Korean Job Discussion Forums

[KoreanAmbition]

I'm starting this topic in hopes of getting some information that has eluded the couple other university job discussions that are currently running.


When an applicant's resume is being screened in the hiring process, how much value/weight is given to:

1. the brand-name university someone got their degree from?

2. the reputation of the Korean university someone has worked for?



Obviously this changes depending on the school that is hiring, and also the schools the applicant has on their resume. But it seems some people on here are/have been involved with their school's hiring process, so I think it would be interesting to hear their opinions.

[Demophobe]

[KoreanAmbition]

Demophobe,

Your comments are very interesting...do you think that a lot of schools think in similar ways?


I have a few questions for anyone regarding letters of reference:


1. At what point are letters of reference considered?

I thought checking references was something that happens further into the hiring process after all the initial screening (and maybe even interviewing) has been done? I thought letters of reference were the last "check" in the process, but I sort of get the impression Demophobe might be saying they come early in the process when all the other factors are being examined as well.


2. Is a letter of reference considered exactly equivalent to just offering the name of a reference and saying that it's no problem to call them? I have a very good reference, but so far I haven't asked him for a letter... I just thought I'd offer his name and contact information with the application. I'm sort of thinking maybe that doesn't look as good. Any opinions?

3. If you give a letter of reference, how often are they called?

4. If good references are really important, then how many top references should someone provide if they really want to impress a hiring committee?


Hopefully these questions help build this topic's discussion in addition to the first 2 questions in the original post.

Cheers.

[Demophobe]

[KoreanAmbition]

I just meant I wondered if you knew how other schools operated... thanks for your input thus far though.

[HapKi]

For me some things stand out. Our school has no year caps, so I tend to have a certain bias against applicants who have worked at many universities. I suppose a lot of good teachers get let go because of term restrictions (and that's pretty easy to spot), but experience spread out over several schools in 1 year increments says to me a problem teacher.

As for 2, the schools you have worked for and their reputation, it's really not so important to me (to a degree). If Yonsei is so good, why are you leaving? As I understand it, if you were a good teacher, the school will find a way to keep you.

And as I said in another thread, while an MA is the obvious better choice in most cases, someone who is currently "in the zone" with a MA in progress and its attention to theory as it relates to qualitative classroom reaseach is a plus, in my opinion.

Overall, a fine balance of eagerness, willingness to follow protocal, and an easy-going personality, along with experience, commanding classroom presence, Korean cultural awareness, pride in work, and self-motivation (plus a bit of TEFL theory and classroom application), and you have the ideal candidate.

[ytuque]

[PatrickGHBusan]

[PatrickGHBusan]

[Demophobe]

[KoreanAmbition]