ichiros

Fraisinette
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:58 pm

ichiros

Post by Fraisinette »

Sorry to bother, but as Newbie, I can't get my head around Ichiros. Is is like a pamphlet? - something you staple to your CV? Any tips would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Fraisinette
IAMBOG
Posts: 388
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:20 pm

Re: ichiros

Post by IAMBOG »

As I remember, it's a person that PsyGuy didn't get on with about three or four years ago. He has trouble letting things go. Seriously, Ichiro was a poster on here. I can't remember exactly what 'an Ichiro' is, but that's the root of it. You won't find any posts by Ichiro because he deleted them all.
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: ichiros

Post by shadowjack »

Ichiro was a poster who has since departed the forum (at least that manifestation of him did), but who discussed creating a one page introduction - something with highlights to introduce him as a candidate and to showcase his abilities. The term caught on, and now he lives on in famy as opposed to infamy. :-)
Fraisinette
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:58 pm

Re: ichiros

Post by Fraisinette »

Thanks ! So, in essence an Ichiro is a cover letter? Do you write which types of positions that we are seeking?

TIA
wrldtrvlr123
Posts: 1173
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
Location: Japan

Re: ichiros

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

An ichiro has come to mean any type of flashy/gimmicky/creative printed method of introducing yourself to recruiters. It would generally involve color photos of you teaching, amazing students projects, etc and a more limited amount of text. Some people go all out and mimic advertising flyers, brochures, wanted posters etc (kind of a high risk/high reward approach).

I suppose it could take the place of a cover letter, as long as you have included the relevant information. You could also use it as an additional piece of the puzzle I guess.

If you really want to stand out you could roll the dice and go crazy like these people (although I don't think any of these would really fly in international teaching.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... crowd.html
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: ichiros

Post by shadowjack »

Not really a cover letter....sort of a teaser...
MizMorton
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:13 am

Dilemma

Post by MizMorton »

Okay. I'm gonna put this out there. At this point, I've got everyone's opinion on one side, and my gut on the other. Fraisinette, this is what I was going to write to you in the PM. I didn't want anyone else to copy my idea but I've gotten some negative feedback so at this point, I don't care. Now that I've seen that link that wrldtravlr123 posted, I want to talk.

After reading here about Ichiros, I came up with -- what I thought was-- a great idea. My brother-in-law is a professional artist. He is in the process of creating two things for us for Cambridge. One is a postcard to pop into mailboxes the day before interviews. On the front is a 50s-style travel postcard saying "Greetings from (us)-- Looking forward to meeting you!" And on the back is a drawing of us as teacher-superheroes with very brief information about us (subjects, experience) in two "POW!" boxes. I bring this up because the artwork is SO similar to the picture in Vidar Olufson's CV-- the Cold War dossier guy in that link I mentioned. It's really, really good.

The second thing he's doing is a graphic resume... our Ichiro. One side has superhero-me to one side, with my basic information filling most of the page; "basic" meaning about 75% of what my resume says. It gives information without extra accolades or minor activities I've done. On the back is my superhero-husband with the same. In one corner will be a drawing of our two kids, ready for school (with a caption, of course). As someone said elsewhere, we're a package deal.

I was so excited about this idea that it renewed my confidence about the fair 100%. Then, just to cover my bases since I'm a complete first-timer, I sent it to my SA agent. She liked it, but is torn about whether we should use it. She got a bunch of opinions around the office, even sending it to a few recruiter friends of hers, and got the same mixed reaction of "Wow! Buuut..." The consensus was that it's good, but risky. I lost a little sleep about this last night.

She also said that what we give the recruiters should be a FULL resume. Again... Hmm. Obviously I didn't mention anything about the Ichiro. But remind me again when that is used?

So now I'm the one who is torn. My basic dilemma is this: yes, it's unconventional and creative, but that is exactly what we are-- I make my students cook and do claymation movies. Do I use it and run the risk of putting people off with bright colors? It's not a fussy design; everything is very clear and still quite easy to see, and we can add photos of ourselves to the graphic resume part. Will we be shooting ourselves in the foot by shutting ourselves out of the running before we even get the chance to interview? Or will it actually be helpful in weeding out the more conservative, stuffy schools where we might not be a good fit anyway? Do I want to work for someone who would be that put off by creativity, take one look at it and go "ugh, color, no" and bin it? Or... are they all like that?

My gut says to be myself. You can't go wrong being who you really are, and it's not like I'm a rodeo clown or ---- star; we will still look completely professional. It's just a graphic resume (and in reference to that link, it's still a flat sheet of standard-sized paper that can be added to a stack, not a t-shirt or cake or cardboard box malarkey). My gut says that being myself will get us the best fit.

But then, I really want to get a job. Y'all know better than I do. Your thoughts? (Please be gentle.)
justlooking
Posts: 118
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 1:02 am

Re: ichiros

Post by justlooking »

I think it's a risk but one that can pay off nicely.

A friend of mine told me yesterday that she has some unconventional stuff in her Search file. One of those items (a paean to her favorite singer-songwriter) caught the attention of a recruiter at a notoriously picky school with a great reputation and the compensation to match. After a discussion, she had the recruiter eating out of her hand. She didn't wind up taking the job - polluted city- but the risk with the resume paid off.

If you really think the graphic resume represents who you are and won't turn off anyone but the most conservative recruiters, I would go ahead. Please report back and let us know if the unconventional move is what cinched great jobs for you both.
darwin
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 3:20 am

Re: ichiros

Post by darwin »

Will it get yours read over the hundreds or others? Yes.

Are there warning flags that might run through my head? Yes.

My initial impression is that it would seem over the top, unless you are looking for jobs in Design Tech or an Art related subject. Ultimately, it would come down to the information on your resume. If we ended up in an interview, I would definitely ask you more about it to get a better idea of who you are as an individual and teacher.

I think for many administrators I know, this would be too much and put them off. For others, it just might be the innovative and creative type of person/couple that they are looking for. It is those administrators that seem like the best fit for you anyways right?

Risky? Yes, but so is making the decision to teach internationally and go through the rat race of a job fair.

I wish you the best of luck.
Overhere
Posts: 497
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 3:29 am

Re: ichiros

Post by Overhere »

I think you ideas are worthwhile, as long as they don't go over the top. One of the problems with fairs is that everyone literally looks the same. Memories of trying to find my wife in a crowd of conservatively dressed people stick with me 16 years after our first job fair. If you can make yourself standout, then you are ahead of the game. However, what you don't want to do is go over the top like the fellow who wore white from top to bottom and even as everyone was leaving was bemoaning the fact he hadn't found a position. Of course, there could be a million and one reasons why he didn't find a job, I'm just using his mode of dress as an example of what you don't want to do.

I too will be interested to hear the reaction you get from admin, please keep us updated and good luck :)
Fraisinette
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:58 pm

Re: ichiros

Post by Fraisinette »

Great tips! I will keep you all posted. :-)
Trojan
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Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:09 am
Contact:

Re: ichiros

Post by Trojan »

Ah, how I miss ichiro...

I say go for it. It is not for everyone, and I don't think it is something I or a lot of others could pull off, but it sounds like it's you. You went through the trouble of having them created, so this must be in your wheelhouse.

AND you're a teaching couple.
AND it's just an ichiro.
AND this is just something to slide into a box to try to land an interview.

You could certainly include a standard cv too.

I think you want to go for it. It's you, so do it.
reisgio
Posts: 206
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:17 am

Re: ichiros

Post by reisgio »

Well, it's nice to know that Ichiro, despite going MIA, will live on through his wonderful idea about how to make a fair more enjoyable and successful for all involved. Several years ago I created what we could call a Reisgio: a little note to a school at the end of the fair. It was essentially a message that said, "Thanks so much for your consideration...I am sorry to hear that you chose another candidate for your administrator's job that pays $27,000 and does not include safe housing but I wish you well in your third world country and with your newly-hired single, 24-year-old administrator who I saw last night getting drunk at the hotel bar. I surely could not do as well as her in the position since I have seventeen years of experience...a FAMILY...and no desire to go down on you. Clearly you feel as though my spouse and children would make me less successful than your new hire with no discernible professional accomplishments or chance of landing a spouse in the near- or long-term because of her tattoos, proclivity to be on her smart phone at all times, complete lack of intelligence, and raging feminist ideology and superiority complex that will make her a real joy to all males students with whom she interacts. While you are boiling your water and sleeping in mosquito nets, please know that I've just accepted my dream job in Switzerland where I will be enjoying fondue, making $115,000/year, and getting free tuition for my children worth $90,000. Again, all the best!"

Sort of like the written equivalent of the scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts enters the store that treated her like trash before her make-over only to discover that she just spent thousands somewhere else. Your Loss!
MizMorton
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:13 am

Re: ichiros

Post by MizMorton »

I mean no disrespect, reisgio, but that sounds like an awfully effective bridge-burner.

Thanks for your advice everyone. I've decided to use the cartoony one as the ichiro (which I still don't think I have a full grasp of yet, but we'll figure it out when we're there, right Fraisinette?) and a standard resume for... the resume. We will also be able to get a read on people in person, and if they seem humorless, then humorless is what they'll get, and vice-versa.

Let the torturous waiting commence. Tick. Tick. Tick.



Tick.
reisgio
Posts: 206
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:17 am

Re: ichiros

Post by reisgio »

MizMorton, that was the intention! Thanks. :-)
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