Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Richie]

Hello and greetings,

I am expecting a telephone interview for an EFL Public School teaching job in South Korea at some point during the next week or so.
This will be my 1st EFL job so am not quite sure how to prepare for the interview or what line of questioning to expect!? (I certainly have a lot of questions for them though)
Any hints or personal experiences in this matter would be warmly received, or directing to a similar forum?

Many thanks, Richie

[cruisemonkey]

After babbling in incomprehensible Konglish for about five minutes, they'll probably ask you only one question - "How soon can you get here?"

[ilovebdt]

Hagwon or public school?

ilovebdt

[sbeara]

I had my first phone interview with a hagwon last week and I definitely had a 30 minute conversation with a fully fluent former teacher who actually asked me legitimate teaching questions.

It caught me off guard because I was told that the interview was just a formality and I'd mainly be asking them questions. Good thing I'm a pretty good BS'er (and she couldn't see me sweat!!)

All I'm saying is don't completely blow it off just in case your interview is an exception from the norm like mine was.

[mnhnhyouh]

I was talking to my director the other day about the whole hiring process. He was a recruiter before becoming a director.

His first goal is to establish your English speaking skills, and how strong your accent is. He is then trying to gauge how much of a flight risk you will be. I said that I was coming here to experience living in other cultures, for me this was easy, as it is why I am here.

He then wants to know if you are going to complain about every little thing, making his life a pain in the arse, or if you are only going to want the bigger things, like broken fridge or washing machine fixed.

All through this he is also attempting to develop and understanding of how you will be by yourself in a class room with the kids.

h

[Richie]

Thanks for that...

It is for a public school position through the agency Korvia so I suspect the level of English will be high.

If (lets just say hypothetically) I am successful, how quickly do they need to have a 'yes' from myself? Bearing in mind the job starts in late August. I would want to investigate other positions and check out the location etc

Richie

[StrayCat]

I've just completed two phone interviews - one for Korea and the other for UAE. I usually hate talking on the phone but both calls were friendly & casual. All that was missing was a canned 'laughtrack' in the background.

The fools actually offered me the job(s) by the end of the calls (offers to be confirmed in writing of course...).

All in all, fairly pleasant and painless.

[Scouse Mouse]

[StrayCat]

I worked in Korea at a uni' in the countryside for 4 years (but not through an agency).

Personally I dread the thought of going through an agency of any kind but... it sounds as if ScouseMouse has been there & done that - so I would take that as a very good sign.

Lots of very dodgy Korean (& foreign-make-a-quick-buck) agencies, but it sounds as if this is a good one. Try to do a bit more research (on the net) about this agent but it's all looking good thus far...

Let us know what happens...

[Scouse Mouse]

The service is pretty awesome... Check out their testimonials

http://www.korvia.com/bbs/zboard.php?id=testimonial&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=subject&desc=desc

Mine is number 23

[Richie]

Definitely feeling more confident about Korvias service, thanks ScouseMouse for the feedback about the agency as well as the content of their interviews I must say my contact with them so far has been really friendly and professional.

One other point� this position seems to be for an assistant teacher, are most public school positions in South Korea for classroom assistants? Rather than taking your own classes..?

[ttompatz]