You should be excited! I went to Search BKK last year and loved the experience. It was so much fun meeting so many interesting people, making connections, and I got a great job. Have fun and good luck!

I'm in a rather large school in Asia. One of our teachers was diagnosed with cancer, and it was rather advanced. She was completely supported. After successful chemo, she returned to work eventually and is looking forward to starting a new school year here next year.

Interesting, because I didn't care for my interviewer as well. I think for such a top notch school, they need to have better representation at the fairs. Yes, he pretty much only wanted to talk about technology, though I was interviewing for an elementary position. It was a strange experience.

I have a former colleague who also started her own speech pathology practice in Barcelona. She works closely with the international schools there, and I am sure she is in high demand. I think this idea is a good one!

Sorry! I didn't mean for my comment to read so sassy! ;-) I guess if you ask for feedback, you'll get all kinds. My bad! One of my coworkers is going to JIS next year and she's psyched!

I was always told, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Not sure how this negative comment is at all helpful??

Many top European schools were scheduled to go to Search Bangkok, but in the end, they had few or no positions. Some of the schools were:

American School of the Hague
American School of Warsaw
Zurich International Schoool
American School of Budapest
Anglo American School of Moscow

The pickings were slim though!

I was actively pursued at the Bangkok Fair by one of the Saudi Aramco schools. I am a single female, so married couples with families are not the only candidates they are looking for. The money sounded amazing!! But, Saudi is just not on my radar at this time.

Personally, this is the best definition of the tiers I have heard. I totally agree! I can definitely see that I am truly moving from a tier 2 to a tier 1. Now tier 2 was not bad! I learned a lot, and saved a lot of money, but definitely looking forward to the positive change!

I contacted the headmaster at CNG directly by sending a cover letter and resume, and he had me set up an interview with the principal soon after via Skype. I was scheduled to go to the Search Bangkok Fair the next day, so I then met with the headmaster there. They are very thorough in their interviewing so I think being able to speak to the headmaster face to face (and for him to be able to talk with my references directly) was definitely an advantage. In the end, I went in another direction and did not continue with the final interviews with CNG, though they were definitely my second choice!

I was hired over Skype for my past two jobs, and I was not thrilled with the prospect of having to go to the Search Bangkok Fair, but am I ever glad I went. I also was beginning to feel that the job fairs were a bit passe, but I have really changed my opinion. Having the opportunity to meet and talk to a variety of schools was incredible, and I made some very valuable connections that never would have happened otherwise. I ended up excepting a job I never saw coming, because frankly, I was tired of filling out another application and did not apply to this school. At the fair they contacted me, and I am thrilled to have accepted the position. I totally agree that if you don't believe in the fair format, then don't go, but I would not hesitate to go again, and I now see the value. When the possibilities for employment are world wide, which I think is rare for other professions, then it seems to make sense to gather everyone together. And for the record, I visited quite a few hotel rooms for interviewing and was always given a proper chair in which to sit.

I accepted at position at HKIS and I am not particularly religious, though I consider myself spiritual. This was not perceived as a problem during the interview. It is a huge school with what seems like a variety of beliefs. The most important thing, at least what it seems to me, is to be respectful and to have an opportunity to learn about a variety of religions.

I got my first job using TIE, my second job via Skype after applying directly to the school, and my latest job last week at Search BKK. I am really happy with my Search experience, and am going to an amazing school. I also made a lot of good connections that could help me the next time I am ready to move on (which may not be for a while). I had a really good time, and had no complaints. I am glad I went!

I am going to BKK, but I am staying on the conference hotel since I am sharing with another teacher.

Honestly, I kind of think you have the right idea. So many emails and applications I completed were for jobs that never materialized because they were tentative. It was sort of a waste of time and stress. I like your plan.