Bangkok Job Fair

[shadowjack]

Andyleblanc,

I would have had them approach admin, sent my documents through them, networked with them regarding upcoming openings which might not even be posted yet.

That way you have an in at the top, your CV gets seen by those who make decisions, and you know what's open before most people...

Just my thoughts.

[gus]

From an admin perspective, if you have a good teacher coming to you with someones CV that they recommend, it carries a lot of weight for many reasons. If you know someone at a school that you really want to go to and they can speak to your strengths as a person and candidate, USE THEM!

[Smurf]

Thank you shadowjack, great read!

[andyleblanc]

Great idea to have your friend deliver your resume to the admin personally. I didn't think of that. I guess I better try and make some international teaching friends!

[shadowjack]

Saw someone had posted a link to my old thread on the paid side. So bump - :-)

Update - have moved on from my lovely school, but didn't go to a fair for Mrs. Shadowjack and I to get jobs.

[Carmody]

shadowjack wrote:
> Saw someone had posted a link to my old thread on the paid side. So bump -
> :-)
>
> Update - have moved on from my lovely school, but didn't go to a fair for
> Mrs. Shadowjack and I to get jobs.


Hired out of fair! Congrats!
Anyone else have any good news to share?

[Psychometrika]

shadowjack wrote:
> Saw someone had posted a link to my old thread on the paid side. So bump -
> :-)
>
> Update - have moved on from my lovely school, but didn't go to a fair for
> Mrs. Shadowjack and I to get jobs.

Are fairs still worth it? My SA associate mentioned a couple of years ago that 60% of those hired through Search were picked up directly out of the database, and outside of the fairs. Is signing up for Search and Schrole, and focusing on Skype interviews a viable strategy? Or do the fairs still offer some sort of advantage?

[senator]

Shadowjack,

I have gleaned from your posts and stated experience that you and your wife are very seasoned and connected IT's. I am surprised that you would have to go to a job fair, seeing as you seem to be "in the circuit" of known quantities.

And one year my wife and I had very little interest in us so when she suggested we just go see the sights I agreed and had a FANTASTIC day. Maybe you should have done the same, man. Life is too short to always be on stage and hustling.

[shadowjack]

Senator, remember, last fair I went to (the only fair, actually), Mrs. Shadowjack was transitioning into teaching so we pretty much had to go.

For this job we were active early, getting interest and interviews early, and job offers early-ish.

We could have gone to the fair and sightseen, but we hadn't booked flights (but booked cancellable, no money down hotel) and when we got the offers, we decided it was (a) too much work to prep for the week of the fair plus we would have to have dealt with admin who might not be happy that we were at the fair with jobs.

Had the school we hired with been going to the fair we might have suggested that we sign at the fair - but they were going to a later fair...

[shadowjack]

Psychometrika

fairs are still worth it if nothing else is happening. You can always cancel the fair, but if you realize late you need to go to Bangkok, London or Boston and you didn't ask for the invite early, there is no guarantee that you will get one at the last minute.

Every year I have colleagues who get nothing until the fair(s) or shortly after.So yes, worth it.

As to signing up with both Search AND Schrole, sign up with Search. Why jump through two sets of hoops? Search's database blows Schrole's away, and when you apply to a school that says use Schrole, put in your email that you are with Search already, which is where you saw the positions advertised.

Only use Schrole if you aren't going to use Search, because to be active on Search you need to update all your references, etc anyways.

I would also recommend TIEonline, which is a clearing house for jobs, many of which won't be posted on Search, but with an overlap, or Search schools looking at the last moment. It is good because you can search for jobs posted within the last 7 days, jobs needing to be filled NOW, by region, by level, etc.

[senator]

Shadowjack,

The point I was making is how capricious and useless these fairs are.

If what you have posted is true, you and your wife are great candidates, certainly worthy of getting at least a first interview at most schools.

My wife and I realized this and decided to screw the fair and make a positive thing out of a negative - and remember I am IB HL math and my wife has a range of elementary experience. School heads don't know what they want or even how to hire people.

The sooner these fairs end the better. No need for them or Search or ISS or...

Good luck with your search.

[Psychometrika]

shadowjack wrote:
> Psychometrika
>
> fairs are still worth it if nothing else is happening. You can always
> cancel the fair, but if you realize late you need to go to Bangkok, London
> or Boston and you didn't ask for the invite early, there is no guarantee
> that you will get one at the last minute.
>
> Every year I have colleagues who get nothing until the fair(s) or shortly
> after.So yes, worth it.
>
> As to signing up with both Search AND Schrole, sign up with Search. Why
> jump through two sets of hoops? Search's database blows Schrole's away, and
> when you apply to a school that says use Schrole, put in your email that
> you are with Search already, which is where you saw the positions
> advertised.
>
> Only use Schrole if you aren't going to use Search, because to be active on
> Search you need to update all your references, etc anyways.
>
> I would also recommend TIEonline, which is a clearing house for jobs, many
> of which won't be posted on Search, but with an overlap, or Search schools
> looking at the last moment. It is good because you can search for jobs
> posted within the last 7 days, jobs needing to be filled NOW, by region, by
> level, etc.

Thanks Shadowjack. The only fair I’ve been to was UNI a decade ago so I wasn’t sure. I think I will work on renewing my Search account once I am ready to enter the market again. Still on the fence on fairs, as even though I got a job at UNI I thought it was a high pressure meat market, but I can cross that stream once I get to it.

[shadowjack]

My advice would be sign up the year BEFORE you think you are going to leave. If you do, and you see a LOT of jobs in your teaching area, you might want to take the plunge that year. If not, it gives you a year to figure things out, get the lay of the land, suss out schools, and reach out early in your recruiting year to schools where you want to go.

When we recruited last we were active by the end of August. And yes, jobs were being posted and disappearing shortly after that time.

[OzGrad]

From my understanding, it is not compulsory to attend a fair.

I did, got a great job and met some cool international teachers.

It's a bit like a tv show someone doesn't like, the easiest thing to do is switch off the tv or change channels.

No need to ban the tv show.

OG

[shadylane]

I've always signed up for a fair, but have never been as have always been hired well before.

I find that the schools take you more seriously if they have a deadline to hire you by.