Bangkok Job Fair
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
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andyleblanc
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 4:04 pm
- Location: Georgia, USA
Soooooo.....(thanks for the help ahead of time!)
You contact schools that you are interested in early (like October?) only if they have an opening you are qualified for?
The actual interview screening at the job fairs only last like 1 minute?
How long for a typical actual interview?
It seems like every school has their own "mailbox" and you fill out interview request cards and put them in their mailboxes....then you wait for a response? And this response to see if you made it to the screening part?
I am appreciative of all the knowledge shared by everyone! Enjoy the day and the best of luck to everyone out there currently looking...and praying!
You contact schools that you are interested in early (like October?) only if they have an opening you are qualified for?
The actual interview screening at the job fairs only last like 1 minute?
How long for a typical actual interview?
It seems like every school has their own "mailbox" and you fill out interview request cards and put them in their mailboxes....then you wait for a response? And this response to see if you made it to the screening part?
I am appreciative of all the knowledge shared by everyone! Enjoy the day and the best of luck to everyone out there currently looking...and praying!
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
andyleblanc - first off, you only apply to schools with openings for you at the level you teach at. For instance, if you are an MS math teacher, many schools who have HS math openings won't touch you (the top and high 2nd tier schools mainly) because you have no experience at that level, or no recent experience. Second, if you are married, you need to target your spouse's position too - you come as a package.
You do this in October/November/December.
January comes the fair. You go to the fair with quick facts sheets, CVs and Thank You notes. I made our notes on our computer - simple slips of paper, but they do the job. You could also go with an Ichiro (search in this forum for the explanation).
Then...the first day, you get to register, grab your package, start checking out school openings (we interviewed for openings that weren't even on Search yet - they showed up a day later!), filling in your requests on the yellow slips and putting them in the file folders (not boxes) of the schools that interest you.
If they want you to interview, they will put a note in your box. Of, if there has been previous contact and they want to interview you, there will be a note right at the start of the fair or shortly afterwards.
Then you begin the interview rounds the next day, and during day 1 and 2 attend school presentations, ask questions, and get your name known.
Then at the sign up, you hope to get an interview and make a connection that leads to a job offer.
That's the fair in a nutshell.
You do this in October/November/December.
January comes the fair. You go to the fair with quick facts sheets, CVs and Thank You notes. I made our notes on our computer - simple slips of paper, but they do the job. You could also go with an Ichiro (search in this forum for the explanation).
Then...the first day, you get to register, grab your package, start checking out school openings (we interviewed for openings that weren't even on Search yet - they showed up a day later!), filling in your requests on the yellow slips and putting them in the file folders (not boxes) of the schools that interest you.
If they want you to interview, they will put a note in your box. Of, if there has been previous contact and they want to interview you, there will be a note right at the start of the fair or shortly afterwards.
Then you begin the interview rounds the next day, and during day 1 and 2 attend school presentations, ask questions, and get your name known.
Then at the sign up, you hope to get an interview and make a connection that leads to a job offer.
That's the fair in a nutshell.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Redvaldo, I brought three suits to wear. Bangkok is sticky, and I didn't want to be known as "that guy in the same suit three days in a row". Others wore dress trousers and dress shirt with or without tie. I wear trousers and jacket. Nobody wears a 3 piece anymore LOL.
For evenings, you can switch to casual wear, but during the days, I dressed professionally. In fact, I dressed the same way I dress for school, even though nobody ever asked about it.
I also brought extra dress shirts and ties, because if I accidentally slopped on some, I wanted to be able to change right away.
I brought one pair of dress shoes - my most comfortable ones - but extra dress socks in case of emergencies (who knows when a hole will appear or threads unravel? LOL).
Hope that helps!
For evenings, you can switch to casual wear, but during the days, I dressed professionally. In fact, I dressed the same way I dress for school, even though nobody ever asked about it.
I also brought extra dress shirts and ties, because if I accidentally slopped on some, I wanted to be able to change right away.
I brought one pair of dress shoes - my most comfortable ones - but extra dress socks in case of emergencies (who knows when a hole will appear or threads unravel? LOL).
Hope that helps!
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amerikumar
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 11:16 am
Previous posters have mentioned that it is a good idea to email schools you are interested in when a posting first appears and then again just before the fair.
My question is…can I get a list of the names/email addresses for the personnel that will be attending the fair ahead of time? It seems useless to send an email to a generic HR email again but I thought it could be beneficial if I was able to get it directly into the inbox of the person attending the fair from that school. Any idea if I can get the list somewhere?
My question is…can I get a list of the names/email addresses for the personnel that will be attending the fair ahead of time? It seems useless to send an email to a generic HR email again but I thought it could be beneficial if I was able to get it directly into the inbox of the person attending the fair from that school. Any idea if I can get the list somewhere?
@buffalo -
I don't know what the cutoff criteria was for NIST this year. However they did not do a very good job advertising their positions. I'm English, and the position was not listed on the website, but it was listed in the candidate's lounge but their poster did not go up in the lounge until the second day. However when I got to their table during the signup the position had disappeared. I asked one of the recruiters and he said that yes, the position was still available. I just wish I could have dropped my resume into their folder before signup.
I don't know what the cutoff criteria was for NIST this year. However they did not do a very good job advertising their positions. I'm English, and the position was not listed on the website, but it was listed in the candidate's lounge but their poster did not go up in the lounge until the second day. However when I got to their table during the signup the position had disappeared. I asked one of the recruiters and he said that yes, the position was still available. I just wish I could have dropped my resume into their folder before signup.
Pretty low key today. Went in for a few second interviews but most people were getting ready to check out. Checked my folder and received one rejection and another note rescheduling a second interview for next week. So much of this fair is about having to make a decision that will affect the next 3, 4, or even 5 years of your life. And you usually only have a day to make this important decision! I could wait and see if this school hires me from a second interview next week, or I could take an offer I have on hand. So what did I do? Well, I took the offer in hand. It truly looks like a great school in a fantastic country (to keep my anonymity I'm being very vague here) even though it's fairly new.
Those of you with trailing spouses - it IS possible to get hired at this fair, even if you don't teach an in-demand subject. Don't listen to the nonsense that sometimes comes from certain people on this forum. Did I get lucky? Maybe. But I was even interviewed for an elite school on the very first day at 3pm. It's nice to know that even though I didn't get the job, I was still invited to the table. I honestly don't think luck has much to do with it - it's your experience and what you can bring to a school. It's your references (schools really pay attention to these) and how you prove to the recruiter that you can be an asset to their school. Good luck to those of you who are still waiting, and congrats to those of you who acquired new teaching jobs!
Those of you with trailing spouses - it IS possible to get hired at this fair, even if you don't teach an in-demand subject. Don't listen to the nonsense that sometimes comes from certain people on this forum. Did I get lucky? Maybe. But I was even interviewed for an elite school on the very first day at 3pm. It's nice to know that even though I didn't get the job, I was still invited to the table. I honestly don't think luck has much to do with it - it's your experience and what you can bring to a school. It's your references (schools really pay attention to these) and how you prove to the recruiter that you can be an asset to their school. Good luck to those of you who are still waiting, and congrats to those of you who acquired new teaching jobs!
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eion_padraig
- Posts: 408
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:18 pm
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escapeartist
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:39 pm
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Bangkok Job Fair - Day Four - the Final Day
OK, I am in an airport somewhere on the planet earth, flying home with Mrs. Shadowjack, flight delayed out of BKK and connection missed at the present airport. One day soon, I shall get 'home' though.
WHEW! Day four, for those who did not land jobs on days 1, 2, or 3, is INTENSE. It can eat you up, make you over-- every conversation, comment, and question you had, made, and answered/asked during the first three days. Here is our day...
Again, start your day early if you are still looking. It was up before 7, down to breakfast at 8, and then get ready for interviews (fortunately, I still had two interviews to go, with one being a follow-up). As an aside, when Mrs. Shadowjack and myself came down to the buffet on the ground floor, the maitre'd was corraling people and taking them to the restaurant upstairs where they had set up a backup buffet because "too busy. Too many people downstairs. No room." It was nice, but not AS nice...so note to self. On the last day, go down at 7:30, not 8 as everybody will want breakfast before checking out.
On to the main events! So as mentioned, I have been in contact with another school prior to the fair. The first action in the morning was to make contact with the director and arrange a time to talk on the phone. That done, it was back upstairs to meet with the director of a school we interviewed with the previous day. This one was longer than the first interview - I would say it went on about an hour and a half. Very concrete and thorough conversation about teaching, teaching at this school in particular, the students, philosophy, approaches, outcomes, and more. After the interview was over, Mrs. Shadowjack and I both agreed we really liked the school. We agreed to touch base before we left the fair, and then out in the hallway we went.
Then it was down to the room to pack and check out. Note to self: have almost everything packed the night before next time!. However, while we started doing this, it came time for the next interview with a smaller school in a warm climate. This interview came on a cold-call at interview sign-ups and was with a school that wasn't on our radar before the fair. But we liked the presentation and the people seemed genuine and genuinely interested in students and learning. So...again, about 45 minutes, good dialogue and sharing of ideas and experiences. Honesty on both sides. When asked where I stood in relation to the school, I was honest. Liked the school, liked the people I met, but I would lie to say it was my dream job. However, it wasn't a "desperation" interview either. In the end, we agreed to keep in touch and I think we all sensed we had a mutual interest, but I was waiting to hear from other schools...
And...that was it. End of interviews. No job offers, but a call with a school I had talked with prior to the fair...
Well, what a difference a phone call makes! It was clear I was wanted...but...there was still the allure of the school I interviewed with earlier, even though nothing formal had come of it. So...agreement to touch base later in the afternoon.
Then it was waiting....waiting....and hearing nothing...Finally, I decided to be proactive, picked up the phone and called the room. I learned something new today - recruiters are about you wanting the job as much as they want to offer it to you. If they sense any sort of reserve or hesitation, they will be loathe to make you an offer. They really do want teachers who DESIRE to be at their school, not just teachers who are SETTLING for their school. Boy, was I nervous when I called the room. Had I blown it? Would there be anybody there to answer the phone? The relief and nervousness when the recruiter answered the phone was immense, and I don't think my nervousness showed as I asked if it was possible to talk "one more time".
End result, another hour and a half of waiting. Trying to avoid the candidate lounge because it wasn't full of happy people and some people had taken it a bit hard. I just didn't want to be there. So the bar and the lobby were where we waited it out as we watched candidates checking out and leaving the fair - many with jobs, but some without. We again heard that there were candidates who like my friends a different year, had not a single interview.
Finally, it was time for the meeting, and back up the elevator we went. Again, keeping our nerves under control, we faced the recruiter again and he looked happy to see us. A good sign. In the end, simple as that, after I expressed my interest and desire to be at his school (and it had been clear to me that he was interested in me too), a job offer was made. And accepted. Contracts were produced and signed. Procedures for arranging everything that needed to be arranged were briefly covered, to be fully covered in another month or so. And out walked Mrs. Shadowjack and I, papers in hand, very very happy. Not happy because we landed a job, but because of the lesson we learned. In the end, decide where you want to be and pursue it. Learn about it. Look at all the angles - not just people's perceptions, but what the reality would be for YOU. We are going to a place that many others would likely not even consider, but it really is an AMAZING place. Yes, there are negatives, but every place has its negatives despite what people might think.
The next step was letting the recruiter who was waiting for us know we had accepted elsewhere. After a brief conversation in which he seemed genuinely happy for us (and again, directors WANT teachers who DESIRE to teach at their school), we were at the concierge, collecting our stored luggage, and heading off to the airport.
Congratulations to everybody who was successful. To those who weren't, do not beat yourself up too much. Remember my colleagues who went a few years back, didn't get a single interview in Bangkok, but went to another fair and landed jobs. And then get out there and start connecting again.
To all of you who have job fairs coming up - good luck to you and happy recruiting. I hope my posting has made your job easier.
Cheers,
Shadowjack and Mrs. Shadowjack
WHEW! Day four, for those who did not land jobs on days 1, 2, or 3, is INTENSE. It can eat you up, make you over-- every conversation, comment, and question you had, made, and answered/asked during the first three days. Here is our day...
Again, start your day early if you are still looking. It was up before 7, down to breakfast at 8, and then get ready for interviews (fortunately, I still had two interviews to go, with one being a follow-up). As an aside, when Mrs. Shadowjack and myself came down to the buffet on the ground floor, the maitre'd was corraling people and taking them to the restaurant upstairs where they had set up a backup buffet because "too busy. Too many people downstairs. No room." It was nice, but not AS nice...so note to self. On the last day, go down at 7:30, not 8 as everybody will want breakfast before checking out.
On to the main events! So as mentioned, I have been in contact with another school prior to the fair. The first action in the morning was to make contact with the director and arrange a time to talk on the phone. That done, it was back upstairs to meet with the director of a school we interviewed with the previous day. This one was longer than the first interview - I would say it went on about an hour and a half. Very concrete and thorough conversation about teaching, teaching at this school in particular, the students, philosophy, approaches, outcomes, and more. After the interview was over, Mrs. Shadowjack and I both agreed we really liked the school. We agreed to touch base before we left the fair, and then out in the hallway we went.
Then it was down to the room to pack and check out. Note to self: have almost everything packed the night before next time!. However, while we started doing this, it came time for the next interview with a smaller school in a warm climate. This interview came on a cold-call at interview sign-ups and was with a school that wasn't on our radar before the fair. But we liked the presentation and the people seemed genuine and genuinely interested in students and learning. So...again, about 45 minutes, good dialogue and sharing of ideas and experiences. Honesty on both sides. When asked where I stood in relation to the school, I was honest. Liked the school, liked the people I met, but I would lie to say it was my dream job. However, it wasn't a "desperation" interview either. In the end, we agreed to keep in touch and I think we all sensed we had a mutual interest, but I was waiting to hear from other schools...
And...that was it. End of interviews. No job offers, but a call with a school I had talked with prior to the fair...
Well, what a difference a phone call makes! It was clear I was wanted...but...there was still the allure of the school I interviewed with earlier, even though nothing formal had come of it. So...agreement to touch base later in the afternoon.
Then it was waiting....waiting....and hearing nothing...Finally, I decided to be proactive, picked up the phone and called the room. I learned something new today - recruiters are about you wanting the job as much as they want to offer it to you. If they sense any sort of reserve or hesitation, they will be loathe to make you an offer. They really do want teachers who DESIRE to be at their school, not just teachers who are SETTLING for their school. Boy, was I nervous when I called the room. Had I blown it? Would there be anybody there to answer the phone? The relief and nervousness when the recruiter answered the phone was immense, and I don't think my nervousness showed as I asked if it was possible to talk "one more time".
End result, another hour and a half of waiting. Trying to avoid the candidate lounge because it wasn't full of happy people and some people had taken it a bit hard. I just didn't want to be there. So the bar and the lobby were where we waited it out as we watched candidates checking out and leaving the fair - many with jobs, but some without. We again heard that there were candidates who like my friends a different year, had not a single interview.
Finally, it was time for the meeting, and back up the elevator we went. Again, keeping our nerves under control, we faced the recruiter again and he looked happy to see us. A good sign. In the end, simple as that, after I expressed my interest and desire to be at his school (and it had been clear to me that he was interested in me too), a job offer was made. And accepted. Contracts were produced and signed. Procedures for arranging everything that needed to be arranged were briefly covered, to be fully covered in another month or so. And out walked Mrs. Shadowjack and I, papers in hand, very very happy. Not happy because we landed a job, but because of the lesson we learned. In the end, decide where you want to be and pursue it. Learn about it. Look at all the angles - not just people's perceptions, but what the reality would be for YOU. We are going to a place that many others would likely not even consider, but it really is an AMAZING place. Yes, there are negatives, but every place has its negatives despite what people might think.
The next step was letting the recruiter who was waiting for us know we had accepted elsewhere. After a brief conversation in which he seemed genuinely happy for us (and again, directors WANT teachers who DESIRE to teach at their school), we were at the concierge, collecting our stored luggage, and heading off to the airport.
Congratulations to everybody who was successful. To those who weren't, do not beat yourself up too much. Remember my colleagues who went a few years back, didn't get a single interview in Bangkok, but went to another fair and landed jobs. And then get out there and start connecting again.
To all of you who have job fairs coming up - good luck to you and happy recruiting. I hope my posting has made your job easier.
Cheers,
Shadowjack and Mrs. Shadowjack
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escapeartist
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:39 pm