Korean Job Discussion Forums

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

I've received a reference letter from my school (principal and coteacher).
Between the two of them, they cover all of the bases with positive comments except for one which may come back to bite me in the tooter.

The questions:
1) Had your public school EVER heard of reference letters?
2) Had anyone in your school ever written one?
3) My coteacher and principal complained that I "didn't create semester/year" plans. I didn't really feel that a) they were necessary or b) that they were completely my responsibility since I was a CO-teacher and viewed as an assistant.

How are reference letters handled in interviews for teachers back home? Will this comment put me out of the running? Is "having an appropriate answer" to this claim sufficient enough?
In my intership feedback/evaluation form, I got very glowing marks for my unit/ semester plans; can I rely on those as ammo should the need arise?

Thanks for your help everyone.

bosintang · Last edited by bosintang on Tue May 29, 2007 5:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

Strangely, both letters ended with "I strongly recomment him for the job".

I don't get it.

bosintang · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject:

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

Thanks for the advice. She wrote it in Korean and I had it translated. Either way.
I have to go back to her to get a new copy signed. I will bring her a copy of the "full" translation and a copy of the "good" one and try to convince her to sign the latter. As for getting my ex principal to do that? I'm not sure that's so likely.

Thanks for the advice boshintang. Were you a teacher back home?

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

I don't know about your country, but in the UK reference letters aren't normally accepted, they will read them, but then they will want to contact the referee by telepehone or e-mail etc.
Yes, your principal and vice principal don't really know what a letter of reference is. I'd ask them to rewrite it or if they e-mail them to you maybe you can just delete that sentence yourself?

ilovebdt

jmbran11 · Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Location: U.S.

A reference letter written by a Korean with no contact information that is not aimed toward a specific employer is going to look suspicious.

Most U.S. jobs require contact information, so they can send/call the person directly and confirm your reference. What's to say that you didn't write those letters yourself?

Keep the letters, but don't overly stress about them. Instead, make sure your evaluations are clear and understandable to an English speaker. I think they would carry good weight. Try to keep in touch with one person at the school who speaks English and will serve as a personal reference. In the past, I have always used my colleagues. They know my work as well (or better) than my superiors, and they understand the point of a reference.

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

[quote="bosintang]
It sounds so typically Korean. In Canada, an employer is NOT allowed to say bad things about you to a future employer, even if they are asked, let alone stating bad points about you on a reference letter!
[/quote]

Who told you that? An employer can say whatever they want about a former employee when called for a reference. Otherwise references don't really mean much. Some employers are scared to say anything bad, in case the person comes back and tries to sue them. But that's different than "not allowed."

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

oneofthesarahs · Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Location: Sacheon City

My boss told me that if I ever need a reference letter, I can just write one myself and she will sign it.

silvertoes · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Location: Busan

Same same.

So my reference is FABulous. Wink

(I have made sure that Wonjangnim understands what he's signed and has kept a copy though, just in case anyway might actually ever call him on it).

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

I don't think they don't take reference letters very seriously back home anymore.

What's a prospective employer back home going to do with a reference letter from someone who can't even speak English.

Just be honest. "I was a clown in a Korean school". End of story. Quite obviously that's what it was since they wrote something negative in the letter. Something that wasn't really your responsiblity in the first place. Although maybe it should've been if you weren't/hadn't officially been an assistant teacher. After all, what did they pay you? 20 something thousand a year?

I wouldn't even bother with it. I've been gone for over 4 years. If I ever get a job back home again, I'll just tell them I was travelling. They all think it's Ding Ding Dang here anyway.