Search,ISS versus TIE and saving money

Jimmy

Search,ISS versus TIE and saving money

Post by Jimmy »

Here are my 5 cents on what I have found useful in terms of getting a teaching job overseas through my own trials and errors =

1) I agree.....Search is a TOTAL waste of time. Especially the June Fair.
Here is what happens...they will have a list that tells you which schools are "tentatively" attending the June Fair....
BE CAREFUL...by the time the fair rolls around I was stunned by how many schools had mysteriously "cancelled"....
It left me with few options....Also the consultants are not that great.

2) ISS seems to work with alot more schools and you can check to see who will be attending their fair on their ISS website for free....but you will not be able to see what are the actual teacher positions....Also, the winter fair is a killer for singles as the "teacher couples" seem to have more advantages. and get first pick in being hiring (same goes for Search)...There are just too many people at the Winter Fairs and it can feel like a zoo. I bet the ISS June Fair is better but again you have to figure out if there will be any positions that fit your needs.

***Also many schools are desperate in June and will meet you outside these fairs in June so think about arranging a meeting time well in advance.

3) ISS and Search are about the same in cost....ISS has fees you pay to apply and toattend the fair ....Search makes YOU pay a fee if you are hired (unless the school is willing to cover that hiring fee)....

4) Both ISS and Search consultants stay at very expensive hotels and that is where the fairs occur ...Why ? Because they use part of the money you paid to attend their fairs to treat themselves to such luxuries....(Check other postings in here that talk about the yearly profits these recruiters make--it is HUGE !!) I was lucky to have been able to find a roommate at the ISS Fair so we could share the cost of the 5 star hotel they used...in this case ISS was helpful in teaming me up with a teacher to share a room....

In conclusion, ISS works with more of the kind of schools I want to work at but I am not going to sit here and say that ISS or Search is better. They both have some serious issues in terms of costs.
When all is said and done....I got an excellent job through TIE = The International Educator which is about a 23 dollar per year investment...
That is it folks !! They have a website....google it !
And I can tell you that often (not all) the same jobs are posted with ISS/Search....
You get to see which school is looking for teachers,details about salary packages, etc...on "The International Educator" website and then you just have to be assertive and fax your letters and whatever else it takes to get the job.
Here is another tip:google each school you want to work at and look at their website. Often, the school's website will have an employment section where you can click on to see what teaching jobs are available. From there you can fax your resume to the school or email it. (Faxing usually gets their attention more.)
Best Wishes !
worldly wise

Post by worldly wise »

The International Educator and it's website www.tieonline.com is definitely the best way to find an international teaching position and also costs much less than a recruiting fair.
morticia

Joy jobs are a pleasant surprise

Post by morticia »

I would like to add my experience with ECIS and Search as I have been with both agencies on and off for 10 years. ECIS, or COIS or CIS have great fairs and top notch schools but do not offer as high a personal service as they once did to candidates.
Search Associates are very good and a lot of important questions are answered about the school in the school description section, namely wages etc.,giving a very good idea of what you are getting and saving a lot of needless research and constant updates of openings which to my mind is a valuable service...whereas ECIS keeps a lot of i(valuable)info to themselves and services schools which are affiliated with them and pay them a lot of money for this privelege, which is fair enough but something to keep in mind when joining them.
After all this time I was given, by chance a piece of advice to join Joy Jobs, who i thought would be impersonal and have found a professional service for half the price and an impartial recruitment agency which is not dependent on "pleasing" schools. I definitely give them a thumbs up :!:
Overseas guest

UNI Overseas Fair

Post by Overseas guest »

I recommend the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) fair. They are non-profit, very well organized, and a terrific and attentive staff coordinate the fair. While flying into Iowa in February is not always the most convenient, there is always a wide-variety of schools geographically and enough time to not feel rushed:

http://www.uni.edu/placement/overseas/
imora

ISS Review

Post by imora »

I have found ISS to be too costly and ineffective. I have paid and attended two fairs, did not compete well against the couples, and was treated quite poorly by a specific consultant. First, she tried to not let me register because of a deadline, then after I had a different consultant register me, I was treated in a most appalling and condescending manner when I signed in at the ISS office in the Boston hotel, i.e., no eye contact, much less a smile or welcome, while she serviced a couple next to me displaying what I assumed was VIP Treatment to couples who were not ethnic.
imora

too late for Fall2006?

Post by imora »

Hi all,
I went to the ISS Boston Fai this winter and again did not find a job. I have a Masters, 10 years eperience, certified, loads of leadership experience,beautiful letters of recommendations??! Also, I've never had a problem selling myself, quite the contrary. I did detect a subtle flavor of possible discrimination, but am loathe to give in to these suspicions. I had a principal mention that the parents might have a problem with my divorced status, and I was invited by the school of Manila to set up an interview, buut when I got to the table, the guy would not even look me in the eye, denied me an interview on the basis that"I wouldn't like the package, I kind got the same thing from a school in Brazil. I am travelling with two adolscent daughters and am a single parent, Hispanic. Could these things possibly be hindering my search?? I have been utterly depressed and almost given up my dream to teach overseas, but after reading about tieonline and TES and other not so costly ways to search I am feeling inspired. Do you think it is too late to subscribe to tie and look for a fall2006 job?
Thank You for your advice
Mother Goose

Post by Mother Goose »

I too had a similar experience at a job fair last year. Directors give preferential treatment to couples and to singles without dependents because the bottom line is......... most international schools are businesses and saving money/not spending is a priority. My advice to you is to keep trying! There are schools out there that appreciate what single parent teachers have to offer and welcome their children. I'm a single Mom and have landed an awesome job for the next school year. Keep trying! TIEONLINE worked for me! I wish you and your kids the best!
imora

Post by imora »

Dear Mother Goose,
Thank you for your reply. Your success gives me hope. Good luck to you and yours as well.
Jody

jobs

Post by Jody »

Indeed preference is giving to couples with no dependents a sort of prejudice to be sure but based on the realistic finances of the school ? just a pragmatic responce. However lots of schools- especially UK curriculums or IB schools will hire you with dependents. Just keep trying try other venues- Joy Jobs, TES and TIE, keep it up with ISS if you can afford it. Be versatile it will work out!
tired

Discrimination is rife in 'international' schools

Post by tired »

Imora states she is Hispanic and has had trouble getting a job because she is single and has children. As others have stated, you will eventually find a job.

However, I would like to state that discrimination is a BIG problem at many of these schools. They ARE businesses for the most part and the PARENTS are the ones who sometimes rule the roost. If you don't 'look' western, that might be a mark against you. Many of these schools are very particular about who they hire and don't want anyone who doesn't fit their idea of what a native-English speaking, North American (or Brit, etc.) looks like or sounds like. I remember ISS passing out some form at an IRC stating the laws of hiring in the U.S. and how they don't discriminate against gender, ethnicity, blah, blah, blah. Well, that's all nice and good, but who cares. These schools DO discriminate and they DO hire based on looks and where you are from and what ethnicity you are. Off my soap box. This should probably be in another post of its own.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hiring based on looks is what it is all about. That´s why they want a picture. When I (a male) signed in at a job fair, one of the recruiters (a female) told me I wouldn´t have any problem getting a job since I was good looking.
recruiter

pictures with resumes

Post by recruiter »

The reason pictures are requested is that as a recruiter, I will see at least 15 candidates per recruitment fair day. By the end of each fair, I will have seen 30+ candidates in a very short period of time. It is much easier to recall the candidate and the interview if there is a picture to look back at along with the resume and my notes. It is similar to looking through a yearbook album and remembering people when you see a picture of them to go with the name.

There is nothing hidden in requesting a picture of a candidate. When I get back to my school after a couple of recruiting fairs, it always helps to have a picture attached to the resume...
Another recruiter

Post by Another recruiter »

I completely agree with what the recruiter ahead of me said.

It's possible that recruiters will need to sift through several hundred resumes during the hiring process. Having pictures before and after interviews makes it much easier to focus on the candidates who seem to be a good fit. Ultimately, it helps both the recruiter and the candidate.

There are some schools and some cultures in which appearance plays too central a role in determining whether a candidate is suitable for employment. My guess is that most serious educators would find themselves in a situation where they feel uncomfortable should they accept a job there.
Not a Barbie doll

Post by Not a Barbie doll »

What a relief it is to know that some schools do not use photos in this manner.

You are right = if a school will only employ a teacher based on "looks" ,then who wants to work there anyway !
leonagreenlaw

Imora's search

Post by leonagreenlaw »

Imora, I don't want to discourage you, but being a single parent is a HUGE liability. I have a fabulous teaching friend who adopted a child overseas, and , in so doing, made herself almost unhireable. She was a fabulous music teacher--a difficult to find specialty--with many good references, I'm sure, but her generosity of spirt in adopting a child really tubed her chances for being hired. Complicating the fact was that the child needed special ed, and most overseas schools simply don't provide the kinds of services these children need. There will be schools who will hire you, but you are swimming upstream! It's all about finances. Teaching couples with no kids are the most desirable; teaching couples with kids seem to be hired before singles; and then singles. Your best chance as a single parent would be if you fill a specific niche--either your teaching specialty or the extra-curricular leadership you might be able to provide. Something that hasn't been written much about is the attractiveness of candidates who can coach specific sports or provide leadership in some other extra-curricular area. Think about how you might market yourself in this way. A single mom who teaches third grade will lose out to a single mom who teaches third grade AND can coach soccer, basketball--or direct a school play or musical. Good luck, Imora!
Post Reply