Why You Shouldn’t be Nervous About the EPIK Interview
I remember the days leading up to my EPIK interview; I was anxious and nervous. I had prepared as much as I could, and with Reach to Teach as my recruiter, I knew I was in good hands. I practiced with friends and family, just to make sure I could get those kinks in my answers out of the way. By Neysha Bauyer
“I’ve done interviews before… I can do this!” I kept telling myself. And it’s true; I had done a lot of interviews before I decided to go on this journey. What made this so different? Well, for starters, it would be my first time teaching. Plus, I wanted this so badly that I was actually afraid of screwing it up!
I also remember the days after my EPIK interview. I was freaking out. My interviewer was actually really intense. She asked me all the questions I was expecting to be asked, and then some. I remember calling my friend who was also doing this process with me and crying, “I’m not getting in. I know it. I didn’t get it.” She didn’t know what to say because, you know what? Her interview was a piece of cake! How does that happen?
The thing I’ve realized since then is that it doesn’t matter who interviews you, or how much you prepare (although, you can never be too prepared!). What matters in the end is how much passion you have for teaching, and how much you really want to be in South Korea. Everyone’s experience is different, and if for whatever reason you aren’t able to teach through EPIK, there are dozens of other great schools and programs doing great things in Korea. Here’s what 6 other English Teachers in Korea have to say about their EPIK interviews:
“I expected a very stressful and almost drill-like experience, but it really was not as scary as I thought! You have to realize that these recruiters are interviewing a loooot of people in a short amount of time. The best thing to do is keep it professional, yet light and try to make an impression with your personality.
-Hanna, 24, Nebraska, USA
“The EPIK interview was less stressful than I thought it would be. I was nervous, but then it turned out my interviewer was very young. He was probably in his thirties, but he looked younger than me. He sent a smiley face when he asked if I was ready to start the video chat. He was very pleasant too; just upbeat and friendly.”
– David, 25, Missouri, USA
“The interview was everything to be expected. I remember it being a bit grueling, but it pays to be prepared. It really is an ‘elevator pitch’ type of situation where you want to tell them the best parts about yourself in a short amount of time.”
– Jose, 31, Sydney, Australia
“My EPIK interview wasn’t quite as nerve racking as I thought it would be! I made sure to watch some YouTube videos about other people’s interview experiences. They asked the questions I expected them to ask, and I really think that as long as you prepare and make sure you don’t come across as unprofessional, you’ll have a decent interview too.”
– Emma, 23, Florida, USA
“My interview went smoothly. The interviewer was friendly and informative. It was short, so I didn’t base much of how my experience would be from it.”
– Hillary, 25, Vancouver, Canada
“My EPIK interview was much easier than I anticipated. I was quite worried beforehand and had myself worked up into a big ball of nerves. I was interviewed by a really nice EPIK staff member who spoke English fluently. He was very kind and interested in me as a person. The interview was short, sweet and to the point. I know it really helped that I did my homework and prepped answers I thought they might ask.”
– Lindsay, 34, Ohio, USA
Have you been through the EPIK interview process? What were your experiences of it? Let us know in the comments section below, we would love to hear from you.
