Monday, November 15, 2010

Reader Question...uni job without a masters

This one from Anne:

"I'm an ESL teacher in Korea, and have just started my second contract here. I have about four years' teaching experience, and hold a degree in English and a TESL 2.  My partner and I were hoping to crack the university job market after finishing our current contracts. We both have years of experience, but without Masters degrees, we're worried that competition would be stiff.  If you have any tips on how to approach the univeristy hiring process, I would love to hear them. I've read advice that you've given on your blog, but was wondering if you had any tips for our specific backgrounds."

I've talked about this before and have said that without a masters degree, it can be tough going to get a uni job in Korea.  Even people with masters in ESL are having hard times these days it seems.  However, you do have 3 things going for you:

1. You are in Korea, and will have 2 years experience (and hopefully references to go along with it). 
2. You have a TESL cert. 
3. Your degree is in English. 

There's always hope for people in your situation, especially at the lower-level unis.  I always see ads on ESL Cafe where the minimum requirement is a BA, but not to say that's who gets hired I guess.  Just apply to every single one of these ones.  And you could even apply to the ones where the minimum is a masters degree.  If you are organized, it doesn't take so much more time to apply for 100 unis as it does for 10.  A somewhat likely scenario is being able to scoop up one of the last minute jobs.  Like a uni had someone all lined up, but they backed out and now they're desperate and are just moving down their list of candidates.  But, for a couple?  Most unlikely I would think.

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