My Application Process

My application process was more like this:

1. Fill out an online application.

I always have a resume ready, so that was easy. I had to figure out my experience with teaching and working with children, which was also easy. I was a nanny. I've worked at day cares. I had taken a picture during college so that was finished. Part 1 = done.

2. Applicant is screened by the recruiters.

When Jiyeon called me a few days later, I had passed the first part. Whew! 

Except...I hadn't gotten my paperwork started, so that was going to delay me a bit. Ok, a lot!

(This is the part where I start the paperwork process. It's going to take a while.)

January comes around... 

I emailed Jiyeon one day with an update on my progress and asked her, just out of curiosity, if there were a lot of jobs already and if she thought I might be leaving within the next month or so. She emailed me back and said that even though my paperwork was still in the process, we could at least start looking at schools. She asked me what ages I wanted to teach, and any particular location. I told her that I didn't really care which age they were, but that I wanted to be in Seoul or around Seoul. I had a friend that was working in Paju and there was a church that I found that wasn't too far from Seoul. She said ok and that she would start looking for jobs. A few days later I got an email that a school in Paju wanted a phone interview. WHAT???!!!!...

3. Applicant is submitted to the schools

Did I mention that I like Jiyeon? Well, I do. She is a good recruiter. The school liked me, and pretty quickly!! I think they had just posted the job when Jiyeon found it, and they were quick to contact me.

4. Applicant is interviewed by the prospective school

When we figured out a good time for the school to contact me for my phone interview, I was of course a little nervous again. I didn't have my paperwork finished, and it was going to take a few more weeks to get it all done, and yet they wanted to do any interview. It was all crazy to me. When the school called, she was Korean and she spoke English so she started to ask me a few basic questions. I was trying to think of things to ask her, but they were mostly: How far would I live from the school? Will I have time to eat lunch? What ages will I teach? What will my work schedule be? I told her that I was still working on my paperwork and that I am excited to come to Korea. We ended the conversation with her saying that she would speak with my recruiter and then let us me know. I thanked her and then kind of figured that since I wasn't done with my paperwork, that I wouldn't really hear back from her. BOY WAS I WRONG!!

5. After the contract is sent and then signed, we start the Visa process.

A few hours after my school interview, my recruiter called me. Now, Korea is 15 hours ahead of us, so when Jiyeon called, I was asleep! I woke up super fast and a little freaked out that my phone was ringing. Somehow I was awake enough to say "Hello", and Jiyeon said that the school loved me and that they had a contract to send over. WHAT??? I still had things to do and I wasn't ready. They really wanted me? That was awesome, but it also freaked me out.