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Who has JUST applied for SMOE (March 2010 hire?)

 
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brento1138



Joined: 17 Nov 2004

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:38 am    Post subject: Who has JUST applied for SMOE (March 2010 hire?) Reply with quote

I am just wondering who else out there has done the crazy stuff I've done to get hired for SMOE in March. I heard about a job back in Jan. and contacted a recruiter about it. I got the interview, passed, and had to send a bunch of documents. I am not exactly sure why all these jobs suddenly opened up, but I am guessing some of the teachers didn't get thru with their visas and documents..

My friends & fam are surprised at how fast I'm leaving. Sent all my docs to Korea via fedex 2 days ago. Don't even have my E-2 visa in my passport yet, and I gotta be in Seoul on the 24th. Yikes. So, it's been fast & stressful. Boxed up a ton of stuff to send to Korea, and am still packing up boxes to store here with a friend in Canada.

So, anyone else here part of the late SMOE March 2010 hire? If so, post here. Or PM me.
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BoholDiver



Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am surprised they can get any applicants after that fiasco they pulled last year.
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brento1138



Joined: 17 Nov 2004

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BoholDiver wrote:
I am surprised they can get any applicants after that fiasco they pulled last year.


Yes, I just heard about that a few days ago, and was quite surprised, and definitely hoping that this won't be pulled again. What happened last time was morally wrong.
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LexusNexus



Joined: 05 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

brento1138 wrote:
BoholDiver wrote:
I am surprised they can get any applicants after that fiasco they pulled last year.


Yes, I just heard about that a few days ago, and was quite surprised, and definitely hoping that this won't be pulled again. What happened last time was morally wrong.

Please tell me (US!), what happened?
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BoholDiver



Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They overhired and cut maybe 100 (?) positions 2 days before the starting date.

Then they blamed foreign teachers in Korea for being 'unreliable'.
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LexusNexus



Joined: 05 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BoholDiver wrote:
They overhired and cut maybe 100 (?) positions 2 days before the starting date.

Then they blamed foreign teachers in Korea for being 'unreliable'.


Thanks, BoholDiver.
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Smee



Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do

PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Further information on that fiasco:
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/08/smoe-cuts-tons-of-native-speaker.html

Coverage in the paper a few days later. The SMOE official blamed it on unreliable foreign teachers:
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/08/teachers-pissed-about-last-minute-smoe.html
Quote:
An official from the education office said, "Many foreign teachers give up working with us at the last minute, perplexing schools that are supposed to have native English speakers, so we secure extra teaching hopefuls every year. For this semester, we selected enough applicants for a possible shortage as we recruit a large number of teachers."


Writing about it in the paper:
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/09/in-herald-writing-about-smoe-firings.html
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/09/08/200909080009.asp

Then in September they turned around and tried to hire more teachers, last minute:
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/09/smoe-trying-to-hire-more-teachers-now.html

Really something teachers need to be aware of, especially since SMOE never apologized or even properly addressed the situation in public. It's also important for teachers to do their homework about their schools before they commit to them. Who knows if SMOE will try something like that again, but there's certainly no indication to say they won't.
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eljuero



Joined: 11 Aug 2009

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:44 pm    Post subject: Ahkkkkkk!!!! Reply with quote

Please help or respond! Perspective greatly needed.......

I have been in the loop of document hell for a week or more. I had initially applied for SMOE back two months or so. Slowly the information came forward that I may not get hired as others were higher up the food chain.

About 10 days ago, I got something of an "emergency email" from my recruiter saying that the recruiting company had a couple of slots for SMOE after all. Given the fiasco of a year ago, I was somewhat relieved that maybe they were taking things in smaller steps. In a nut shell, I was hired after an interview with SMOE via phone not long ago.

As you all have probably had the experience - I have spent an incredible amount of time and money getting documents expedited around the states as well as to Korea. It's been quite expensive and put a tremendous amount of stress on myself as well as my family.

I'm working on one last piece of the requirements that can't simply be done in a day or two because I'm not equipped with a magic wand.

Please give me some perspective on this could someone? Will they dump my application because it takes a few more days for one small piece of the paperwork? It would appear that they are starting to lose applicants and I'd like to get in to start working in Korea........

Again, any help or perspective is appreciated.

Feel free to PM if it's better for privacy reasons?
Regards,
ElJuero
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BoholDiver



Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Ahkkkkkk!!!! Reply with quote

I guess they won't stick their neck out for you. Just judging from the articles posted by Brian.

eljuero wrote:
Please help or respond! Perspective greatly needed.......

I have been in the loop of document hell for a week or more. I had initially applied for SMOE back two months or so. Slowly the information came forward that I may not get hired as others were higher up the food chain.

About 10 days ago, I got something of an "emergency email" from my recruiter saying that the recruiting company had a couple of slots for SMOE after all. Given the fiasco of a year ago, I was somewhat relieved that maybe they were taking things in smaller steps. In a nut shell, I was hired after an interview with SMOE via phone not long ago.

As you all have probably had the experience - I have spent an incredible amount of time and money getting documents expedited around the states as well as to Korea. It's been quite expensive and put a tremendous amount of stress on myself as well as my family.

I'm working on one last piece of the requirements that can't simply be done in a day or two because I'm not equipped with a magic wand.

Please give me some perspective on this could someone? Will they dump my application because it takes a few more days for one small piece of the paperwork? It would appear that they are starting to lose applicants and I'd like to get in to start working in Korea........

Again, any help or perspective is appreciated.

Feel free to PM if it's better for privacy reasons?
Regards,
ElJuero
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eljuero



Joined: 11 Aug 2009

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:42 am    Post subject: Re: Ahkkkkkk!!!! Reply with quote

Yeah, it doesn't look like the cavalry is on the way anytime soon.


BoholDiver wrote:
I guess they won't stick their neck out for you. Just judging from the articles posted by Brian.

eljuero wrote:
Please help or respond! Perspective greatly needed.......

I have been in the loop of document hell for a week or more. I had initially applied for SMOE back two months or so. Slowly the information came forward that I may not get hired as others were higher up the food chain.

About 10 days ago, I got something of an "emergency email" from my recruiter saying that the recruiting company had a couple of slots for SMOE after all. Given the fiasco of a year ago, I was somewhat relieved that maybe they were taking things in smaller steps. In a nut shell, I was hired after an interview with SMOE via phone not long ago.

As you all have probably had the experience - I have spent an incredible amount of time and money getting documents expedited around the states as well as to Korea. It's been quite expensive and put a tremendous amount of stress on myself as well as my family.

I'm working on one last piece of the requirements that can't simply be done in a day or two because I'm not equipped with a magic wand.

Please give me some perspective on this could someone? Will they dump my application because it takes a few more days for one small piece of the paperwork? It would appear that they are starting to lose applicants and I'd like to get in to start working in Korea........

Again, any help or perspective is appreciated.

Feel free to PM if it's better for privacy reasons?
Regards,
ElJuero
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perelandra



Joined: 15 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 1:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Ahkkkkkk!!!! Reply with quote

eljuero wrote:
I'm working on one last piece of the requirements that can't simply be done in a day or two because I'm not equipped with a magic wand.


While my experience is with GEPIK rather than SMOE, I think it might depend more on what document you are lacking - some of the things that they require/request can be taken care of while you're in Korea. I'd say that as long as you already have what you need for your visa you're safe, unless your recruiter/school is incredibly picky.
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eljuero



Joined: 11 Aug 2009

PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:04 pm    Post subject: Hopefully safe.... Reply with quote

Hopefully I'm at a safe spot relatively speaking.
I've got all of the paperwork in and my recruiter says that I should receive the FEDEX packet from SMOE in the next day or so to then take to the embassy.
A real jam to get everything in but it seems I've done all I can. I just worry about a weird reversal for who knows what reasons.
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