Whew! Thought I had lost this, after spending a LOT of time typing it up.

Here is Day Two of the Bangkok Fair

This is actually Day Two of the fair proper, but the third day we have been dealing with seeking jobs at international schools. Today is the BIG DAY - the day where you actually sit down and try to sell yourself to recruiters who have either (a) already contacted you to sign up for an interview; or (b) who you talked to during presentation times and who seemed interested; or (c) no idea who the heck you are, except you put a CV in their file folder and who may or may not be interested in you at all.

As an aside - Autumn, you asked whether we thought it was worth it to put together a package for recruiters about us and put it in their file folders. Sort of a 'cold call' so to speak. The answer is unequivocally, "YES!". Even if it opens only ONE door, it is still worth it.

In my opinion, at this point all you are trying to do is sell yourself to the recruiters as a serious candidate worthy of further consideration. You have about 30 seconds to 1 minute to do this before they need to move on to the next candidate, especially with those desirable "top target" schools. We brought 25 CVs each to use for this, and we used almost all of them.

About your CV package - my advice is to scrap the cover letter entirely. It doesn't get read and is a waste of paper. Far better is to format your CV to quickly highlight your skills, strengths, experiences and training (personal info, training, skills, strengths, experiences). At the end we put little factoids about ourselves and our lives to show us as rounded people. It helps to balance all the 'serious' stuff and show you as a whole person. That's my two cents on CV packages.

So we went down, had a nice breakfast, and we happened to run into a few recruiters whose schools we were interested in and whom we had talked to yesterday. This is where a good memory for names is essential. Guaranteed that most recruiters will remember you - IF you remember their name. In fact, if they don't, they will ask you your name again :-) This ensures they do know you at that all important sign-up meeting.

After breakfast, we went back up to our room (this is another reason why staying at the hotel is essential, in my opinion - the ability to transition quickly from hotel breakfast/contacts to your room to finalize your daily preparation to heading down to more presentations. If you don't have a room at the hotel, you really have no place to go to except the areas with all the other candidates. And that can become a not-so-nice place if you are not a really upbeat, positive person. In my opinion - GET A ROOM AT THE HOTEL!

So, at 8:00 AM, the second round of school presentations start again. Before this, we checked our mailboxes. We had four - count 'em - four - thanks, but not thanks letters. We wrote those off. Most of them we weren't a good fit anyways, but paper is cheap and we are at the fair anyways, so it costs us nothing to go to their school presentation. Last night we pre-selected our presentations beforehand, so we started right in.

Even though we had our schedule, we decided at the last minute to make some changes. We went to some out of the way presentations and some "big school" presentations. After, we made it a point to introduce ourselves and express our interest in their schools. One REALLY big school in China was very gracious and while not promising anything, (a) remembered names and said to come see them at the sign up. Another school we had not considered seriously (although we had submitted CV packages), ended up chatting with us and promised to put a slip in our box regarding interview sign up.

After a few of those, and checking our box every break (nobody loved us at this point. There was nothing in the box), it was getting time for the interview sign up, which took place in the ballroom and the foyer outside the ballroom. The admin candidates went in at 12:30. Teaching candidates started entering at 1:00. There were perhaps 100 or so admin candidates and about 450 teaching candidates.

GET IN LINE EARLY! We went to stand in line at 11:50. We were among the first six in the teacher candidate line. By 12:30 the line stretched all the way down the hall to the teachers' lounge! By 1:00 it was around the corner. If you want to strike first at those first tier schools, it is important to get in their early.

The schools in the foyer were posted, so you knew where they were (you could walk around the foyer prior to 12:00 noon, so we checked out who was outside the hall. These were smaller schools in China and elsewhere). Inside the hall, the schools were in alphabetical order, first by country, then by school name.

At 12:57 (by my watch) the teacher candidates started entering the hall. Mrs. Shadowjack went one way to arrange an interview with one of our top choices (who had sent an email asking us to sign up) and I headed to the really big school in China and told them I wanted to be their next X (insert subject here) teacher. The director was very honest with me (and they will be. They don't have time to waste at these big schools) and said that initial interview spots were for candidates they had asked to interview and that it would be tough to see me. However, he asked me to keep in touch. He was interested, but I was low subject priority. OK - at least my name and interest was known. Away I went and found Mrs. Shadowjack waiting for me as the other school wanted to see us both. Mission accomplished, interview booked. Then it was off to our third choice school. Quick conversation, interview booked (for a slightly different position than what I was REALLY interested in, but still a great school in a great place and a really interesting and solid position.

As you can see, we prioritized our interest and hit up our first choice schools immediately. Our goal was to try and BEAT all the candidates who had paper slips inviting them to interview. That way, at least we were on the dance card, so to speak. We continued around the room (and did I mention that while we were in line, the very interesting school we hadn't really considered put a slip inviting us to interview?) and ended up with eight confirmed interviews in places we would definitely consider going, doing jobs we definitely would do.

It was an exhausting hour and a half as we sold ourselves time after time to recruiters, many of whom didn't know us. We also had some rejections, pleasant as they were. Saudi Aramco only had elementary positions left in our fields. Doha hadn't really looked at our CVs, but promised to get back to us within a day. Others, the person who made recruiting interview decisions wasn't there at the moment, but would be back. However - we didn't give up, went back to those schools whose recruiters were absent and tried to use our minute to sell ourselves. Throughout all this, we strongly kept in mind that although we were professionals with skills, we could not MAKE schools like us or want to interview us. We could only try to sell ourselves. Also keep in mind that school recruiters can SMELL desperation. This is why it is important to know your skills, your strengths and weaknesses and play to the first two while staying away from the latter.

By the way, remember that school yesterday who had already put the card in our box saying thanks but no thanks? The one we went to the presentation and chatted with the recruiters afterwards? Well, we got an interview with them. This is another reason why presentation attendance is so important if you are not what I would call a "golden" candidate (married couple, one in ultra-high-needs-hard-to-fill-positions and the other with a great skill set making him or her versatile and easy to fit).

We had planned on attending yet more presentations in the afternoon (they continue after interview sign up), but found we had interviews booked during presentation times.

When you go to the interview itself, it is usually in candidates rooms. The recruiting team will be there and you and your spouse will go in. Sometimes the interview will be split and one recruiter will talk to one spouse. Other times, the recruiters will talk to both of you, as happened with Mrs. Shadowjack and myself through all our interviews today.

Also, when you go to the interview, you usually wait outside the room door. About 3 minutes before the interview, gently knock 3 or 4 times, firm, but quiet. Usually the previous candidate(s) will exit and they will take a minute or two to prepare for you and then invite you in.

The first interview was pretty open and frank. Remember, schools are going to spend a lot of money on you if they hire you, so they want to make sure you are a good fit. DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON THE SCHOOL, THE CITY, AND THE COUNTRY! Because they didn't have an exact curricular fit, I had to spend half an hour researching the appropriate curriculum and review to see if I could deliver it. DO NOT LIE ABOUT YOUR YOUR ABILITY TO TEACH A CURRICULUM. Be honest. While you might not get THAT job, the recruiter remembers things like your honesty and might have a job opening come up in your area - and believe me, he will call on the off chance you haven't been picked up by someone else. Honesty in interviews is key. This curriculum was similar to what I had taught in the past, but not exact. However, I am confident in my ability to deliver it, and we discussed this. I was honest, and he liked that.

The second interview was a real cold-call. I had no idea this particular position was open before the fair. But - nothing ventured, nothing gained! Again, I was honest about my skill set, ability set, and philosophy. It was another good interview. They told me they would get back to me tomorrow about a follow-up. If you hear this from a recruiter, it is NOT a brush off. If they liked you enough to interview you, they are NOT going to brush you off by saying they will get back to you. If they feel that you are not the candidate for the job, they will tell you that they prefer to go in another direction, and wish you good luck. If they are interviewing others, they will tell you they are interviewing others. This is what we were told, so we are hoping for a call back for a second interview.

The third interview, at a truly AMAZING school in Asia was wonderful. However, again, they are still in early stages of recruiting and we were not a perfect fit. As a married couple, sometimes this happens. Roll with it. Usually, if they still express interest, they WANT to fit you in, but haven't figured out HOW yet. Often, that falls into place as the other hires get done. So again, we are hoping for a call back.

With that done, we were free to check our file again (nobody loved us once more!) and then it was out to dinner. I feel very lucky. We have known people who have gone to the fair and had NO interviews. Going in, apart from our pre-fair interview, we had no clue how we would do. Keep in mind, if this is you, don't panic. Don't be desperate. Try to network, sell yourself, look for late openings which are posted, check out Search Associates for updates in your positions, and plan ahead to go to another fair. My friends went to Bangkok last year - great people, great teachers, no interviews. Went to another fair shortly afterwards, two interviews, followup and Skyping and got a job offer for ONE of them. They took the chance, accepted, and in late Spring were asked by the school if the spouse was interested in a newly-opened job due to a sudden resignation. In the end, it all worked out.

If it doesn't, there are always the summer fairs, which are sparsely attended and which, although the locations/schools are not always the best, will keep you teaching until you are ready to go out recruiting again.

Tomorrow stay tuned for Day Four (really day Three). I will post my observations about the fair, the mood and atmosphere, and continue our story of interviewing for positions. Tomorrow, we face four more interviews with four really interesting schools in very different locations. Again, we were 'cold calls' for these schools and we will use our half-hour interview (interviews are usually in half-hour slots) to sell ourselves.

Stay tuned and thanks for your feedback!

So today began with a nice buffet breakfast (yes, we sprang and stayed at the job fair hotel. Pricy, but worth it, IMHO, as you can keep stuff in your room and retire there if need be (although we didn't).

After a solid breakfast and running into old acquaintances from schools years ago (1998-2000), we hit the check-in period from 10:30 to 11:30. Grabbed our name tags, lanyard and package and headed for the candidates hall - which was jam-packed with candidates already, filling out yellow "prospect slips) asking for an appointment/meeting with a school and the position interested in. As we circulated around the (largish) room, hotel employees continued to add school postings on large pieces of easel paper.

My thoughts on this part - stake out your seat EARLY - put a coat, bottle of water and a small notepad in front of your seat and on the chair. Both Mrs. Shadowjack and I didn't do this. Instead we circled the room looking at all the jobs posted (these are the most up-to-date and might not match the postings available on Search itself) and seeing which ones matched up with us. Luckily for us, we had already had an interview the night before the fair as well as contact from a school asking us to book an interview, so we felt not too bad right off the bat.

After making a note of the schools (and sometimes having to go back to list the positions that suited us, as I had forgotten to do so - NOTE TO SELF - make a table page in Word. School - Country - Position(s)) we set out to complete our yellow slips, organize our CVs and paperclip the CVs and yellow slips together. 21 schools later, we were done.

This took us from 10:30 until 1:15. So...if you are serious about not limiting yourself and open to many schools, remember it will take time (single teachers, you will likely find it easier!). We chatted as well with teachers from Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar as we all went through the process - it was interesting to swap stories. WE ALSO MISSED THE CANDIDATE ORIENTATION - but, don't fret too much. If you are not a type A worry wart, you can figure out how things work.

After that, we headed out to put our packages in the school folders (along with a bunch of other teachers). This took some time as you queued in the various lines behind other teachers. Then, it was time to sort out which school presentations we would go to.

This was interesting. Some presentations overlapped at the same time, so we had to prioritize a bit. Sadly, we missed some (sorry Dubai school!), but we also went to some others in locations we hadn't considered and they seemed very interesting. I would recommend going to as many of these as you can - it allows you to network with school heads and principals as well as correct any misunderstandings in your applications (talked with one recruiter who was unaware of the full extent of my experience, who told me to come see him tomorrow at his table. he mentioned having put something already in my mailbox, which was a thanks/no thanks. Hopefully I changed his mind with our conversation!).

Throughout the day, you are free to take a quick second to check your file folder. My advice - wait. Often the recruiters have not had time to go through their whole stack of applications. Also, usually the first ones you get are rejections. Nicely phrased, but rejections nonetheless. At least if the school hasn't presented yet, you can cross it off your attendance plans (as we did for a few).

So far, 21 or 22 yellow slips put in, four schools saying no thanks. Hopefully tomorrow we will find out in the morning whether anybody besides the two schools wants to interview us.

AT THIS POINT DO NOT PANIC. I have talked with several of my colleagues who are fantastic teachers - if I were recruiting I would hire them on the spot - but they have heard nothing. Zippo. Zilch. Understand that fairs are very hit and miss. This year there might not be that great combination position for you and your wife/husband. It might not be posted at this particular fair. Your school of choice might not be in attendance. Your dream job might have already been filled before the fair. My advice - keep an open mind and go listen to some of the schools in intriguing places that you know nothing about...talk to the recruiter - and see what happens. We have learned a lot by sitting through presentations today.

After all of that we were fried. Baked. Zonked. So down to the bar/restaurant we went and had a drink and some dinner, and then went up to find the rejection letters (POLITE rejection letters), and planned a bit of our day tomorrow.

Oh yes, also we did one last scan through the candidates lounge where schools post their openings to see if any new schools/changes had been posted. There were some schools up we had not seen, as well as a notice near the teacher files stating the names of people who had "crashed" the fair and put applications in schools' files without being Search candidates. Bad bad teachers! I am sure that Search is not going to like you for a few years!

Oh - we also strategized after dinner about which school tables we would hit up first in the interview sign-ups tomorrow. We will re-do this after the morning, when hopefully we get some schools WANTING to interview us besides the two who have already expressed interest. That will change our plans, I am sure.

That's it. Now it is almost midnight in Bangkok and I am off to bed. Stay tuned tomorrow night because I will post our experiences of DAY TWO of the fair. Good night - and good luck to all my fellow candidates - even those competing for the same openings as me and the Mrs!

Got to the fair hotel earlier today. By late afternoon, I began to see obvious international educators in the halls and elevators, and even struck up a few conversations! It reinforced for me how small the International School circuit really is.

By about 5 PM, the bar on the ground floor was full of candidates pre-meeting with others (it might have been superintendents or directors - then again, it might not have been...) The table dance went on for the next few hours, but by 9:00 PM the bar was clear and the lobby almost the same.

Tomorrow starts the big grind. I am ready to take it all in and not let it sweep me away.

Stay tuned...

Forget your hubby focusing on ESL or primary. Get out and highlight his math skills. Don't be afraid to take a two year position at a weaker school if he can teach IB maths. One thing you could BOTH do is take the IB II course (subject specific). You both have a decent understanding of moderation, band marking, exemplars, etc through the British System. Being trained in IB, although with no experience, makes you more marketable to IB schools.

On our way to Search now. Will post about our experiences!

I see you say, "2 schools". Do your research carefully. Look at things like location (there is Abu Dhabi, and then there are other towns and villages in Abu Dhabi Emirate. If it is Glenelg, it sounds like they have turned around a bit. 16000 AED a month is decent.

If you are BC Certified or can get BC certification, contact

dcurrie@mapleleafschools.com

the recruiting process is starting shortly.

Overseas Hire

International School Macau uses Alberta curriculum...

The later fairs (I have heard) tend to be the lower tier schools, with a few upper levels (1 and 2) mixed in. I would think a strong candidate with IB experience and international experience would stand out.

Keep in mind that the Tier 1 schools have already built a database of candidates that they would likely go to if the initial candidate withdrew for whatever reason.

That would make sense. Mrs. Shadowjack says go nowhere that people are shooting each other!

Wow! As this is my first fair, I have absolutely no clue what to expect regarding slips in my mailbox/file... let alone so many that I would turn schools down!

Crossing my fingers....

Hi Missy,

schools like this tend to want to "lock in" any candidates early, to be assured they have teachers. Waiting until the fair means you might not get the quality you would like as you are now competing with other schools in much more desirable places.

You also need to consider that this is a relatively small school. They did not have a lot of openings to begin with. Look at BIS, or SAS (Shanghai) or DAA or DCS and you will see many more openings than were offered at the school you mention - and they are all in places with many more amenities and opportunities.

Just my 2 cents, of course.

Never worked there but I know people who had. They didn't have tons of negatives, but moved on and didn't look back, apparently. There wasn't any "Oh, what a fantastic school."

It seems well-resourced and I think the present superintendent is better regarded than the previous one. It is Dubai, so the weather is generally warm all year round, but humid in the spring/summer/fall.

Great transportation links to all over the world via Emirates.

For profit school, so money counts, but it is a BIG for profit school, so money is there.

If you are looking for a starter school or a place where you can work, then move to the next level up, this might not be too bad.

@txteach - you can buy the lower face warmers with the nose cover...or a balaclava :-)

Looking at weather in Shenyang, it appears to get cold in mid to late November and warm up in March, so about 5 1/2 months of winter. The fall and spring months, weather-wise, seem to be quite nice. The summer looks horrible, but with holidays people wouldn't be there for most part.

Plus in the winter....2 weeks off at Xmas and 3 weeks off in Feb...so destination SUN!

Hmmm....