Tips for Applying to EPIK and SMOE in South Korea
Below are our top tips that we have gathered from our current EPIK and SMOE teachers that are arriving in South Korea this weekend. What are your thoughts? Would you like to see something else address to our list? If yes, please contact us at info@reachtoteachrecruiting.com.
Get Things Done on Time
When your recruiter gives you a deadline to complete things by make sure you get it done. Recruiters give you deadlines to help you get a job. Don’t procrastinate and think you have loads of time to get things done. EPIK and SMOE are competitive programs and the number of applicants is always greater than the number of positions. There is a lot of paperwork involved with applying to EPIK and SMOE, so don’t get behind in the beginning or you might not get a position.
Be Organized
With all the paperwork that needs to be gathered and completed in order to apply, you need to be organized. The best advice I can give you is get a binder and keep all of your paperwork in it. That way you lessen the chance to misplacing something. Some of the documents can take up to two months to obtain, so you don’t have time to start over.
Start Earlier
EPIK and SMOE work on a first come, first served policy in regards to when you get your visa documents mailed to them. You can’t mail anything until you have your interview, but you should have everything ready by that time. If you can’t send in your documents until a month or two after your interview, your chances of securing a position are not good.
Read Everything Twice
Over the course of the application process you will get a lot of email and documents from your recruiter. Make sure you read everything twice! Everything that is sent is important, otherwise your recruiter wouldn’t spend time sending it to you. If you don’t understand something, ASK! That is why you go with a recruiter. They are there to help you out. On the same hand though, make sure you read things carefully. If you ask a question that is clearly answered in the documents your recruiter just sent you, your recruiter will tell you to read it again.
Be Patient and Don’t Panic
The process for applying to the EPIK and SMOE program typically takes about six months. There will be times when you are going to have to wait for a couple of weeks or a month in order to hear something back from EPIK or SMOE. Typically teachers wait 2 – 4 weeks for EPIK or SMOE to schedule their interview. After you mail your documents, it might take a month or more to hear about your final placement. Be sure you are going through an official EPIK or SMOE recruiter. That way you will have the best chance of securing a position.
