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schtebe
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 9:14 am Post subject: smoe with no experience? |
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| I am finishing by BA in Psychology and plan on coming to Korea in August to teach. I'm leaning towards working at a public school. I was thinking of applying to SMOE, but I was told by several people (including recruiters) that with no teaching experience or certification I would be wasting my time because it's too competitive. Anyone have any knowledge about this? Should I just focus my search elsewhere? |
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Tathen
Joined: 10 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 10:23 am Post subject: |
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There is no harm in applying for it. I've yet to work for SMOE, but I would be very surprised to hear of any organization here having an abundance of teachers to the point where they are turning people down.
Recruiters would likely just be telling you that so they could throw you in a harder to fill job.
~Tathen |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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aarontendo
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Location: Daegu-ish
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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You can apply but from what I was told by Kelly (one of the decision makers) then you probably won't get in. I worked for SMOE with no experience, I was even told in the interview I wouldn't have been considered if I didn't have my CELTA (yes Bassexpander she said CELTA).
My undergrad was in business. I'd imagine that it depends on how many applicants they have and when you get your app in, I was notified of my job in May so it was pretty early I think. |
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ardis
Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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| I got in SMOE without experience, and so did some other people I've met. They didn't make a big deal out of it or even make it sound like it was detrimental to my application. |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| ardis wrote: |
| I got in SMOE without experience, and so did some other people I've met. They didn't make a big deal out of it or even make it sound like it was detrimental to my application. |
Seconded.
Fucking recruiters told my friend with an English-related Masters Degree they didn't know if he was qualified! |
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eac02
Joined: 23 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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A tefl cert might help, you would get paid more, but teaching experience is not necessary.
Plus its not as competetive as they make it sound, both my recruiter and the guy I talked to at SMOE told me they have a lot of positions to fill. |
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Sody
Joined: 14 May 2006
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Tathen wrote: |
There is no harm in applying for it. I've yet to work for SMOE, but I would be very surprised to hear of any organization here having an abundance of teachers to the point where they are turning people down.
Recruiters would likely just be telling you that so they could throw you in a harder to fill job.
~Tathen |
This is 100% correct. No offense to my SMOE teacher friends but they are NO where near as good at teaching as some of my other friends who work in Seoul. There is always a SMOE position to be filled, it's the same like in EPIK, GEPIK, etc. Someone might be well qualified on paper but that doesn't add up to good teaching in a classroom.
I would like to remind everyone that this is Korea. In Korea getting a job is more about connections, networking and having the right type of person skills. This means that for a lot of the interviews which are overseas phone calls, you have to project a good personality over the phone and give them the right answers. You may think this is the same as back home, but where you are from you would most likely have a follow up interview in person. The majority of communication is through body language and since they can't see you physically they check to see if you have a nice voice (preferrably with a North American accent) and a nice picture. Looks are extremely important! Sparkling! |
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Sody
Joined: 14 May 2006
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Sorry I forgot to add, most recruiters will save the good looking teachers for hagwons. What this means for those teachers who aren't so pleasing to the eye is that they have a better chance of scoring a public school job. Just something to keep in mind. I know because I would have zero chance of getting a hagwon job, but I've always had a good chance at getting a public school job. |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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| How fast does SMOE notify you if your accepted or not after the Interview? |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Sody wrote: |
| No offense to my SMOE teacher friends but they are NO where near as good at teaching as some of my other friends who work in Seoul. |
No offense taken, but for the sake of argument, who are you comparing SMOE teachers against and how do you rate teachers' abilities? In-class observation? A look at resumes? |
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schtebe
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the replies everyone, I think that I will go ahead and apply. I'll let ya'll know the results! |
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Aussiekimchi
Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Location: SYDNEY
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry I forgot to add, most recruiters will save the good looking teachers for hagwons. What this means for those teachers who aren't so pleasing to the eye is that they have a better chance of scoring a public school job.
You are a peanut! |
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eac02
Joined: 23 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Ukon wrote: |
| How fast does SMOE notify you if your accepted or not after the Interview? |
I found out right away, the guy conducting the interview told me I got the job. |
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esetters21
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| Aussiekimchi wrote: |
Sorry I forgot to add, most recruiters will save the good looking teachers for hagwons. What this means for those teachers who aren't so pleasing to the eye is that they have a better chance of scoring a public school job.
You are a peanut! |
I have the same response. Who told you that? Or is it based upon your personal experience? That is very misleading to any prospective noobs in Korea (a generalization without merit).
I know for a fact that SMOE is looking to place around 200 teachers this hiring period (for August-September start). |
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