The International Schools Review Forum

I have had a teacher's profile at Search Associates for some years now. When I need my profile activated for a job search I contact my associate and pay my fee to him. But now I hear some teachers don't pay any fee when they have their profile reactivated. So here are some questions we may all benefit from hearing their answers.

1. Do some associates not charge a fee for activating your profile? Which associates? Do fees vary among associates?

2. Is it possible to switch from one associate being linked to your profile to another associate at any time?

3. How important is it that it be your associate running and being present at the job fair you plan to attend?

1. All associates charge a fee for re-activating your profile. I don't know where you heard otherwise. If you paid the fee, then accepted a job at an international school (even without Search's help), then you have to pay the fee again if you want to re-register with Search. There's no getting out of it.

2. I don't think it's possible to switch. once you've chosen your associate. If you are re-activating your account, then you can choose a different associate (I think) but once you've paid, you are stuck.

3. I don't think it's all that important. I never really talked to mine at the fair and honestly he didn't really help me with recruiting before the fair. He did answer questions I had about possible job opportunities and whether or not I would be a viable candidate.

I know British candidates do not pay a fee because there is a law that against charging people for helping them to find a job- not sure about other countries

When I re-activated my profile to do a soft look last year, I paid the fee. I chose to stay at my current school and my associate just archived it. When I re-activated my profile again, this time for an active look, I did not have to pay any fees. I was just advised to update all my references.

That is what I came across, that people registering in the UK did not have to pay the SA fee. I wonder if you have to be physically located in the UK to take advantage of that.

Nice that you could archive your payment so you did not have to pay again. I would like to take a look at what is available and info at SA even when I am not actively looking for a contract at a different school. But I don't want to have to pay the fee again and again.

They make it very clear that the fee is good for up to 3 years or when you get a job through Search, whichever comes first. I think that when you activate, you have to submit updated references in order for your profile to become active and be able to look at current openings. So that means telling your admin you're having a look. Most good admin won't care and are quite used to these requests.

I'm finding this really interesting. I tried to reactivate my profile just this week. I originally registered about 18 months ago, then quickly found a job separately from SA. I never went to any job fairs, and maybe looked at a handful of schools. I also thought the fee would be good for three years, as I had not found a job through SA. Apparently not. I was sent an invoice for the full registration fee again. I emailed to query this - have to say, I was annoyed and my email wasn't incredibly polite (whoops!). The reply I received was scathing. Really quite nasty. Told me maybe if I thought their fees were high then I am probably not best suited to their organisation or something along those lines. Personally, I think there is a difference between "registration" and "profile activation" and that this should be reflected in their fee (I told them this). Anyway, needless to say I won't be using them again. I could never be certain my associate was actually trying to help me, when he obviously doesn't like me very much!

I too joined Search this year and found a job independently a month later. After informing my associate of the good news he/she replied in an email as follows:

"[W]e will "freeze" your registration fee payment so that you will have no re-registration fee to pay, when you come back for your next spell of job-hunting, in the future."

It appears there is some inconsistency here.

A couple of clarifications

You do not pay a fee if you register through the UK office. The labor law prohibits charge a fee for job assistance. The law was created to prevent scammers from collecting fees promising high placement job assistance and then giving the candidate a list of high profile companies that had vacancies.

Understand that the way SA works is that they are an association then a "firm". Associates are basically running their own agency under and umbrella called SA. Individual associates are able to make exceptions to the standard contract rules. Which is $225 for three years of access or until you are employed (whether found internally or externally of Search)

You can select any associate that you want, despite where they say they "represent", they will really never know where you really live. Ive never gotten anything from Search in the mail or anything, and you an always say you moved after registering.

Your supposed to go to the same associate you had before,but teachers can change when they reactivate their profile, it depends on the associate, some wont say no to a profitable candidate, some will not want to upset a fellow associate over a low marketability candidate.

Registering and activating your profile mean the same thing to Search.

Hmm..

I think I have also had minimal contact with my associate... But then again I haven't been to any SEARCH fairs and was guided to one that I didn't want to go to (canada), then I found a job on my own. I am happy with SEARCH though, I am more interested in the database more than anything else. Also having schools have access to my credentials. I don't worry too much about my associate. I can say the service was well worth what ever fee I paid!

Do the associates help or guide you at the fairs?

[quote="PsychBean"]Hmm..

I think I have also had minimal contact with my associate... But then again I haven't been to any SEARCH fairs and was guided to one that I didn't want to go to (canada), then I found a job on my own. I am happy with SEARCH though, I am more interested in the database more than anything else. Also having schools have access to my credentials. I don't worry too much about my associate. I can say the service was well worth what ever fee I paid!

Do the associates help or guide you at the fairs?[/quote]

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I look at the fees as a necessary evil/cost of doing business. As for our associate, he/she is and has always been less then useless. Everything single request for action requires multiple emails that cover and recover the same ground as we explain, re-explain, answer all questions and concerns and then STILL find what we want done hasn't been accomplished (with no reasonable explanation).

I truly don't know whether he/she is slow on the uptake or feels that if they take 10 email exchanges to do one simple thing it appears they are actually doing more for their money than they actually do.

Sorry if that sounds bitter or ranting but it does get very frustrating and you sometimes wonder whether you are both speaking the same language. Very happy with Seach database, fairs etc but some of the associates are extremely weak and actually hinder your getting a position (or at least take months off of your life due to petty stress and frustration).

My associate is excellent. We had more emails before I ever joined search 3 years ago, but for over a year we emailed back and forth, and his recommendations were always spot on. This was before I ever paid a fee! His words inspired me to job hunt again and go for a bigger fish. Maybe I am just fortunate as some of your stories would turn me away.

My associate is very helpful and encouraging. Every time I email her with a question, she responds within a day with something helpful. Even without her though, the database is worth the fee.

Does anyone know if the US$ 225 fee for Search Associates needs to be paid by both partners in a teaching couple ($450 total per couple)? Is there a discount for a teaching couple? I didn't see it on the S.A. FAQs

Fee is per teacher. Couple pays double.