Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gogohorrorshow]

I recently applied to SMOE through Korvia. I have the interview coming up next week and I've been super anxious about it, so I did some research using the handy search button.

After browsing through some old posts, it seems like alot of posters are saying if you get to the phone interview stage, you're pretty much in. Like they just want to make sure you're not a weirdo and that you can actually speak English as you claim. However there are some qualifiers to this: first off, this seems to apply to those who are pretty, white and holding teaching certificates.

I have nearly three years of informal teaching experience with primary school kids but no actual teaching certificate. As you all probably know, this wasn't an official requirement on the application. However, once I turned in my application my recruiter told me that this is a definite no-no.

So my question is, what are the chances SMOE is actually taking me seriously? I have two huge marks against me, it seems, no teaching cert. and I'm nonwhite (Asian-American). I plan to get a TEFL cert. in July, and I plan on letting them know about this. Do you think that will be enough? I don't want to get rejected just because I do not yet have any teaching cert. As well, another strange thing I noticed was that for most people, there was a separate interview they had to with the recruiters. When I applied with Korvia, I never had to go through any interviewing process. They just e-mailed me right away after accepting my documents that they had set up an interview with SMOE. Is this normal to not have been interviewed/screened first by the recruiter?

[Bibbitybop]

SMOE is super understaffed at the head office, so instead of hiring qualified judges, they outsource initial interviews to select recruiters. It's normal.

Let me get this straight: You taught (tutored?) for 3 years with no certificate? Guess what, that makes you more experienced than people who did not teach (regardless of certificate).

Let me get this straighter: You taught outside Korea for 3 years, right? I ask because it is illegal to tutor or privately teach in Korea. But outside Korea, it is common and probably legal depending on local laws.

The recruiters talk to a lot of people and may be getting "tutoring in other countries" confused with "tutoring illegally in Korea." Or something like that.

I talked with a teacher that told SMOE, "I tutored many immigrant children in the USA in my spare time." SMOE was quick to say, "You can't do that in Korea!" The applicant calmly said, "Yes, I understand immigration and SMOE do not allow private teaching. What I did was legal in my country and I would never do in Korea." Case closed, the person was hired.


One more thing: I had friends in SMOE who were white, black, Hispanic, gyopo, Asian-American, etc. As long as your passport and degree are from an approved country, SMOE doesn't care. Just don't admit to braking a law (even parking tickets) unless it is on your CBC, using any drugs (legal or illegal), having any tattoos (unless they are visible or could be visible), being gay, living with your lover while unmarried, or wanting to come to Korea because of the following reasons: The money; Japan denied you; the women; your degree is fake; you hear Koreans like to drink a lot and so do you; you want to sell drugs for high prices; or that you heard Takeshima was a nice place to visit.

Good luck!

[gogohorrorshow]

[Bibbitybop]

[moosehead]

SMOE hires everyone with a pulse -

[gogohorrorshow]

[Ukon]

SMOE is competitive....however it skews heavily in favor of those with teaching experience....I know plenty of asians teaching in SMOE....If

[gogohorrorshow]

double post

[gogohorrorshow]

It's not only the fact that I'm asian-american (though non-korean). I was born outside the United States, and this fact is alot more worrisome to me. Do I have much of a chance despite 1) being born outside of the U.S. (came to the states when i was 3, perfect native English abilities though) 2) no certification (planning on getting TESOL this July, AFTER my interview)?

[ThingsComeAround]

Dude- relax. If you have a passport from the US, that is basically your foot in the door. Korvia should be able to secure you a good teaching job, but if they can't, find another recruiter that can

[The Gipkik]

[Big Mac]

As long as you have a university degree and a passport from one of the seven approved countries, you're fine.

That's unless you're a weirdo, as others mentioned. But even some, actually many, weirdos get jobs here too.

[Kwangjuchicken]

[The Gipkik]

[bogey666]