Search found 2 matches

by CalculatorKey
Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:43 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Is Search still worth it?
Replies: 22
Views: 34279

Re: Is Search still worth it?

Thank you so much for the replies. These have been very useful.

chemteacher101 wrote:
> As someone currently looking for a job and with an active account with multiple platforms:
>
> ISS-Schrole: It's inexpensive ($75 for full access, free if you go directly to a
> specific's school profile to apply), and there are some good schools there. That
> being said, I've been active since September, and I see WAY more posts on Search
> than on Schrole. Also, there's some overlap (many Schrole schools are also posting
> on Search).
>
> TIE Online: I used to like it, but this time around, I see many "dodgy" schools,
> and everything I've seen in decent schools has also been posted in other platforms.
> IT is cheap, though ($39)
>
> TES: Absolutely free. Mostly British schools.
>
> Teacher Horizons: I'm liking this one a lot. It's free to use, and I've seen a good
> amount of decent schools posting here (some Tier 1s even). Mostly it's links that
> go directly to the school's vacancies website (and you apply directly by yourself).
> If you have a full profile with references, there are some schools that pay for
> their services, and for which you can apply, and someone from Teacher Horizons "recommends"
> you directly to the principal of that school. My old school actually used this service
> and it seemed to work. I've seen here many postings that are also on Search and/or
> Schrole.
>
> Search Associates: Search has the best database. And by this I mean not the amount
> of (mostly "decent" or "semi-decent") schools, but also the fact that you get some
> useful figures on a school's profile (number of students, teachers, percentage of
> host students, number of nationalities, salary information with estimated savings,
> etc). I know that some of these things may not be 100% accurate all the time because
> schools self-report, but the truth is that most of the times the information is
> accurate enough. The cost is very high: $225
> ..............
> My own conclusion:
>
> It depends. Both me and my partner are teachers. We had to cough up $450 for Search,
> as they require both parts of a teaching couple to register. That is, I believe,
> more than what Search is worth (given there are many alternatives). Search's database
> is the best, no question about that. However, I don't think I will pay that again,
> ever...
>
> As a teaching couple, we probably would have been fine if we had just paid $75 for
> Schrole (only one part of the couple needs to have the full account) and supplemented
> it with TES, Teacher Horizons or maybe even GRC (I haven't really looked into this,
> but from what I can tell it is also free).
>
> If I were single: maybe I would pay for Search, and I would probably not bother with
> any other platform (simply because they have enough schools and jobs that there
> would not really be a need).
>
> One more note: I don't like that Search is also very picky (depending on the associate).
> Some associates will pretty much force you to ask a specific line manager within
> your school to be your reference or not allow you to register or reactivate your
> account (happened to a colleague of mine). They also close your account as soon
> as you get a job. I know that the reasoning is that you are no longer looking for
> a job, but still... As long as you don't breach a signed contract I don't see why
> they have to lock you out as soon as you get a job. If you have been with them for
> a while, and you have many references, they actually choose which of your references
> are actually visible to recruiters. So if you have 15 references, they might only
> choose 5, and you don't get to choose. They will say that they will choose the ones
> that they believe best represent your work or whatever, but I personally feel this
> is just... I don't know, I can't help but feel it sounds very subjective. I understand
> that lately they also try to charge schools placement fees if you are a Search candidate,
> independently of whether you applied or were hired through Search. I.e. if a school
> uses Search and Schrole, and you saw the ad and applied through Schrole, they will
> still charge the school because you are a Search candidate.
>
> All in all, I simply am not entirely comfortable with the way they do things and
> do feel that their only "plus" is having a better database that has more info than
> just vacancies. Is it worth $225? Maybe for a single person, and that's "maybe".
> For a teaching couple, I would not consider it simply because it's too much money.
>
> Anyway, that's my two cents.


This was great. Thank you for taking the time.
by CalculatorKey
Sun Dec 01, 2019 9:37 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Is Search still worth it?
Replies: 22
Views: 34279

Is Search still worth it?

With all the different new platforms available (TES, GRC, ISS-SCHROLE, ETC) is Search Associates still worth the price?
I used to believe they had the best fairs at the best time, but now I am in doubt.
Seems like lots of people got hired at the GRC fairs and Search is not used as much.

Any opinions on this?
Is it still worth going to a Search Fair?