Korean Job Discussion Forums

wings · Joined: 09 Nov 2006

I am getting ready to send off my application for a public school job, and I am wondering about proof of experience. I have a few years experience but I'm wondering what they will want for proof? I have some letters of recommendation from former bosses, but probably not from all my jobs....
The last place I worked was a company where I gave private classes, it closed , shall we say, rather abruptly, due to some legal problems and I don't have any proof that I actually worked there (also it was under the table, so I didn't have a visa or anything)

Can anyone tell me what SMOE asks for as proof of experience?????

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

Well, you probably don't want to "prove" your illegal work experience...not with any documentws that might make it to Immigration, for sure, and I'd probably keep that from SMOE as well.

Horangi Munshin · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Location: Busan

I think you have to get some kind of letter from previous employers stating when you worked there. The jobs have to be full-time and 1 year stints.

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching experience proof?

Homer · Guest

Proof of employment:

1- Letters of reference with full contact information for the former employer so it can be checked on

2- Certificate of employment.

By the way...you may not have meant it that way but including the illegal privates you did in your resume might not be smartest job application strategy....but hey its up to you.

wings · Joined: 09 Nov 2006

I have no experience in Korea, only in other countries, mainly Latin America, where not having a visa if pretty much the norm. I don't think Korean Immigration would even be able to look into work visas I have had in other countries. Also they weren't illegal privates, but full time jobs at language institutes where I just didn't always have a visa.

kurva anjad · Joined: 19 Apr 2007

Tell them to look at the back of your ARC.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I have only ever submitted a resume, stating places I worked teaching English in America and Korea. If they ever asked for the numbers or contact adresses I would have gladly provided them. They never did.

Maybe they called my former employers and maybe they didn't. They rely a lot on the docs you present, and the personality you project, either through email, a telephone interview, or an in-person and face-to face meeting ...

I had worked in Korea for a short time in '96, and and when I was looking here again via the internet in '99, the owner of the school I had applied to flew to San Francisco just to meet me for an hour. He had other meetings with other potentials scheduled in Chicago and Milwaukee a few days later, but I got the job. I mentioned that it seemed unusual for a Korean employer to go to so much effort to interview, and he said, "I don't know why the others don't, Bob, I really don't. They owe it to their students, if not to themselves." He was unique, in my experience ...

What I've said is about private institutes. Might not apply to public schools, so take that caveat and run with it ...

Suffice to say, that guym he was far outside the norm, with regard to traveling like that ... but the core facts remain, Koreans judge you on what you show them in person (even if it's just email or phone calls) far more than credentials and cover letters and recommendations from people they don't know and have no reason to trust. Under the circumsatnces, that seems logical ...

At least, this has been my experience.Take it for what it is worth.