Whether you’re applying to EPIK, GEPIK, SMOE, or hagwons, using an agency to help you out is recommended, particularly for your first time. There are many, and while some are amazingly helpful and make the application process feel smooth and simple, others are not so helpful. Here I will tell you about my experience with a few that I contacted.
Korvia:
- My rep from Korvia emailed me back very quickly after I sent in my application, about 2 days approximately. She organised a Skype interview with me for a few days later.
- The interview was very casual. She wanted to know more about me and my background, and she wanted me to know about the different options for teaching in South Korea. She said we will be applying for GEPIK and to hagwons simultaneously.
- The few questions she asked me that were more serious were things like “what’s your teaching style”, “how would you discipline a misbehaving child”, “how would you create a lesson for children with varying levels of English.”
- The only reason I didn’t continue with Korvia was due to moving the date I wished to start in Korea. They said they will contact me again in July because there was plenty of time before my desired moving date of February 2019, and I moved my date forward to September 2018. I forgot to inform them, and by the time I remembered I had even been working with them I already had a job lined up.
- Overall score: 4/5
Aclipse:
- I applied to Aclipse saying I wanted to be in Gyeonggi-do preferably, with a start date of September at the earliest. They got back to me a few days later with an offer for an interview with Chungdahm Learning, for a job starting in May. There was no prior contact to me from them like an introductory email or interview. I emailed back saying I couldn’t start until September at the earliest. They didn’t reply.
- I have since found out that Aclipse seem to be the sole recruiter for Chungdahm Learning, so most people who apply to this company will be told about Chungdahm. Just by briefly searching online from Chungdahm, you can learn about the horror stories of people who work there. Some say it’s okay, but I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.
- With Chungdahm, you can’t even pick where you end up like you can for other hagwons. They choose your branch upon your arrival in Korea.
- Overall score: 1/5
Teach ESL Korea:
- They got back to me within a week, and the rep, Adam, organised a telephone interview with me the following week. I have since been working with this company solely, and all my interviews with schools have been arranged through them.
- The initial telephone interview was very casual and friendly, it consisted of Adam just telling me about the types of jobs, the locations, asking a bit about my background. It wasn’t intimidating and is nothing to be afraid of.
- A few days after my interview I was paired with my teacher rep, Rachel, who would be helping me through the whole process. She has been nothing but kind and lovely the entire time, she even seemed excited for me when I got interviews or job offers.
-I worked with a couple of school reps, these are the people in Korea who are in contact with the schools. Both school reps I worked with were wonderful and answered all of my questions quickly and to the best of their ability. They told me all the information about the schools and about the areas they are in. They were available before, during and after I had an interview with a school, so that I could contact them if there were technical difficulties, or to tell them how the interview went, etc.
- Now I am working with the visa team, who have been just as helpful so far. The visa process is confusing and they have been completely patient with me.
- All reps and members of staff are fast at replying, often getting back to me instantaneously, and almost always within 24 hours.
- Overall score: 5/5
Flying Cows:
- I applied to this company saying where I want to end up ideally, the type of job I want, etc, and they got back to me in about a week. They asked me where I was at with my visa, I said barely started since I hadn’t even finished my degree (you need a completed degree to apply for a visa) and they replied saying that schools wouldn’t be interested until I had started gathering my visa documents and to contact them when I had more documents organised. I did not continue contact with them.
- Overall score: 1/5
Gone2Korea:
- Never contacted me after I made my application. Not even worth an overall rating.
Travel&Teach Recruiting:
- I emailed them with a question about my application and they never replied.
There are many others I applied for that just never got back to me either, but unfortunately I can’t remember them all right now! They didn’t get back to me, so I have no record of signing up with them. I will update this list as I remember them, but if you guys have anything to add I’d love to hear it!
