The Process

I'm not going to be one of those people who sit there and say that the process is easy. I will say that the process can be confusing, frustrating, annoying and exhausting at times...but hopefully worth it in the end.

1. DOCUMENTS
Before even contacting a recruiter, I had gotten all my documents together (thanks to advice from a friend), which was to help speed up the initial process. Of course, the first hiccup came when I found out that my criminal record check (CRC) was no longer valid because Korea had changed their rules and I had to go through the RCMP in Ottawa. So down to the Commissionaires office I go, get my finger prints taken, picture taken and fill out the applicable forms...and in 7-10 days I should have my (obviously clean) CRC back from Ottawa. (Note: I have now spent over $100 to get my CRC).

About a day before my the CRC is due to return I am looking at the photocopy of my form and realize that I didn't check off the box for a vulnerable sector search (which basically makes sure that someone isn't a pedophile...you must have this checked to get a job in Korea)... SHOOT! I put a call in to the Commissionaires office and give just enough of a sob story that by the time I get down to their office, the lady has called in a favor to the local RCMP and down to Dewdney I go to get my CRC and vulnerable sector search, for free, that same day! (It's great to know that the $75 and 10 days it takes to get it normally is a crock).

Next Step: Send documents to the Korean Consulate in Vancouver. I do this, only to get a barely understandable phone message from the consulate saying that the Notary only stamped the documents and did not physically sign them. They send them back, I get them signed and return them (another $40 out the window). THEN, I get the another message...this one even more confusing...regarding information on my Notary. So I fax this off and wait again...and wait...and wait... This simple process of getting my documents and having them validated by the Consulate took a little over three weeks.

2. RECRUITER
During the time I was dealing with my documents I also switched recruiters because the first one I was using made me feel uncomfortable and I felt pressured. I actually felt like they were threatening me in to taking a position that I didn't want. Threatening how? Well when I tried to explain that I did not want to take an interview with a school that was interested in me because I did not want to work for that school and had heard bad things I had this said to me, "Well, if you aren't going to be open minded, maybe this won't work and you should look for another recruiter". Really?! I just might. And I did.

With advice from a friend I chose a different recruiter. As always there are bumps here and there, but this one was WAY better than the first. They are based in Korea so the time change can be frustrating at times, but that's peanuts.

3. INTERVIEWS
This is one of the best/worst parts of the process. My first interview was with a Korean man who was very clearly reading off a sheet. He started off by asking how I was and how the weather was...and then he jumped right in to real interview questions. I understood him fairly well, however I do not think he understood much that came out of my mouth. My responses were met with a giggling man on the other end of the phone. Then he asked me why he should hire me, so I go on with the standard answer and he starts giggling in the middle of it and replies, in broken English, "I...think...I...SHOULD...hire......you!" and giggles again. Really, what's a girl to do but laugh along and agree. I hung up, slightly confused but with a big grin on my face, it was nerve-wracking but hilarious at the same time. The next day I had a contract offer. Done and done, I was on my way to Daegu for a start date of October 10th.

I go off to Ireland in mid August for a fantastic vacation, with no worries of Korea on my mind. I figured that I would have my Visa number in my email by the time that I got back. Not the case. I got back and discovered that I no longer had a job. WHAT? Who gets fired before they get there? Me apparently. The reason was low enrollment and them worrying that they wouldn't be able to pay me.

The next interview made the first one look like a cake walk. This time I understood the lady say two things: "Hello" and "What do you know about the new campus?". She asked me two other questions, which I had to ask her to repeat multiple times, and then confess that I didn't understand her. Then she basically yelled at me and said "THE MAN WHO INTERVIEWED YOU WILL CALL YOU" and hung up. What? What man? What just happened? I had no idea. The next day, I had a contract offer. I rejected this offer because it was in a location that I did not want to be in.

I was worried that the recruiter would be annoyed and not put much effort in to looking for a job for me. Lucky for me, someone backed out of their contract soon after and I was a perfect candidate (being my documents were all over there already). And like that, I had signed with a new school.

4. VISA
Now I'm waiting on my Visa number that the Korean school gets for me. Then I send that, along with my passport, form and video interview that I make to the Korean Consulate in Vancouver. Hopefully I get the VISA number soon, but it's all out of my hands....so I sit and wait.

This whole process has taken two months. TWO MONTHS!! During most of the time I had no idea what was going on (and for someone who is a slight control freak, that was tough). I'm exhausted and can't wait to have that passport back in my hand with the Visa in it.