ISS or Search if Can't make Job Fair?

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munybse
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 10:23 pm

ISS or Search if Can't make Job Fair?

Post by munybse »

If I am not sure I can make one of the job fairs, should I sign up for ISS or Search? or is it a waste of money if I can't attend? I don't have money for both but want to at least give it a try.
3 years experience teaching in US and I have experience living overseas (3 years ESL in S. Korea).

Thanks in advance.
buffalofan
Posts: 350
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm

Re: ISS or Search if Can't make Job Fair?

Post by buffalofan »

Search is not a waste if you are serious about getting a job. Their database is worth it. Be aware that many schools in Asia (if you are hoping to go back there) are now using Schrole. Also be aware that schools are already posting jobs for the 2018-19 school year.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

A premium agency has increasing value the broader and more general your job search regardless of fair attendance. The more restricted and narrow your job search parameters the more likely you can do it on your own using alternative resources.

1) If your goals are "Im only interested in a top tier IS in the WE", thats very restricted and without going to BKK or LON with your resume its not likely to be productive.
2) If your goal is "Im only interested in returning/staying in SK", thats very narrow, and your paying a lot to get exposure to a handful of ISs. You could cover the same ISs using TIE and a bookmarks list.
3) If your goal is "Im open to going to a number of regions and tiers", than a premium agency is going to provide you a lot of convenience and access, even without a fair.
4) If your goal is "I really am only interested in the ME/WE/Asia/LCSA/etc. region" and you can do a fair, than another fair/service like Schrole, UNI or AASSA or TORF (Queens Uni) or Trinity or COIS will accomplish similar results without as high if any additional initial cost.
5) If your goals are "Im in X city and can only reasonably attend X agency fair because Im local, and thats going to make all the difference in me being able to attend based on time and cost", than you really need to decide if your going to commit to the fair. The mega fairs (BKK, LON, BOS) tend to fill up fast in relative order, and while there is a certain amount of flexibility and methodology in getting a late invitation, deciding as soon as possible is the overall best advice, as vacancies are posting earlier with each recruiting cycle. Waiting until December might be both to late to get an invite and will also mean a lot of missed opportunities.
6) If your goal is "Im interested in leadership vacancies" than one of the premium agencies such as SA/ISS MAY be the way to go. The leadership fair (SA) is in November but just as many ISs go with other recruitment agencies such as Carney Sandoe, etc. and many ISs will post leadership vacancies on TES, TIE, COIS, etc. as well. Some agencies get exclusive recruitment some get open options.
7) If your goal is "I really dont want to work very much or very hard or I dont want to put much effort into this, as I likely wont be able to attend a fair and a hardship region is fine" than you dont need a premium agency, you can find plenty of third tier ISs without a fair and without spending much in registration fees. TES, COIS, Daves are all free, and TIE is $39/year.
8) If your goal is "I dont really know what I want, I just want to travel really (too X place) and get out of my current DS for reasons" than you really want to start out with choosing a desired location first and pursuing either ESOL in that region (high desire regions) while also looking at IE, and services such as Footprints, Compass, Teach Away are going to be more suitable to you as they will be no cost and they will get you where you want to be in low maintenance appointments. the last thing a traveler wants to do is be stuck in a classroom all day every day.
9) If your goal is "Im just unhappy/sad/depressed, and maybe IE will fix it", than you need a mental health professional. The excitement of a new location and country can be exciting and make you feel better for a while, but inevitably ITs bring their emotional baggage with them, and they soon find themselves in the same position and with the same feelings in what they realize is an alien culture and without a support system.
10) If your goal is "Im a mercenary and Im only in this for the coin for reasons" than you want to use a premium agency and go to a fair.

ISS is the boutique experience, they are better if you are a high value candidate as you will get more individualized attention. If you arent of particular value to them and they accept you, than you are likely to be ignored. There are some fair dynamics that give ISS fairs some advantages. Invites arent required and the BKK fair is before the SA fair, with your resume even very late you could register with ISS and still attend BKK even if it was the week or days before the fair. Though many of those recruiters are going to wait until BKK before making any offers. ISS also has its other fairs essentially on the East coast though their ATL fair is earlier than peak recruiting fairs, its really too early and the other fair is in NY after peak recruiting, but if you were on the east coast you could do both fairs relatively inexpensively in regards to travel costs and time.
To reiterate however, ISS isnt paradise, if you arent a high value candidate for them your likely to get even less attention, assistance and direction. Im not kidding when I state you will be ignored if you arent worth anything to them.

SA is the Ikea experience, everyone gets about the same level of attention which is around none to very little. You get access (database and fairs) and thats about it. Your questions will get answered though if only in brief, and after waiting some time. its better than being ignored. SA has more ISs in their database but they also have a higher portion of bottom tier ISs, SA tends to take just about everyone if they have the coin. They also have more fairs, and are more spread out globally. For some regions and markets they really are the only practical option at whatever cost. That doesnt mean theyre bad in any sense, lots of ITs get their appointments due to SA, and many of them do better than if they had not used SA.
Like Ikea however most of their warm fuzziness is marketing, it can be immensely overwhelming and there isnt a lot of direction over how its supposed to work (especially fairs). There also isnt a lot of oversight, and thats because SA is a business and they provide this service not because they care but because it generates revenue for them (and thats not untrue for ISS either, they just have different revenue models). SA could care less if you went to the third tier train wreck IS in the ME or the second tier IS in the EU, they get the same fee regardless, and the sooner you maturate out of your ISs the sooner they will be able to collect another fee for your placement (long term placements arent very profitable) and the sooner you accept that appointment the sooner they get to invoice your IS for that placement. Make no mistake though there is real value and coin well spent in the services of a premium agency.
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: ISS or Search if Can't make Job Fair?

Post by shadowjack »

Or, munybee, you can flip PG's - and say that Search is the boutique experience through its excellent database and clear information (albeit provided by schools) and ISS is the Ikea. YMMV - most of my friends were ISS in the mid to late 1990's and are now all Search.
purpletreefrog
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:35 am

Re: ISS or Search if Can't make Job Fair?

Post by purpletreefrog »

I've never used ISS but I find the Search database worth every penny... Personally I don't go to job fairs, I don't see it as worth the money (although if I had less experience I'd be more likely to consider it). Went once, fascinating experience but considering the cost (not of the fair, of the time off, flights, accommodation etc) I just don't think it was worth it. I got offered lots of jobs there but ended up choosing a job with a school that wasn't at the fair anyway (and it turned out to be a great choice).

So every job I've had I've got without a job fair (but with using the Search database).
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