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Himawari89
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Location: Florida
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 Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:38 pm Post subject: What to do to make myself a more desirable candidate? |
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I will have a Bachelors Degree in English by the end of the year and want to apply to teach in Korea in fall 2014 so I can come in the Spring.
I heard from a friend that PS jobs in Seoul is impossible to get, but I would really want to be at least no more than an hour away from SEOUL. So I'm considering applying for GEPIK.
I want to know which certification is best a TESOL or TEFL?
Also I know real experience teaching in Korea trumps experience in just America but I recently got an interview at a pre-school to be a teaching assistant, with possible employment in the summer if I like working at the school. So I would have about a year of teaching assisting experience by the time I apply in Fall 2014, so I'll at least see the inside of a classroom and interact with the kids =D. I also have private tutoring experience with my next door neighbor. Is this enough experience to have my resume stand out a bit more?
I am also a (dont mean to sound vain or anything) pretty, Caucasian girl, which I hear is a big plus!
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I really want to have good qualifications for when I apply.
~Thank you very much for all your help!
Last edited by Himawari89 on Mon Mar 04, 2013 1:26 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I want to know which certification is more describable, a TESOL or TEFL? |
If there is a job opening, then certification is not necessary. I don't know what you mean by "describable". Did you mean "desirable"?
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| Also I know real experience teaching in Korea trumps all |
Huh? Trumps what? Good schools will still want you to give a demo. If you have experience in Busan, you will still start at the entry level if you go to GEPIK, unless you can negotiate more pay with a school that hires directly. Real experience helps, but it surely doesn't trump all.
| Quote: |
| I recently got an interview at a pre-school to be a teaching assistant, with possible employment in the summer if I like working at the school. |
March 5 - April 5, April 5 - May 5, May 5 - June 5.
I see 3 months at most before summer.
| Quote: |
| So I would have about a year of teaching assisting experience |
Huh? I only see 3 months. Are you telling us the full story? Were you working at another pre-school for 9 months? Is this where your "real experience" comes into play?
If you are willing to teach the young ones, then you have a greater chance, so another point which actually trumps experience. Not all experienced teachers are willing to teach the young ones.
| Quote: |
| I also have private tutoring experience with my next door neighbor. Is this enough experience to have my resume stand out a bit more? |
Private tutoring experience in Korea is considered illegal on an E2. You want to put this on your resume? Are you serious?
Neighbor anything (tutoring, babysitting, feeding the dog/cat/fish) should not be part of a resume for "real experience".
| Quote: |
| pretty, Caucasian girl, which I hear is a big plus! |
I haven't heard about them turning down ugly Caucasian "girls". However, fat teachers (male and female) get picked on a lot by the school/students.
If you are willing to teach the young ones and spend time with them during lunch, I am sure you can get a Seoul job without real experience, without certification, and without being pretty, Caucasian, or a girl. |
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Himawari89
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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| YTMND wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I want to know which certification is more describable, a TESOL or TEFL? |
If there is a job opening, then certification is not necessary. I don't know what you mean by "describable". Did you mean "desirable"?
| Quote: |
| Also I know real experience teaching in Korea trumps all |
Huh? Trumps what? Good schools will still want you to give a demo. If you have experience in Busan, you will still start at the entry level if you go to GEPIK, unless you can negotiate more pay with a school that hires directly. Real experience helps, but it surely doesn't trump all.
| Quote: |
| I recently got an interview at a pre-school to be a teaching assistant, with possible employment in the summer if I like working at the school. |
March 5 - April 5, April 5 - May 5, May 5 - June 5.
I see 3 months at most before summer.
| Quote: |
| So I would have about a year of teaching assisting experience |
Huh? I only see 3 months. Are you telling us the full story? Were you working at another pre-school for 9 months? Is this where your "real experience" comes into play?
If you are willing to teach the young ones, then you have a greater chance, so another point which actually trumps experience. Not all experienced teachers are willing to teach the young ones.
| Quote: |
| I also have private tutoring experience with my next door neighbor. Is this enough experience to have my resume stand out a bit more? |
Private tutoring experience in Korea is considered illegal on an E2. You want to put this on your resume? Are you serious?
Neighbor anything (tutoring, babysitting, feeding the dog/cat/fish) should not be part of a resume for "real experience".
| Quote: |
| pretty, Caucasian girl, which I hear is a big plus! |
I haven't heard about them turning down ugly Caucasian "girls". However, fat teachers (male and female) get picked on a lot by the school/students.
If you are willing to teach the young ones and spend time with them during lunch, I am sure you can get a Seoul job without real experience, without certification, and without being pretty, Caucasian, or a girl. |
Sorry typo, is a TEFL or TESOL certificate better? Also yes i will assist for 3 months and in the summer I can seek employment there, also tutoring in America, I have no been to Korea yet. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Himawari89 wrote: |
| Sorry typo, is a TEFL or TESOL certificate better? Also yes i will assist for 3 months and in the summer I can seek employment there, also tutoring in America, I have no been to Korea yet. |
SAME/SAME.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Take a course that has at least 100 hours duration and a MINIMUM of 20 hours of in class time (and at least 6 hours of observed practicum with real students).
Your "tutorial" teaching time is meaningless.
Your work in a daycare/preschool/kindy WILL count in your favor (for what it is - great to land a kindy job) if you can document it with a letter/certificate of employment from the job.
IF your dates are correct (applying in the fall of 2014? for a spring 2015 job - this is March 2013) then you are looking about 18-24 months too early. Lots of things can change in 18-24 months. You need to be looking (with documents in hand) about 90 days before you are ready to get on a plane.
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Airborne9
Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| Himawari89 wrote: |
| Sorry typo, is a TEFL or TESOL certificate better? Also yes i will assist for 3 months and in the summer I can seek employment there, also tutoring in America, I have no been to Korea yet. |
SAME/SAME.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Take a course that has at least 100 hours duration and a MINIMUM of 20 hours of in class time (and at least 6 hours of observed practicum with real students).
Your "tutorial" teaching time is meaningless.
Your work in a daycare/preschool/kindy WILL count in your favor (for what it is - great to land a kindy job) if you can document it with a letter/certificate of employment from the job.
IF your dates are correct (applying in the fall of 2014? for a spring 2015 job - this is March 2013) then you are looking about 18-24 months too early. Lots of things can change in 18-24 months. You need to be looking (with documents in hand) about 90 days before you are ready to get on a plane.
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I might be mistaken. But if you have a degree in English or are a certified teacher in your home country, you do not need an additional TEFL?TESOL cert. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Airborne9 wrote: |
| I might be mistaken. But if you have a degree in English or are a certified teacher in your home country, you do not need an additional TEFL?TESOL cert. |
Partly (mostly) correct....
Certified teacher = TEFL/TESOL/TESL not needed.
Master's degree = TEFL/TESOL/TESL not needed.
1 year or more of verifiable classroom experience = TEFL/TESOL/TESL not needed.
Degree in English* or Linguistics = TEFL/TESOL/TESL not needed.
* "English" includes English(American) literature, English composition(writing) and other English majors, but not Journalism or English History.
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surendra
Joined: 07 Feb 2012
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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Definitely not a pro about this, but I'd imagine you would be okay with Journalism as it is probably in an English department at your Uni. And Linguistics is usually a okay from what I see.
Since this is the Korea forums, my TEFL 120 hr, ALL online, sufficed to bump me up a pay grade with a non-English B.A. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| surendra wrote: |
Definitely not a pro about this, but I'd imagine you would be okay with Journalism as it is probably in an English department at your Uni. And Linguistics is usually a okay from what I see.
Since this is the Korea forums, my TEFL 120 hr, ALL online, sufficed to bump me up a pay grade with a non-English B.A. |
Not for anyone new, it won't. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:34 am Post subject: |
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| surendra wrote: |
Definitely not a pro about this, but I'd imagine you would be okay with Journalism as it is probably in an English department at your Uni. And Linguistics is usually a okay from what I see.
Since this is the Korea forums, my TEFL 120 hr, ALL online, sufficed to bump me up a pay grade with a non-English B.A. |
Prior to Sept 2013 term ... sure....
AFTER fall 2013.... no more, not for a new application.
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