Korean Job Discussion Forums

[openeyes]

My girlfriend and I are going through the application process for EPIK and have noted the need for two recommendation letters. She has one standard letter from a professor, while I have none, it's been two years since I graduated, and management just changed at my last job so I'm not sure who to ask to write one at this point, aside from myself or friends. How would you handle coming up with two letters quickly to get the application process moving along? Also, does EPIK require the originals on company letterhead, or is that just certain recruiters?

[andrewchon]

If you're a church goer, get one from your pastor.
If you have friends in law enforcement, get one from a police officer.
Your previous teachers, did you have any one close-ish?
A reference don't have to be from work. It just needs a name, address and a telephone number that looks solid.

[openeyes]

[andrewchon]

My answer was about where to get refs from, other than your previous employer.
Yes, your reference should have some words words written about you. There are 'form'-references on the web if your referee is an un-easy writer.

[cherrycoke]

this is just a formality pressed on by your recruiter I think. My references were never even opened. Did you go with iloveesl.com by chance?

[openeyes]

It was Korvia that I first saw mention it, saying:

"Two reference (recommendation) letters

"Professional recommendation letter (original copy only). Friend or close relative can't issue this reference letter. Academic Professor or employer should issue this letter and letter must have letter head and contact information with signature on."

http://www.korvia.com/index.php/list-of-required-document.html

Then I checked EPIK's main site, which stated "Two recommendation letters from academic/professional sources. *Hard copies must be the same as those submitted for initial application"

http://www.epik.go.kr/category/detail.epik?cid=16

No mention of letterhead on the EPIK site, so I'm not sure how much the schools themselves care about the recommendations even if they are nominally required, though it would be sad to mess up on such a little detail.

[munybse]

The recruiter I was using for EPIK wanted scans of the refs before they would submit me for interview. And again on letterhead etc...

[oldtactics]

I'm not advocating this, but...

Just make a fake letterhead and write letters for each other. No one will follow up on the contacts, I promise.

[Deep Thirteen]

Funny (or probably not), up until this month, the site was saying you only needed one letter.

[cherrycoke]

[RBJfaraway]

I'm a year out of college and never really got to know any of my professors personally. Regardless, I just went down to campus the other day and visited one of my favorite professors during his office hours and chatted with him for a bit. I explained the situation and he was more than happy to write a letter for me.

He had recognized me and knew I was a former student, but other than that he knew nothing about me. He kept everything from past classes and took out my old papers and exams and we had a good chat. Long story short, don't be afraid to ask some professors anyway. I had the same worries that they would not remember me and would be put off by the task. This professor had a stack of letters to write and was all too happy to add me to the stack.

Also tell the new management at your work should write it anyway, say how long you've been working there and have them give their good impressions of you. No need to tell them they haven't known you long.

Important to note that EPIK/GEPIK/SMOE want company/university letterhead, contact info, and ink signatures.

[andrewchon]

I guess this measure is going to cull the great horde of unemployed from the EPIK interviews. Maybe it's good thing.

[DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP]

You're professor will write you one. Just call the uni, get his extension and tell him it's urgent. To show appreciationa nd respect for the fact he;s probably V busy, write it yourself and just get him to put it on uni letterhead and sign it.

You last employer HAS to do this, so I don't see what you're worrying about.

[mua'dib]

just write your own letters of reference get the contact info and signatures from friends who have legitimate ties to you. In fact I would write my own ref. letter and get my old prof to sign it, I promise the last thing your old manager/prof/coworker wants to do is write some letter for you. + you can just get one off the interwebs and change the applicable info.

Also, andrewchon- what's your problem with unemployed people? If you were in that situation I think you would have a growth experience. try not to judge, you don't know what got those people there..... Ever had a bad boss in a community rife with unemployment?

[mua'dib]

sorry for the department of redundancy department