Is SEARCH worth it this year?

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angelica1981
Posts: 37
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:28 pm

Is SEARCH worth it this year?

Post by angelica1981 »

Are there fewer, more, or about the same amount of schools in the SEARCH database this year compared to non-pandemic years? Is the geographic distribution about the same as always, or are there many more China jobs and fewer other (what?) jobs?

And has anyone done a SEARCH virtual fair? Worth it?

Am trying to decide if it is worth reactivating with SEARCH or not.
National
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:00 am

Re: Is SEARCH worth it this year?

Post by National »

It’s worth it for the jobs database. There seem to be more jobs this year but I’d say half of them are in China. Still a good number of quality schools from around the world posting positions though. The big Asian schools (outside of China) are posting lots of jobs and hiring already. I did the recent virtual fair. It was a waste of time. The schools attending were low tier and I wasn’t interested in almost any of the schools. I did get multiple interview requests but they were not schools I would work at so I declined.

The benefit of Search is having that daily position email and the searchable database. It also seems as though more schools are using the Search system for applications which makes the process of applying easier.
expatscot
Posts: 315
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:26 am

Re: Is SEARCH worth it this year?

Post by expatscot »

Did the virtual fair a couple of weeks ago - complete waste of time and effort. It was pitched as a worldwide leadership one for candidates with international experience, however about 50% of the schools were in China so of no interest. In my view it was way too early - and I don't think it's been particularly successful for the schools either as a lot of the jobs which were there are still advertised.

This is the third time I've used Search, and I think it will probably be the last unless something really changes.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10849
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

The database is about the same.
I agree with @National that there seem to be more jobs but many of them also appear to be stubs for tentative possible openings that may or may not come later in the recruiting cycle. Those jobs may not actually materialize.
Virtual fairs are an absolute and complete waste of time.
If your registering with SA at this point its because you want to follow the vacancies and position yourself for later (Spring maybe Summer) vacancies.
Mathsman
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2021 8:35 pm

Re: Is SEARCH worth it this year?

Post by Mathsman »

Definitely. First time I've used it and within a day of going active I was getting emails from schools asking if I wanted to interview. Overall, I reckon I was getting 5 or 6 emails a week from schools. Now most of these were from schools, or for roles, I wasn't interested in, but there were some big schools in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok who I would imagine have no problem finding candidates emailing.

From my experience, it seems that this year is a teachers market. Being on Search means schools can see you and contact you. It puts you at the front of the queue.
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Is SEARCH worth it this year?

Post by sid »

I'll agree that the virtual fairs are pretty useless. I have several friends who work in the recruiting agencies, mostly in Search, and even they are not fans. To paraphrase their viewpoints, there are a few loud, important recruiters who insist on holding them despite the lack of interest from their colleagues, schools and applicants. Maybe to keep their hand in for a non-Covid future? Who knows. But useless.
Does that made Search useless? Far from it. Still arguably the best single source for openings in decent international schools. If not the best, than second best. And since ISS and Schrole got divorced, I argue their positions diminished and Search is in an even better position. Don't skip them just because they do one thing you don't use.
shadowjack
Posts: 2140
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Is SEARCH worth it this year?

Post by shadowjack »

National wrote:


> The benefit of Search is having that daily position email and the
> searchable database.

This says it all, National. Think about if you are seriously searching for a job, how many hours you would spend trying to aggregate everything Search sends you in a daily email. That alone is priceless depending on how you value your time. If you think your time is $25 bucks an hour, ten hours or so pays for Search membership for three years. You would spend more than 10 hours combing through schools looking to see if your job is there or not and trying to find out the information that Search makes available to its teacher and admin members as part of that fee.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10849
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

ISS really needs to decide what they want to be.

The broader a job search the more utility a premium agency such as SA provides, because yes that daily email of new postings is going to save the It resources. However, for a very specific or narrow job search that daily email notice is only a reminder of the nothing that your region preference, subject and grade level has available and why you spend the coin to get a worthless email update.
shadowjack
Posts: 2140
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Is SEARCH worth it this year?

Post by shadowjack »

If it isn't coming up on Search then you really should start digging, or you are UK teacher and should be looking at tesjobs.co.uk

Every day I see postings for multiple teaching areas in multiple countries/regions/continents.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10849
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@SJ

Then theres the primary ICT IT who only wants France, etc. who sees that daily update as frustrating and not worth the USD$225.
just.the.truth

Re: Reply

Post by just.the.truth »

PsyGuy wrote:
> @SJ
>
> Then theres the primary ICT IT who only wants France, etc. who sees that
> daily update as frustrating and not worth the USD$225.


Um, why would they sign up with SEARCH then?
PsyGuy
Posts: 10849
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Comment

Post by PsyGuy »

@just.the.truth

Exactly my point.
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