your job. Vertical movement is undertaking more difficult tasks, and developing different abilities (or conversely, undertaking less difficult tasks).

If you look at what the word management means, no one will doubt that teaching is management experience. Only one 'problem:' it's experience specific to an industry, that is: education. Therefore there is only limited applicability to your mangement skills, that you can apply RIGHT NOW, without some training first. Therefore, if interested in mangeme