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dodge
Joined: 01 Apr 2010
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 Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:53 pm Post subject: university advice - worth getting a CELTA/TEFL? |
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hi
i have an interview with a university coming up soon. I'm pleased to have got an interview as I have applied for several jobs but most of them didn't get back to me!
For what it's worth, I have and MA and 5 years experience teaching (social science) in a UK university, and 1 year experience teaching english to adults in a hagwan in Korea.
Any advice on what kind of questions I might be asked at the interview. Or things I should mention/ask to help my chances?
and is it true (as some people have claimed) that not being American can be a big disadvantage to getting uni jobs here?
cheers
Last edited by dodge on Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:26 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Highwayman
Joined: 22 May 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Google "job interview + teacher + questions" or something to get the generic questions and do seriously work out and rehearse the answers before going in. And make sure you dress smartly, shave, etc. |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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+1 on the dress well and shave advice. Be on time, of course.
Also, you're well qualified; don't look or act needy. Act confidently, but stay humble.
Don't call them up after the interview to ask how things are going. We do that 'back home', but here, you're just being a pain and come across as needy, neither of which work to your favor.
Don't be surprised if they ask you questions related to your motivation for wanting to be in, and stay in, Korea. Same for wanting to teach at a Korean university.
Tell them, and hopefully truthfully, that you're interested in learning a lot more about the country, the culture, and the language. Make a positive first impression.
Ask about academic-related topics (class size, proficiency levels, text books...), but avoid going the ever-popular, 'How much vacation would I get,' route. You want to exude a love for the teaching profession.
If you know anyone on staff, and you know that this person is well regarded, drop their name along with all the great things he/she has told you about working at the university.
Other than that, it's a crap shoot. |
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nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008
Location: Marakesh
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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| PRagic wrote: |
+1 on the dress well and shave advice. Be on time, of course.
Also, you're well qualified; don't look or act needy. Act confidently, but stay humble.
Don't call them up after the interview to ask how things are going. We do that 'back home', but here, you're just being a pain and come across as needy, neither of which work to your favor.
If you know anyone on staff, and you know that this person is well regarded, drop their name along with all the great things he/she has told you about working at the university.
Other than that, it's a crap shoot. |
These two things -
I interviewed at a university this spring. My friend works there and gave me a good introduction to the supervisor. So, that definitely helps.
What got me the job though was I followed up. I don't have my M.A. yet (in progress), and I have 3 years of experience - so I'm better than some, but definitely not a top of the pile.
I'd say don't be needy, but still follow up. If you don't hear from them, let them know you're still interested. Maybe you're their second choice and the first choice waits a day or two before answering, but you send a quick note saying "hey, thanks for the time, still interested" and the next thing you know, you've got an offer. It's a real delicate balancing act, but in my experience, I heard through the grapevine it was my persistence that got me the job. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:26 am Post subject: |
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| PRagic wrote: |
+1 on the dress well and shave advice. Be on time, of course.
Also, you're well qualified; don't look or act needy. Act confidently, but stay humble.
Don't call them up after the interview to ask how things are going. We do that 'back home', but here, you're just being a pain and come across as needy, neither of which work to your favor.
Don't be surprised if they ask you questions related to your motivation for wanting to be in, and stay in, Korea. Same for wanting to teach at a Korean university.
Tell them, and hopefully truthfully, that you're interested in learning a lot more about the country, the culture, and the language. Make a positive first impression.
Ask about academic-related topics (class size, proficiency levels, text books...), but avoid going the ever-popular, 'How much vacation would I get,' route. You want to exude a love for the teaching profession.
If you know anyone on staff, and you know that this person is well regarded, drop their name along with all the great things he/she has told you about working at the university.
Other than that, it's a crap shoot. |
Outstanding advice.
Be genuine in your responses to the questions and remember that often a hiring committee is evaluating how you will fit in and if you are someone they could work with. In that sense, some of the questions you may find odd may be geared to check how you react more than on what you actually say.
We had several situational questions we asked applicants when I was on a hiring committee, these related to how a teacher would deal with a given problem related to a student or a demand from the department. The applicant would answer and we would push it further by saying that the problem persist. This can tell a committee a lot about a person.
Be open and ready to answer these questions. Avoid confrontational attitudes and also arrogance.
With your qualifications and experience you are well qualified for the position anyway.
Good luck to you! |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:24 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| We had several situational questions we asked applicants when I was on a hiring committee, these related to how a teacher would deal with a given problem related to a student or a demand from the department. |
I thought these kind of questions had gone out of fashion recently due to people deciding they were too hypothetical to be of any use. The correct answer to any question of this kind would be 'it depends' and the factors that could affect the way a person would react in a certain situation could go on for ever. I prefer the competency style interview when you specify what you want and ask the applicant to prove, through examples, that they have those competencies. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:09 am Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
| We had several situational questions we asked applicants when I was on a hiring committee, these related to how a teacher would deal with a given problem related to a student or a demand from the department. |
I thought these kind of questions had gone out of fashion recently due to people deciding they were too hypothetical to be of any use. The correct answer to any question of this kind would be 'it depends' and the factors that could affect the way a person would react in a certain situation could go on for ever. I prefer the competency style interview when you specify what you want and ask the applicant to prove, through examples, that they have those competencies. |
That truly depends on how you formulate the questions and how you deliver them Ed.
It also depends on the hiring process itself (ex: what steps were taken before the applicant reached the interview stage).
Problem solving is an efficient way to evaluate an applicants reactions and general personality. This is a big part of any work environment. The correct answer to situational question is definitively not "it depends". The thing you are looking for here is HOW the person approaches the problem and WHAT he or she does to solve the problem. For this to be effective, the situational question needs to be realistic and based on actual situations that happened in the workplace.
Anyway, this is just part of an interview, competencies are also discussed and sometimes verified. However, many of the places I worked for have had detailed selection processes where competencies were verified prior to the interview. Each step of the selection process focuses on different things and the interview stage is reserved for things you cannot truly know until you actually talk to the applicant.
I run a small consulting agency and hire people on a fairly regular basis for contracts I have with client companies. I have a 4 step application process and the interview is the 4th step. By that time I certainly know about the competencies of each applicant (their level of proficiency). What is then important is knowing how they will fit in the workplace, how they will interact with others and so on...
I found this approach has served me extremely well over the years. I know the public sector uses similar selection methods (several steps are included in the selection process including written testing, selection of applications by competencies (you have the requirements or you do not), interview...). |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:29 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
For this to be effective, the situational question needs to be realistic and based on actual situations that happened in the workplace.
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Yes but they're not actual situations to the candidate are they? They are set in a workplace he's never worked in before with people he's never met before and problems he may never have encountered before. So how can he answer properly without asking a load of more specific questions back? Hence the 'it depends' line. Hypothetical thinking may be useful in getting intermediate students to talk or finding out who's a replicant in a sci fi movie but they have no place in a job interview IMO. By the way at the place I work at , we have a five step application process  |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 6:52 am Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
For this to be effective, the situational question needs to be realistic and based on actual situations that happened in the workplace.
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Yes but they're not actual situations to the candidate are they? They are set in a workplace he's never worked in before with people he's never met before and problems he may never have encountered before. So how can he answer properly without asking a load of more specific questions back? Hence the 'it depends' line. Hypothetical thinking may be useful in getting intermediate students to talk or finding out who's a replicant in a sci fi movie but they have no place in a job interview IMO. By the way at the place I work at , we have a five step application process |
Well the situations are work related and for a teaching position would be something the candidate could relate to.
By the way a job interview is not about making the applicant feel happy and confortable. It is about trying to see if the applicant will be a good employee and will fit in well. The competencies should have been well verified prior to the interview in my opinion!
If a candidate asks some questions back based on the situational question, that is good, you can then see how he or she processes problems in real-time. That is a great opportunity to get a glimpse of how he or she adapts and reacts. The candidate is applying for a job that he is qualified to do, hence he should be able to deal with situations that occur in this job environment. Its not like you would ask a teacher "you come face to face with a bomb on a timer, how do you disarm it and how do you react" 
Good grief a TEACHER should be able to deal and produce a response to an issue related to a TEACHING WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
I maintain that situational questions are one of the more effective interviewing tools out there. The interview should not be about verifying the compentencies or knowledge of an applicant. To me, that is wasting what an interview can do most effectively.
Competencies can be evaluated far more effectively through testing for example.
A good situational question will also force the applicant to use his judgement ALONG with his comptencies.
Good debate anyway Ed. |
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thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
For this to be effective, the situational question needs to be realistic and based on actual situations that happened in the workplace.
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Yes but they're not actual situations to the candidate are they? They are set in a workplace he's never worked in before with people he's never met before and problems he may never have encountered before. So how can he answer properly without asking a load of more specific questions back? Hence the 'it depends' line. Hypothetical thinking may be useful in getting intermediate students to talk or finding out who's a replicant in a sci fi movie but they have no place in a job interview IMO. By the way at the place I work at , we have a five step application process |
...so you have NO idea how you would react in any given situation, until you are actually in that situation?
That kind of information would be VERY useful to know in an interview -- it would tell us that the candidate in question is unable to take any initiative, and may work well under close supervision, but will not be able to handle anything unusual or unexpected without immediate, direct instruction. Thankfully, NOTHING unexpected or unusual EVER happens in the classroom, or outside the classroom when dealing with students! |
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Highwayman
Joined: 22 May 2011
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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I know the theory behind interviews based on specific examples demonstrating competencies sound good. But when it comes to answering some of the questions you get hit with as a teacher, they can leave you feeling like you never really got a chance to show your true worth.
"Think of a specific example where you faced a cultural challenge. What was it, and how did you resolve it?"
"Describe an example where your work was criticized. What did you do in that situation?"
"Tell me about a difficult problem you had with a student. How did you handle the situation?"
I can never think of really relevant examples. They're all banal, or they happened so long ago that I can't remember them exactly, and so I end up turning them into hypothetical situations.
"Well, if, say, a student did X, then I would probably do Y because ..."
Worked OK so far. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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so you have NO idea how you would react in any given situation, until you are actually in that situation?
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I didn't say that. I said talking about what you've actually done in real situations is more useful than talking about what you might do in a situation that doesn't and may never exist.
| Quote: |
| it would tell us that the candidate in question is unable to take any initiative, and may work well under close supervision, but will not be able to handle anything unusual or unexpected without immediate, direct instruction. Thankfully, NOTHING unexpected or unusual EVER happens in the classroom, or outside the classroom when dealing with students! |
No, it wouldn't tell you that, because if a candidate found themselves in an unusual situation in real life he/she would have all the background facts/experience at their disposal and might easily do the right thing at the time. In an imaginary situation, the candidate doesn't know any of the detailed stuff that makes people behave one way or another, except the bare minumum information laid out by the interviewer.
e.g. Interviewer - what would you do if a student was always late for class?
Interviewee - Well,it would depend on what the class was, how old the student was, how many times they were late, whether they had a good reason, what stage of the semester it was, what kind of relationship I had with them, what my school's general policy on lateness was, what my immediate boss's opinion on lateness was etc... etc.. etc... These are the kinds of things that actually shape our decisions in real life. |
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dodge
Joined: 01 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:46 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks a lot for the advice, especially PRagic. I really appreciate it |
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SoccerFan81
Joined: 31 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:01 am Post subject: |
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I'm not agreeing nor totally disagreeing with some of this information, but I have gone through the Uni interview more than once successfully and been asked the "how would you react" question. If you have a bottled answer, chances are you will be seen as the interviewee with the bottled answer. "How would you react to an unexpected incident or situation in your classroom?" I answered something to the tune of, "As a teacher, I am trained to be flexible and expect the unexpected..."
My contention is that there are two different types of interviewers: 1= Those that are trying to "test" you and play games to see if you have what it takes to be a part of their cast of drones (old school). 2= Those that are actually trying to find a well-suited candidate who will benefit their school and the educational needs of the students and the school's environment. Fear tactics are very 1980's. I've been in interviews where I looked at the person across from me and said to myself, "This person needs to relax and quit trying to play the card Hitler on me." You are a trained professional with experience and, if you are a good candidate on paper, shouldn't a relaxed "tell me about..." session suffice? I'd bet that a good number of the people giving interviews would fail at answering their own questions. The mirror is a scary thing!  |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:23 am Post subject: |
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Good points soccerfan.
In my case, fear tactics as an interviewer was never a consideration because putting an applicant under too much strain does not give you an accurate view of what that applicant is like under normal work conditions.
My philosophy as a member of a hiring committee or as the manager of my consulting agency would fall under your second category of: 2= Those that are actually trying to find a well-suited candidate who will benefit their school and the educational needs of the students and the school's environment
To find out how well suited a candidate is, situational questions are an excellent tool among other tools to be used. There is also a vast difference between trying to scare an applicant and seeing how he or she reacts under the constraints of time and stress in relation to a work relation situational question.
The tell me about session you talked about briefly exists in many places and is called the introductory interview for some or the cover letter for others.
I prefer to use the actual interview to evaluate how a candidate will potentially fit as a part of the workplace. In that respect situational questions that are taken to the second or third level are useful. This is not aggressive nor is it meant to scare anyone. It does however force an applicant to move beyond the rote response and lets the interviewer see how he or she reacts when taken slightly out of the confort zone.
Highwayman the situational questions you cited were, in my opinion badly phrased because they are too vague and force the applicant to invent something.
In my experience situational questions should be far more precise and far more grounded on the reality of the job. |
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