Korean Job Discussion Forums

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

More Info if possible please:

(1) What is the typical content of a UNVERSITY teaching job interview? (questions on generalities, specific teaching methods, CV discussion etc??)
(2) Are applicants interviewed by a panel?
(3) Do I need a copy of my thesis??
(4) Appropriate interview clothes (suit /tie or casual open neck shirt)?
(My adult and businessmen clients all stress: "Clothes are VERY IMPORTANT in Korea".)

I'm very interested in the experiences of TESL teachers currently working at Korean universities.

(1) What type of working environments are Korean universities?? Are they stimulating, academic, liberal environments?
Or are they they mono-cultural, ageist, sexist, money-making machines like Hagwons???

(2) Are TESL teachers working in Korean universities subject to the same 'deceptive' practices commonly found in Hagwons (cheating on wages/taxes/bonus's, working hours - the list goes on and on etc)???

(3) Can University teaching applicants negotiate contract conditions?
Or is it take it or leave it??

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Good advice, thanks. Keep it coming.

lastat06513 · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:16 am Post subject:

The interview content varies from place to place- I have been to university interviews that wanted me to do a teaching demo while some were with the director while even some were with the board of directors where each member would ask a question. Yet some were backroom meetings where the interview was a mere formality and I was practically offered the job hands down.
I think with foreigners, getting a uni. job can depend alot on who you know as well as what you know.

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Yes, interviewing processes vary greatly from place to place. It would be very difficult to generalize about interview procedures. Every university has their own process/ procedures/requirements, etc.

However, I would agree with laogaiguk that the one think you can bet on is that you must always wear a suit and tie to an interview. That's just common sense.

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

More good advice. Keep it coming.
(And don't forget: "Pattaya 'Lady Boys' have more fun!".)

Pak Yu Man · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Location: The Ida galaxy

If you go to a Hagwon interwiev...wear a freaking suit.

If you don't know what to wear....go back to the hagwon pleb Smile

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Thank you for your advice.
I might add that I wore a suit (daily) for 10 years when I was a bank manager. So wearing a suit holds no status for me.

I just wondered what the norm was in Korean interviews. Suits don't seem to mean that much here. Every week I see Korean men wearing suits on my local beach - and I've even seen them wearing them hiking in the mountains!
Keep the advice coming. I appreciate it.