I'd love to share tips, concerns and impressions.
I'm attending the London Search fair. So far there are 8 positions (offered by schools attending the fair) I'm interested in but I'm REALLY worried they will all disappear by the time the London fair is held. I find it a bit strange: will there be anything left after the Sydney/Bangkok/Hong Kong fairs? Are we being lured into a fair that will only offer the rubbish jobs no one wanted at previous fairs? Obviously, being from London, I don't mind as much as someone who travels from far and spends a fortune on airplanes and hotel bills...
I'm particularly worried because most of the jobs I am interested in are in Asia and I'm sure those will be going like hot cake in Bangkok...
Any ideas / comments, anyone?
Anyone attending January or February fair?
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LondonChick
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aussiechick
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I'm attending the London fair as well. It's my first time so I'm not really sure what to expect. I'm in the UK at the moment but I still have some travel and hotel expenses, so I'm hoping it will all be worthwhile, and all the jobs won't have gone in Bangkok. Like you, I'm mainly interested in Asian jobs. One thing I'm wondering about is what really happens on the Monday? Is it worth sticking around for?
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LondonChick
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I'm not too sure, I think it's because most schools have trouble fitting all their interviews over two days, especially those who do recall interviews. If you tell them you need to complete all interviews before the end of Sunday, they should be fine. The problem probably is when everyone does that.
What jobs are you applying for? Have you applied for many yet?
I'm finding that the schools are not replying much, but it might just be me :)
What jobs are you applying for? Have you applied for many yet?
I'm finding that the schools are not replying much, but it might just be me :)
Re: Anyone attending January or February fair?
[quote="LondonChick"]I'd love to share tips, concerns and impressions.
I'm attending the London Search fair. So far there are 8 positions (offered by schools attending the fair) I'm interested in but I'm REALLY worried they will all disappear by the time the London fair is held. I find it a bit strange: will there be anything left after the Sydney/Bangkok/Hong Kong fairs? Are we being lured into a fair that will only offer the rubbish jobs no one wanted at previous fairs? Obviously, being from London, I don't mind as much as someone who travels from far and spends a fortune on airplanes and hotel bills...
I'm particularly worried because most of the jobs I am interested in are in Asia and I'm sure those will be going like hot cake in Bangkok...
Any ideas / comments, anyone?[/quote]
My opinion is that if Supts find an exceptional candidate in Bangkok, then they'll hire them right then. If not, they build a pool of candidates through the Asian/European/NAmerican fairs.
It also depends on supply and demand... If they run into an in-demand teacher in the early fair, they'll hire them thinking that if they don't someone else will.
I'm also starting to think though that if schools-especially first tier, can fill positions in Bangkok, they'll do so. The fairs in Europe and NAmerican will be relegated to second/third tier schools.
I'm a specialist and live in the US. I'm planning on going to UNI, but am trying to wait until the last minute (Jan 14th) to sign up and send in my $300 to see if the 3 positions I'm interested in are filled in Bangkok. If they are, then I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that good jobs are filled at Bangkok and I'm looking at big $ to get there...
I'm attending the London Search fair. So far there are 8 positions (offered by schools attending the fair) I'm interested in but I'm REALLY worried they will all disappear by the time the London fair is held. I find it a bit strange: will there be anything left after the Sydney/Bangkok/Hong Kong fairs? Are we being lured into a fair that will only offer the rubbish jobs no one wanted at previous fairs? Obviously, being from London, I don't mind as much as someone who travels from far and spends a fortune on airplanes and hotel bills...
I'm particularly worried because most of the jobs I am interested in are in Asia and I'm sure those will be going like hot cake in Bangkok...
Any ideas / comments, anyone?[/quote]
My opinion is that if Supts find an exceptional candidate in Bangkok, then they'll hire them right then. If not, they build a pool of candidates through the Asian/European/NAmerican fairs.
It also depends on supply and demand... If they run into an in-demand teacher in the early fair, they'll hire them thinking that if they don't someone else will.
I'm also starting to think though that if schools-especially first tier, can fill positions in Bangkok, they'll do so. The fairs in Europe and NAmerican will be relegated to second/third tier schools.
I'm a specialist and live in the US. I'm planning on going to UNI, but am trying to wait until the last minute (Jan 14th) to sign up and send in my $300 to see if the 3 positions I'm interested in are filled in Bangkok. If they are, then I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that good jobs are filled at Bangkok and I'm looking at big $ to get there...
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aussiechick
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LondonChick
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Hm, that Bangkok fair business is quite annoying...
Mind you, they wouldn't bother coming all the way to London if they were expecting to fill all their vacancies in Bangkok. There should be something left for us!
Aussiechick, I fond the lack of response really quite frustrating. It makes you feel that you'll never get an interview! I had one skype one before Christmas but that's it, nothing scheduled yet for London.
I'm sure you'll find something, there seem to be quite a few jobs going for primary.
Do you guys think there will be more jobs appearing in the next couple of weeks? That could make up for the ones lost in Bangkok...
Mind you, they wouldn't bother coming all the way to London if they were expecting to fill all their vacancies in Bangkok. There should be something left for us!
Aussiechick, I fond the lack of response really quite frustrating. It makes you feel that you'll never get an interview! I had one skype one before Christmas but that's it, nothing scheduled yet for London.
I'm sure you'll find something, there seem to be quite a few jobs going for primary.
Do you guys think there will be more jobs appearing in the next couple of weeks? That could make up for the ones lost in Bangkok...
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wrldtrvlr123
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London Fair
Hi. I attended the BKK Fair a few years ago and while some schools were actively hiring, many others just seemed to be window shopping and cherry picking out the really strong couples (where one or both were in high need secondary areas).
So, while some jobs/schools you are interested in may get filled, others will undoubtedly appear at the last minute (some schools have not even reached the deadline for current teachers to commit for next year yet).
Good luck! The world is waiting for you.
So, while some jobs/schools you are interested in may get filled, others will undoubtedly appear at the last minute (some schools have not even reached the deadline for current teachers to commit for next year yet).
Good luck! The world is waiting for you.
Most people don't have interviews on the last day of the fair but a school could ask you for a second interview then, so it is good to have the time available if you need it.
The Sydney fair is small and I don't think too many jobs will get filled there. However your dream jobs may just go at the Bangkok fair. Recruiters at Bangkok will only hire teachers who are a very good fit. They have lots of fairs still to come so there is no need to be hasty. The recruiters want to make sure they get all the travel perks they can get so I don't think any school fills all their vacancies at Bangkok. (Unless that is their only fair.)
Of course schools which are 2nd/3rd tier or in less popular places will be seriously trying to fill their vacancies.
The Sydney fair is small and I don't think too many jobs will get filled there. However your dream jobs may just go at the Bangkok fair. Recruiters at Bangkok will only hire teachers who are a very good fit. They have lots of fairs still to come so there is no need to be hasty. The recruiters want to make sure they get all the travel perks they can get so I don't think any school fills all their vacancies at Bangkok. (Unless that is their only fair.)
Of course schools which are 2nd/3rd tier or in less popular places will be seriously trying to fill their vacancies.
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LondonChick
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calciodirigore
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Hello.
Don't worry too much about it. Many schools haven't even asked their teachers about their intentions for the following school year until they return from the winter break.
I attended the ISS fair in Bangkok last year and found only a few positions that really interested me (of about 20 or so). Shortly after I returned from Bangkok (about $3,000 lighter in the wallet I might add, but I won't go into that, again!) many new openings appeared on both ISS and Search that weren't advertised at either fair. Of the lot, I was interested in about 4 of them - IS Bangkok, NIST, ISHMC, Taipei American - all good schools.
So, there is hope. Keep your spirits up!
Don't worry too much about it. Many schools haven't even asked their teachers about their intentions for the following school year until they return from the winter break.
I attended the ISS fair in Bangkok last year and found only a few positions that really interested me (of about 20 or so). Shortly after I returned from Bangkok (about $3,000 lighter in the wallet I might add, but I won't go into that, again!) many new openings appeared on both ISS and Search that weren't advertised at either fair. Of the lot, I was interested in about 4 of them - IS Bangkok, NIST, ISHMC, Taipei American - all good schools.
So, there is hope. Keep your spirits up!
[quote="ichiro"]calciodirigore--just an updated FYI. Things have changed, at least a little, since your experience at the BKK fair last year. ISBangkok now requests contracts on 1 December from all teachers. In the past they've allowed teachers to hit the first round of job fairs in BKK then make a final decision. The school felt it was losing out on good teachers by not having definite, 100% "for sure" positions open at those early hiring fairs.[/quote]
I think many schools are now going that route.
I'm hoping to get updated info from schools regarding openings after this week's fairs in Bangkok. The UNI deadline is the 14th- so I'm holding off on sending in my money. Last year I had to pull out of the UNI fair because of credentialing issues with my wife. The next day a couple of schools updated their websites that jobs had been filled. That was a couple of days before the UNI fair. I’m still not sure why they didn't wait a couple of days to interview candidates at UNI..
I think many schools are now going that route.
I'm hoping to get updated info from schools regarding openings after this week's fairs in Bangkok. The UNI deadline is the 14th- so I'm holding off on sending in my money. Last year I had to pull out of the UNI fair because of credentialing issues with my wife. The next day a couple of schools updated their websites that jobs had been filled. That was a couple of days before the UNI fair. I’m still not sure why they didn't wait a couple of days to interview candidates at UNI..
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LondonChick
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It's funny it seems to me that entire countries started advertising really early in the season this year, like Malaysia and Thailand, as if they were triggering some sort of mass panic buying in neighbouring schools. I had already applied for quite a few jobs there by November. Then in December, a whole wave of Vietnamese jobs appeared. Probably just a coincidence, but very odd. You develop all kinds of conspiracy theories when you're keen to get a new job :)
I just can't wait for the Bangkok fairs to be over so that I can be put out of my miseries and see how many jobs are left for me to apply for.
If all the east Asian jobs are gone, I guess there's always Europe... not quite as exotic for me though :(
I just can't wait for the Bangkok fairs to be over so that I can be put out of my miseries and see how many jobs are left for me to apply for.
If all the east Asian jobs are gone, I guess there's always Europe... not quite as exotic for me though :(
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LondonChick
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OK, one fair down and only one of the jobs I had applied for has been deleted. I can live with that.
However, I see the Search fair as the big one, so I'll be biting my nails in the next few days... until the 12th of January.
I just got a lovely reply from a school saying : "Of course we will consider you for the job, if it still exists by the end of the month". Hm...
However, I see the Search fair as the big one, so I'll be biting my nails in the next few days... until the 12th of January.
I just got a lovely reply from a school saying : "Of course we will consider you for the job, if it still exists by the end of the month". Hm...
At the Bangkok fair now, had a wave of panic wash over me when I saw all the people rushing around in the candidates' lounge this morning. The sign-up session is tomorrow so will see what happens.
My dream job at ISM was gone when the poster went up this morning. Took a few minutes to get over that but there are lots of jobs going at the moment so still in high spirits!
My dream job at ISM was gone when the poster went up this morning. Took a few minutes to get over that but there are lots of jobs going at the moment so still in high spirits!