|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
farahway
Joined: 21 Jun 2011
|
 Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:06 pm Post subject: First timer just had an awkward phone interview. |
 |
|
Hi. I just found this site yesterday and I'm so glad I did!
Anyway, I just had a phone interview(set up by korvia) with Guseong Middle School in Yongin (which I tried to find information about but was not that successful) and it was really awkward. Since I'm a first timer and don't know what to expect from these things, I kind of wanted other people's opinions.
It was really short and the the teacher who interviewed me was really nice but didn't ask me anything about teaching, she just asked me if I knew anything about the school and what I knew about Korea and she told me a couple things about the school (what grades and how many classes). Her English was not so good (which is totally fine, I don't expect fantastic English) so when she asked me if I had any questions and I asked questions, she didn't understand some of them and couldn't give me a good answer. I'm not sure if I was just doing it wrong. haha. One of the things I asked was if they currently had a (native)English teacher(because I would've liked to get their info or something so I could talk to them) and she said no which was a little disappointing to me since I'm a first timer and don't want to get into a bad situation(but it's also understandable to not have an English teacher and need one. right?)
It was just really strange to me that she didn't ask me anything about teaching since it was a job interview for a teaching job. Does this seem odd to you guys? I don't really know what to expect from these interviews (or what to tell the korvia recruiter about it haha), so I just wanted some opinions... please.
Last edited by farahway on Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
For very basic, entry-level type positions, the point of the phone interview may just be to check your accent and speaking rate -- they just need to hear what you sound like....
It is not odd that they didn't ask about your teaching at all -- it is sad and sorry, but not odd.
Some places want a real teacher, and get some working-holiday backpacker or partyfolk that think being in Korea is a drinking game -- some places just want a warm body, and they get a real teacher who is frustrated to the nth degree by such a situation...sad and sorry, but not odd.... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008
Location: Marakesh
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Everyone's first time is a little awkward. 
What kind of questions do you want to know?
구성중학교 is the name of the school in Hangeul. Copy and paste that into google maps and you'll find the school. Location isn't bad - it's a bit out of the way, but you're about a mile from the end of the Bundang subway line, and there are plenty of buses there to head west into Suwon and subway line 1, plus a lot of express buses that go into downtown Seoul pretty quickly - so, transportation is decent.
You're near the Tancheon, so a nice park/walking trail.
So, any particular questions? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
farahway
Joined: 21 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| thegadfly wrote: |
For very basic, entry-level type positions, the point of the phone interview may just be to check your accent and speaking rate -- they just need to hear what you sound like....
It is not odd that they didn't ask about your teaching at all -- it is sad and sorry, but not odd.
Some places want a real teacher, and get some working-holiday backpacker or partyfolk that think being in Korea is a drinking game -- some places just want a warm body, and they get a real teacher who is frustrated to the nth degree by such a situation...sad and sorry, but not odd.... |
Thank you for responding! That's really interesting. I guess I'm just used to the pretty intense job interviews here so I went in expecting it to be like that and it wasn't. Do you think it is a bad sign for the school that the interview was like that? Or could it really go either way?
| nathanrutledge wrote: |
Everyone's first time is a little awkward.
What kind of questions do you want to know?
구성중학교 is the name of the school in Hangeul. Copy and paste that into google maps and you'll find the school. Location isn't bad - it's a bit out of the way, but you're about a mile from the end of the Bundang subway line, and there are plenty of buses there to head west into Suwon and subway line 1, plus a lot of express buses that go into downtown Seoul pretty quickly - so, transportation is decent.
You're near the Tancheon, so a nice park/walking trail.
So, any particular questions? |
I was trying to figure out a way to see it on google maps, but I couldn't figure it out. haha. Thank you soo much for that!! If only my Hangeul reading was better that may have been easier for me  (I will work on it before I go to Korea) . Thank you for all the information about that area. It's really helpful! =D
I guess some of my questions are things I'm not sure if I ask the school or someone else (they are things that my dad's friend whose wife is Korean and he used to live there thought were important to ask). They were questions about accommodations and general stuff like that which is important, but I'm not sure if GEPIK does that stuff or the school does or how that works (everything says that you will have accommodations, but they don't really give you more detail than that and I just want to make sure everything is legit before I move countries, you know?).
I'm going to go read more of the posts around this site and some others to try and get more information.
Another random question: Do you have more than one interview with the school or is that one interview the only chance? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
No_hite_pls
Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Location: Don't hate me because I'm right
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| thegadfly wrote: |
Some places want a real teacher, and get some working-holiday backpacker or partyfolk that think being in Korea is a drinking game -- some places just want a warm body, and they get a real teacher who is frustrated to the nth degree by such a situation...sad and sorry, but not odd.... |
Great Post! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DaHu
Joined: 09 Feb 2011
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Every conversation I have with Koreans is kind of awkward, so nothing amiss there.
If you're interviewing for public schools I think every school is different with accommodations, some may not even have them yet if they didn't have a teacher before you (or it's been a while), so they might not be able to answer questions like that. It's mostly pot luck anyway, it seems.
I've never heard of a second interview. These interviews are really just formalities to see if you sound normal. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The missing ingredient is living accommodations. I would want to see photos of the place they have available.
If they send you photos immediately, then this is a sign they probably have had previous teachers. Ask them again for contact info.
If it takes them a day or so, then maybe it's due to them finding an apartment. If they say they will get you one when you come, ask them what they plan on doing until that time. Where will you stay?
Have them give you a detailed list of what will be in the apartment and you can post that list here. We can tell you if you need more things. If you are living far from Seoul area, you want to make sure your living accommodations are good. Sometimes they are, and sometimes they aren't. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| farahway wrote: |
| thegadfly wrote: |
For very basic, entry-level type positions, the point of the phone interview may just be to check your accent and speaking rate -- they just need to hear what you sound like....
It is not odd that they didn't ask about your teaching at all -- it is sad and sorry, but not odd.
Some places want a real teacher, and get some working-holiday backpacker or partyfolk that think being in Korea is a drinking game -- some places just want a warm body, and they get a real teacher who is frustrated to the nth degree by such a situation...sad and sorry, but not odd.... |
Thank you for responding! That's really interesting. I guess I'm just used to the pretty intense job interviews here so I went in expecting it to be like that and it wasn't. Do you think it is a bad sign for the school that the interview was like that? Or could it really go either way?
Another random question: Do you have more than one interview with the school or is that one interview the only chance? |
For me, this would be a really bad sign -- I take my teaching very seriously, and I prefer to work at a place that can see the value in such a teacher. The kind of places that don't care at all what you do, so long as no one complains...well, not my cup of tea. I DID play hangman and one-card my very first year in Korea, as it was actually what I was TOLD to do, but I have not repeated the mistake of working at a place that expects or even accepts such things....
I think at most places, you will only get one telephone interview...if they call you back for a second phone interview, that either speaks well for the school (being thorough) or it speaks poorly (they forgot they had already called you, and called you again). If you get an additional phone interview with a different person, that could be a very good sign at the school -- multiple rounds of candidate selection usually means the school is selective, and THAT usually means there is some reason the school CAN be selective...which is good. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
