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Has anyone else applied for X number of jobs and got 0 replies?

Posted by i2i · January 15, 2005 · 2 replies

Tis the season for job hunting. All the good university jobs are just around the corner in March and I decided to get a head start on the application process. I sent out no less that a half dozen applications to universities all over Korea at the end of November. And now it's mid-January and I received my first phone call the other day. What's with these schools that advertise for jobs, but when you apply (and yes i was qualified) they never contact you to let you know that they received your resume or cover letter. I applied for a teaching job back in the states a few years ago and they sent me a letter saying that I had not gotten the job. Shouldn't I at least expect a letter of rejection???

The school that just called me the other day has had my resume for over a month and I totally wrote them off. In fact, I changed a lot of my plans and decided to pack it in and head home. Now, everything is back up in the air and I have to wait 2 more weeks for an interview and no telling how long before I know if I have the job or not. This is all for a job that starts in March!!

Anyway, just thought I'd vent some frustration I was having in the job hunting season and was wondering how others are getting along?

i2i

2 Replies

jswig

This seems to be the rule instead of the exception here. I have tried to learn not to take it personally. Whereas we consider it common professional courtesy to let the applicant know one way or the other, apparently Koreans do not. I guess the motto here is no news is bad news. When applying for a job that I really want I harass them. I take the initiative and follow through. I call to make sure they got my materials, ask when the interviews will be and when the decision wil be made.

i2i OP

jswig wrote:This seems to be the rule instead of the exception here. I have tried to learn not to take it personally. Whereas we consider it common professional courtesy to let the applicant know one way or the other, apparently Koreans do not. I guess the motto here is no news is bad news. When applying for a job that I really want I harass them. I take the initiative and follow through. I call to make sure they got my materials, ask when the interviews will be and when the decision wil be made.

Thanks for the advice. It's great.

Actually I should have taken the harassment approach. That seems like the best way. My problem is I don't want to be the "pushy, demanding foreigner". But now that I think about it, I can imagine most Koreans being pushy when it comes to getting something they really want.

Great advice for the next job, though. On a side note, I might have posted a bit prematurely. I got the job I had initially set out to get but it was hard road getting there.

later
i2i