What inspired you to work for Korvia?
It is always thrilling to meet new people and help them start new adventures overseas. Korvia team is meeting thousands of new teachers looking for a unique experience in South Korea.
Our guidance can minimize trouble and make an easier transition from the daunting process. It is not easy to decide to work abroad, and we can help them better because we are well experienced and caring for the people, both teachers and students.
Describe a typical day at work.
We review the applicant's resume and attachments and meet them online to discuss an opportunity to teach abroad. A lot of email and zoom meetings are related to our daily operation. We also provide online webinars to help teachers prepare EPIK initial application, final documents, and how to prepare an EPIK job interview.
Korvia Party
Why do you do what you do?
I have a hospitality background, and I believe what we are doing is not far from what I used to do with previous experiences. It is truly rewarding when we meet our teachers at Korvia welcoming party and share our experiences, and hear a compliment from them.
We believe our English teachers can influence our students well and allow them to have an international experience without traveling abroad.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I work with authorities of the Korean government and business. We often build a unique program that can enrich our English education in South Korea. I mostly enjoy developing new business and upgrading our recruiting process so we can provide more accurate information and the most convenient service to our applicants.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I have many international backgrounds, including New Zealand, Switzerland, the Philippines, South Korea, etc. My previous experience allows me to understand the difficulties of global transition and makes me think better about how we can help our teachers.
We have merged our recruiting service with hospitality services. Korvia can help you find a job and make a smooth transition from your home country to another.
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
Recently we have had a big challenge due to COVID-19. Most employers didn't want to hire a teacher from overseas. Teachers wanted to return to their home countries because they felt insecure about this pandemic issue.
However, we were able to help our teachers and clients to face the problems strategically with an excellent alternative solution. Eventually, we overcame the case as a team, and Korvia became an exclusive partner of the EPIK program.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
TEFL/TESOL program is now a mandatory requirement for public sector teaching jobs. You can start your TEFL course to see if you can fit into an ESL career. Also, you can begin to obtain your fingerprints for your background check.
You can have more options when you have the required documents for the visa application. We often see some teachers get a job offer but have to turn it down because they can meet the deadline for the visa application.
Korvia Party
What makes Korvia special?
Korvia has helped over a thousand teachers since 2006, and we are the exclusive recruiter for the EPIK program. We know what we are going for and are good at it. We care about the people, and our team always works its best to improve our service to another level. Korvia has partnered with good expediting services and offers a good discount for the services.
Why should someone choose Korvia over competitors?
When you apply with Korvia, our team can minimize your risks during the EPIK application process by screening your initial documents before submitting them to the EPIK program.
Korvia is the only recruiter who provides professional webinars and welcoming parties for the community. We have a strong community called "Korvian," and our team is not only the people who can help you while staying in South Korea.
What hopes do you have for the future for Korvia?
Korvia is planning to expand our services to different countries and other industries other than ESL teaching jobs. Korea, especially Seoul, is becoming an international city, and non-ESL opportunities have increased dramatically.
Many people want to work in Korea, but the ESL industry. In the near future, Korvia will be able to offer unique opportunities to our community.
Are there any developments with Korvia that you would like to share with us?
Korvia is planning a new volunteer (internship) program for writers, photographers, editors, bloggers, and other talents. We wish our community to share your experience and contribute your skills to helping new teachers and existing community members to have a better experience in South Korea. Our 1st contributors (32 teachers) successfully created and shared the experiences, and we want to make a unique event with our community with our contributors.
EPIK Pre-orientation
What makes Korvia easy to market to potential participants?
Korvia screens and interviews interested applicants from South Korea and helps recommend them to various teaching programs and educational institutions around Korea. Since its inception in 2006, Korvia has recruited thousands of teachers as well as become official partners with various public school teaching programs around Korea.
The company only recruits English teachers from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in accordance with South Korean visa regulation laws.
What is Korvia's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
The Best Service is our Responsibility, a Great Experience is our Guarantee. Korvia’s company values are that by recruiting passionate and educated teachers for “Korea” can improve the overall education and enrich the lives of the children that will eventually shape the country.
Korvia is the perfect choice for those who want to try and experience a new culture as well as prepare themselves to become the best educator they can be.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
Teaching in Korea, especially the EPIK program, is now famous for fresh graduates. You can have a great experience while you are working and traveling overseas. We want you to be flexible and willing to learn new things, including language and culture. Also, please don't forget this is an employment contract, and please be committed so you can complete a full-year contract or even longer.
How do you help support participants?
We help to improve your resume and profiles. Show some ESL job opportunities and provide you advice for job searching. Interview arrangement and helping to review a contract, assisting when you collect the final documents for the visa process, and helping to get a visa from the Korean consulate. We help you with the entire process of transition to Korea.
EPIK Pre-orientation
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
ESL teaching job requires an understanding of students for better communication. You can learn from your students and understand the culture to improve your career. Experiencing new cultures will open your eyes and allow you to have better insight into your future. Don't be afraid to try new adventures.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
You can access broader experience when you can speak the local language. You can meet new people, and eating new foods is why you want to have ESL teaching experience. Try to learn the local language and mingle with the local community. You will give yourself a forgettable memory for the rest of your life.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Traveling helps to grow your ideas and create lifetime memories. It is one of the lifetime opportunities that you never want to miss. Are you considering making a significant change and traveling abroad? Don't hesitate and take action so you can experience an unforgettable adventure. I want to recommend you travel to other Asian countries while you are working in Korea.
How is your company handling Covid protocols? What should participants know about your Covid readiness? How are you assisting participants with navigating the new travel landscape?
Public schools in Korea require COVID-19 vaccination. Now, self-quarantine upon arrival is not required; however, you may need to take a COVID-19 test whenever the school requests. Also, you need to be ready to conduct online classes if your school will temporarily close due to COVID-19 incident.
