Korean Job Discussion Forums

[oldfatfarang]

Can anyone please advise:
1) The interview format for university Language Instructor positions?
2) What do university interview Teaching Demonstrations involve?
Does the job applicant sit at a table and teach a small group of Beginner students like a normal Conversation class?
(If so, how many copies are needed?)
Or does the job applicant use a lecture format to a large class of students?
3) Does the job applicant supply the teaching demonstration material or does the university provide the same material to all job applicants?

Thanks, any help is appreciated?

[Homer]

We ask the following:

1- A short paper on the teachers pedagogical philosophy (this to be sent in one week before the interview).

We then question the teacher on that paper during the interview.

2- Roleplay of classroom situations to assess the teachers reaction to certain problems. How the problem is solved is not what is looked at here but rather how the teacher behaves, what is his or her outlook and attitude.

3- Class demo is asked.

This is a short 20 minute demo. We usually involve some staff who evaluate the teacher.

4- The interview format.

This takes about 30-45 minutes.
Questions relate to professional background, educational background, personality, outlook on the position and so on.
Candidates have to be ready to back up whatever qualification they identified in their application.

Then a hiring comittee gets together and looks at the results from the interview, the paper and the applicants documents (credentials and Resume). A full reference check is done.


A few key elements:

Previous experience is only counted if it is backed up by a reference (in letter or by talking to former employers).

Dress is important (that is university policy) so showing up in kakhis and a t-shirt is a big no no.

[Hanson]

I've been on both sides of the interview process. I can tell you that some applicants basically make the interviewers' job all too easy, both in whom to hire and whom not to hire.

Being well-prepared for an interview is a must. An interviewer with experience can easily spot who is winging it, who is serious and who is well-prepared.

When I was part of the interviewing team at my previous university, there was a guy (someone who posts on Dave's, actually), who showed up for the interview 20 minutes late wearing bermuda shorts, a Hawaiian shirt and sandals. It didn't matter what came out of his mouth after that...

For some good advice about getting a uni job, check out Beaver's advice in this thread:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=6586&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Also, my experience has been more or less what Homer explained above.

For the demo, prepare your own lesson and bring enough copies/handouts for about 20 students (I wouldn't expect more than half of that - the most I ever got was 5), but give yourself enough time to make more copies if need be. Also prepare the lesson plan for the interviewers to follow - of course, bring enough copies for each interviewer (shouldn't be more than 5). The interviewers just want to see you in action, for a short time.

The best advice for demos is to plan something that doesn't need a long explanation. The shorter the better. Get the students on task quickly; after all, this isn't a real class, it's just a demo. 20 minutes is very short, and you probably don't want to spend the whole time explaining and presenting - they also want to see how you interact with the students.

Also, teach something you know inside and out. The worst would be if you were teaching something, and get a question you can't handle - in front of the interviewers. It's ok when you have the job and students ask you something you're not sure about in a regular class - happens to everyone - but this is to showcase what you know and how you impart it.

Finally, dress appropriately and arrive early. There's nothing like arriving late or under-dressing that will turn off an employer more.

Good luck!

[Homer]

Good advice from Hanson.

Get there early! Being late is one strike against an applicant.

I have been on a few hiring committees as well and it is amazong how so many applicants would be better off tossing a grenade in their shorts than doing the interview the way they do!

We had one guy show up with shoulder lenght hair (no such a big deal but not looked kindly upon by administrators), a nose ring and numerous earings. The poor guy was dead in the water before it even got started. He them started his interview by greeting the administrator of the department with a "Hey man".

It is about being professional here. Acting like a professional and looking the part as well. Just having the requisites is not enough....

[SuperHero]

[Hotpants]

You'd do best to check with the individual school involved beforehand because every uni interview is completely different. You don't want to be caught unaware.

[Aussiekimchi]

Is there any truth in Universities hiring teachers whom they think will cause the least amount of waves, or someone whom they would get along with in an office?
I have only worked in one university and that was certainly the impression I got in the interview.
It was very relaxed, almost embarrassingly so. Other new teachers that year told me the same...maybe our uni was just crap.

[oldfatfarang]

Thanks for the valuable info. I'll get prepared.

The comment on shoulder length hair was interesting. I am a long distance runner. I have a 'sports cut' (number one haircut). That's VERY SHORT hair (but not shaved).

Will having ultra short hair be a problem for a university teacher??
My current school made me grow my hair for 5 months when I first arrived in Korea. That really sucked running in 38 deg heat. So I eventually cut it all off again. The Director wasn't too happy, and the kids were frighted for a week, but after a while nobody noticed anymore.
Any comments appreciated.

Also, the teaching demo, is it a sit-down teaching demonstration (conversation class) or a lecture format?

[SuperHero]

[Homer]

[Pak Yu Man]

I think married men or women will be hired over a single person (especially a guy).

A married guy is less likely to go around humping all the students. If they are married to a Korean they've also shown they have some comitment and might be around for a while.

At least that was what I was told after my interview

[Lemonade]

Why was my post here deleted?

I guess people like to hear about idealistic, reasonable answers instead of the reality of how the real world actually works here in Korea. It's far from ideal. Fact is, if they they like you in the interview, you get hired. If they don't like you, you aren't hired. Your background or experience is not as important to many Korean employers as your looks and likeablity. That's a well known but taboo fact to talk about - like it or not it's the truth.

If you are ugly, have a Ph.d and loads of research, your chances of being hired are lower than the BA who comes in with a few years of ESL experience, is late for the interview, brags about his drinking binges and is extremely good looking. Believe it or NOT... looks matter.

I think it's safe to say that most of the foreign colleagues I work with are either above average or well above average in the looks dept. One thing I know is that the university received stacks of applicants with pictures. Did I have the most experience? No. Did I show up late? Yes. I was very, very late. Why? I travelled for hours to get to the interview and I misjudged the time it would take to get there. Shhhhh but being American didn't hurt my chances either. Don't tell anyone. That's reality.

[Homer]

[Lemonade]