Hi all,
Its been a few weeks since I sent my docs off to EPIK now, and I've gotta say...I'm feeling very scared, nervous and paranoid (hence the title! haha...no?... oh).
Why am I nervous? Applying for EPIK, who employs over 1000 tefl teachers a year, is a sure thing to get employed right?? Well... it looks like we're wrong.
Here are just a handful of comments from other applicants on facebook:
"I've just had an email from *** saying that my application has been rejected at the last stage by the Office of Education. He said he couldn't give a reason as EPIK don't tell him why. I feel sick/numb/angry. I genuinely can't believe that having been told it's a sure thing for 6 months, having spent hundreds of pounds on documents and a TEFL course, having got all my stuff in on time, having passed through the interview stage that they can leave it this late to reject you. I'm all set to leave work and so is *** (my girlfriend who has still not heard anything) and we've given notice on our flat so we are literally going to be left jobless and homeless."
"Like *****, i've also just found out my application has been rejected at the final stage. To say i'm gutted is an understatement. I don't know what to do. Cancel my leaving party first i think!"
"Hey Guys
I got the same email as ***** and **** - my application was rejected at the final stage too. I'm just devastated. I'm going to have a think about what my next move is going to be. Right now I just need to let the news sink in."
There are more on facebook, but you get the idea!
I'm upset over this not just because it means I might not get the job, but the fact that it hurts when the people you care about don't get them in the end. The people who posted those comments are such intelligent people. Not only they got their docs in early, but the fact that they genuinely thought they have'd have a chance, and they always help other people to ensure they would share the same dream...is just heartbraking.
For anyone who is thinking of working in South Korea, I think this shows that EPIK shouldn't just be the only way to go.
What am I going to do? Well I'm still waiting to hear from my recruiter so I am preparing for the worst. I used to check my email every minute, now I'm sort of avoiding it because I'm just so scared. I'm thinking of working in Hong Kong or China instead, and then maybe have another shot at South Korea. I know there are private and other public schools I can go to, but its EPIK I really wanted to go for.
Anyways, I hope people don't see this post a negative thing but just as a message that not everything goes your way! Have a plan B :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axfD-IqmTZg
Wendy.
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Lol, I'd get used to it! In Korea my friends are jealous because my boss makes a point of giving me 24 hours notice of any schedule changes. I have had a lot of friends who have turned up to be told that they are teaching something totally different to what they thought they were today, oh, and that means the teaching plans they have aren't needed (in fairness, they are rarely expected to come up with new ones, and my boss let my co-worker who had booked his holiday to HK for the dates he had told us still take his holiday when he changed the dates 2 weeks before we were supposed to have a holiday). It can be infuriating, you just kinda have to roll with it a lot of the time (not to say they should do this all the time!).
@noblebeck really sorry to hear you and your fiance got rejected from EPIK! but glad you found some hope in a hagwon :) there are still people waiting to hear from EPIK atm even though the orientations are in under 2 weeks time! I really feel for them and I think its a hard lesson learnt that EPIK is very unpredictable!
That really does suck! I know how annoyed I would have been if it had happened to me. I work for a Hagwon, and they are good. There are also plenty around. Good luck! I'm sure it will be fine!
My fiance and I were just rejected by EPIK as well! His lease is up, and we had just moved everything in storage that day, half of my bags were packed for South Korea! To stop all that forward momentum this weekend has been just staggering. Now he's moved into my tiny flat with me and we didn't even have a bed to sleep on for a while. Our recruiter, after four days of silence, has said that we may still be placed with a hogwon (private school), so all may not be lost. Augh! Talk about going on a limb!
Thanks Mahalath, there's been a lot of talk about it on Facebook as well. GEPIK was actually my plan B! If I didn't get EPIK, I would have worked on my plan C in case I don't get GEPIK as well haha :P
I found out today some more people got rejected from EPIK even though they sent their docs before me which I think is a shame. They're trying to get into GEPIK so fingers crossed they pass!
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/07/117_91436.html - this seems to be encouraging :)
I found the article by doing a google search. A bit worrying but fingers crossed it will be okay!
Oh my goodness I can't believe they're cutting down now. The people that got rejected applied for Seoul so it looks like gyeonggi-do might not be only one cutting it. I think you could be right mahalath, maybe they're trying to encourage more employment for local people. My heart goes out to those teachers being let go!
In other news, I'm going to write a new blog about how it went....I think I'm doing alright! :-)
Just as a heads up, there has been a lot of changes in the public education system as of recently. This might be why your friends had problems at the last minute. I recently found out that they recently (about 2 months ago) let 300 teachers go in Gyeonggido. In the paper today they announced that they were not renewing the contract of another 800 that are still teaching, and the government has actually already stopped the money to the council. This means that there will be far, far less (I couldn't make out from the article whether it was none or less than half the previous year employed) foreign teachers in Gyeonggido public schools next year, and they are going to have trouble seeing out the contracts of those already there. I think this is different to the teachers in Seoul, who are also suffering a cut. I don't know why the government is doing this, I guess to try and lower local unemployment, as they are employing more Korean English Teachers in their place. All I would say is that if you are hoping for a job in Gyeonggido (like I said, near Seoul, but not in Seoul), you might want to have a backup plan!!
Are you applying for August intake? How are you getting on with it?
hey ashley, you're right, never put all eggs in one basket that what I've def learnt! lol
I think if you apply and get your docs in early as soon as possible, you'll probably get it :-)
I am applying to EPIK aswell but i think i will apply to Interac aswell to keep my options open. Never put all your eggs in one basket and all that :P
Thanks Mahalath, I have a look at it! Will keep you posted on how it goes as well :-)
Ohh, and do let me know how it goes :P I realised the last message was a little negative! I'm sure you'll get in fine :)
Hey! I really would encourage you to think about hagwon teaching, there are definite benifits to it over public school teaching (and there are benifits of the public school system as well). It really isn't half as terrible as everyone on EPIK seems to want you to believe it is!
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