Hong Kong, China

January 18 - 20, 2019

HONG KONG
CHINESE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, HONG KONG

Fair Organizer: Dr. Barry Drake

The Hong Kong-January Fair is organized by Barry and Veronica Drake, both 30+ year international school 'veterans!' Hong Kong offers, both candidates and recruiters, a distinctly unique recruiting opportunity.

THE HONG KONG FAIR IS NOW ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS FROM BOTH SCHOOLS AND CANDIDATES.  

WHY CHOOSE TO ATTEND THE HONG KONG FAIR?

Whether you are a recruiter or a candidate you have an abundance of recruitment fair choices available to you. So what's different about the Hong Kong Fair?

The large Fairs have many advantages, but not everyone is comfortable with the prevailing competitiveness at such Fairs. The Hong Kong Fair aims to develop a more intimate sense of 'family' and connectivity than the larger Fairs. To this end, the Fair is held in a school in Hong Kong, rather than a large hotel; the number of schools attending the Fair will remain capped at 50-60 of the best institutions invited from the broader Asia region; ALL candidates who attend the Fair are fully focused on securing a job in Asia; and a significant number of Chinese teachers attend the Fair.

Moreover, the Hong Kong Fair is held over a weekend which means that for both recruiters and candidates very little, if any, time needs to be taken away from school (see the recruiter and candidate specific schedules on the HK Fairs page of the Search Associates Fairs web site).

ARE THE SCHOOLS AT THE FAIR ONLY FROM CHINA / HONG KONG?

DEFINITELY NOT!!!

The Hong Kong Fair was originally established primarily to help fill teaching vacancies in the China-Hong Kong-Taiwan region. However, in recent times increasing numbers of the schools registering for the Fair have been located in the broader Asian region.

ARE THE CANDIDATES MOSTLY FROM HONG KONG?

DEFINITELY NOT!!!

Around 20% of the registered teachers each year are of Chinese ethnicity making this THE fair to locate Mandarin teachers.

ARE THE CANDIDATES AT THE FAIR MOSTLY 'NEWBIES' TO THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL WORLD?

NOT AT ALL!!!

The vast majority of candidates attending the HK fair have previous IB or other international curriculum experience with over 50% normally having worked for more than 10 years in international schools.

DO MOST OF THE CANDIDATES AT THE HK FAIR WANT JOBS IN HONG KONG RATHER THAN ELSEWHERE IN ASIA?

NOT AT ALL!!

The evidence of our annual Fair placements does not support the commonly expressed view that the candidates at the Hong Kong Fair are not really interested in jobs outside of the city.

The factual evidence is that mainland China is usually the more popular destination for candidates at the Hong Kong fair with a growing interest in openings elsewhere in Asia.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

contact Barry Drake for more information. Email:bdrake@searchassociates.com

 Search Associates –HONG KONG job fair

18th to 20th January 2019

Candidate Information:

Attendance at this fair is by invitation only.  “Checking” interest in the Hong Kong-January Fair on the Search Associate online application does NOT constitute an invitation.  Please see information below for invitation details.

Venue Chinese International School, 1 Hau Yuen Path, Braemar Hill, Hong Kong

Organizers:Barry and Veronica Drake:   bdrake@searchassociates.com

Invitations for a Candidate place at the Hong Kong January 2019  job fair

Is the HK fair the right one for you? We recommend you look at the general information page of the HK Fair site located on the Search Associates Fairs web site and the video used as an answer to the question: “Search Associates (HK. How can we help you find a job in an international school?” See: http://www.searchassociates.com/Job-Fairs/Fair.aspx?id=111

Before an invitation to the Hong Kong - January Fair 2019 is issued, candidates need to have registered with Search Associates, well in advance of the Fair. To be registered with Search Associates and be offered a place at one of our recruiting Fairs you will need to have a) a relevant degree to the subject / age range you wish to teach; b) a relevant professional teaching qualification AND  c) relevant teaching experience at the subject or grade level with which you now wish to engage. To register with one of the Search Associates please refer to http://www.searchassociates.com/Candidates/Get-Started.aspx

Candidates registered already with a member of the Search Associates team ( Bob Barlas, David Cope, Harry Deelman, Barry Drake, Sally Gordon, Gez Hayden, Ralph Jahr, Dexter Lewis, Nick Kendall, Jessica Magagna, John Magagna,, Bridget McNamer, Gary McPhie, John Ritter, Julie Ryan, Ray Sparks, Bill Turner) need to ask their associate sponsor to send them an invitation to attend the Hong Kong – January 2019 Fair.

All registered candidates also need to have a minimum of four (4) confidential references, completed online and available for recruiters to read at the Fair. These four references must include three (3) from past and current supervisors and one (1) past or present parent of any children you have taught.  These confidential references need to be received before 1 January 2019 to ensure an invitation can be provided in time for the Fair.  Please be considerate and approach your referees in good time.

NOTE:  Your place at the Fair is only definite when you have received confirmation through our data base on your dashboard

Please see the draft candidate schedule posted on the Hong Kong fair page of the Search Associates fairs site.

Important Notes:                 

Please NOTE: Candidates MUST be able to attend the Saturday morning (19th January) briefing and interview sign up sessions and be available for interviews through the afternoon of the 19th and most of Sunday 20th January 2019 (Please note:  attendance is by invitation only).

An OPTIONAL early bird registration will be available from 4 pm to 6 pm. on Friday 18th at L'hotel in Causeway Bay. For candidates not able to register on Friday evening there is also registration a registration session for candidates beginning on January 19th at 8.00 am at the Chinese International School.  The latest possible time to arrive on Saturday morning is 8.30 am. (to collect your candidate pack and name badge). All candidates MUST attend the candidate orientation at 9:00 am. on Saturday.

Candidates will be able to view the school vacancy sheets from 9.40am on Saturday morning in the CIS Gymnasiums. These sheets will provide be the definitive lists of vacancies.

The interview sign-up session starts on 19th January at 10.30 a.m. (and goes on until 12.00 a.m.) – DO NOT BE LATE.  The interviews that you arrange will determine your schedule for the rest of the 19th and the 20th January. 

Accommodation:

Hong Kong has many cheap hotels (review via the Internet) but for convenience of access to the Chinese International School where the Fair will take place we would recommend:

L’Hotel: 18 King’s Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 3553 2898. Fax: (852) 2553 2888 Email: info@lhotelcausewaybayhv.com   NB a special rate has been negotiated with L'hotel and a booking form can be found on the top left of the Hong Kong Fair web site.

Newton Hotel, North Point: Address : 218 Electric Road, North Point, Hong Kong Telephone : (852) 2807-2333 Fax : (852) 2807-1221. E-mail : newtonhk@newtonhk.com

Butterfly on Victoria, 33 Kings Rd, Causeway Bay, HK. info.bov@butterflyhk.com

City Garden Hotel. Address: 9 City Garden Road, North Point, Hong Kong. Telephone: (852) 2887 2888. Fax: (852) 2887 1111. Email: info@citygarden.com.hk

Harbour Plaza Hotel: Adress:665 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2187 8888  Fax: (852) 2187 8899  Email: hpnp@harbour-plaza.com /  www.harbour-plaza.com/hpnp

Regal Hotel Causeway Bay: 88 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Tel : (852) 2890 6633. Fax : (852) 2881 0777. Email : rhk.info@RegalHotel.com
Rosedale Hotel on the Park: 8 Shelter Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2127 8888 Fax: (852) 2127 3333. Email: hotel@rosedale.com.hk

Newton Inn North Point. 88 Chun Yeung Street, North Point, Hong Kong Tel : (852) 2130-3388 Fax : (852) 2130-3399.  E-mail : newtoninn@newtoninn.com

Travel: Make own arrangements early; flights in and out of  Hong Kong in January can be very busy.

Visas:             Most participants traveling from overseas will require no visa but, if in doubt, please check with your travel agent.

GENERAL CANDIDATE INFORMATION

Requesting a place well before December 31st 2018 is preferred, to enable better attention to your needs.

FEES:

There are two fees involved for candidates. The first one is the US$ 225 registration fee which is paid to the Associate with whom you register when you join Search Associates (with the exception of candidates who register with David Cope). The second fee is the ‘Fair Fee’ of US$75 which is used to defray the costs of running the Fair, including food, facility usage, salaries etc.  If you only ever attend ONE Fair during your registration period, then that Fair Fee is included in the initial US$ 225 registration fee. If you attend more than ONE Fair in your registration period then you will be required to pay 75US$ for each additional Fair you attend. All fees due must be paid to your specific sponsoring Associate before the Fair.  (NB. David Cope’s candidates need to contact him directly to find out about the Fair Fees).

Late withdrawal and ‘no show’ fees.

If your place has been confirmed, schools are informed that you are coming to the Fair, so please do not withdraw.

If you do have to decide to cancel your place at the Fair after the January 14th DEADLINE you will be charged the full US$75 Fair Fee.

Collect your candidate pack either on Friday evening (18th) at L'hotel or early on Saturday (19th) at CIS, so that you will have time to study the contents before the Candidate Meeting, the Interview Sign-up Session, the School Presentations, and your Interviews.  Candidates who are well prepared stand a far better chance of placement. NB. We will be sending out advice sheets on ‘Navigating the Fair’ itself closer to the Fair and the use of the Fair portal.

The Candidate Meeting will start at 9.00 am on Saturday 19th  January.  This is when we will explain how the Fair is organized. You can also view the short video located on the FAQ section of the HK Fair page of the Search associates Fairs web site: http://www.searchassociates.com/Job-Fairs/Fair.aspx?id=111    

Make sure that you have had time to study all the information available on the HK fair portal before the fair starts as well as in your candidate information packet before this meeting, especially the final details of which schools will be attending the Fair, so that you will know which recruiters you need to approach to request interviews with at the Interview Sign-up Session (Saturday 19th January 2019, 10.30 am) and which school presentations you would like to attend (13th). No guarantee can be given that any given Head will interview you, let alone that any job offer(s) might come your way, but part of our function is to help all candidates and all Heads to gain as much as possible from the Fair.  Dress for the Interview sign-up session and interviews in business / interview attire.

Your word is your bond, both in promising accuracy and honesty in all papers you submit and in all statements you make, and in your response to any job offer(s) made to you.  The same applies to interviewers, who have also been asked not to put any candidates under pressure for an immediate answer if a job is offered at (or soon after) the Hong Kong Fair.  In particular, any candidate attending two fairs in rapid succession should honour his/her commitment to both fairs by meeting, at least, any/all schools with which the candidate has had pre-fair communications.

Employment Offers at Search Associates Recruitment Fairs

It is in-keeping with the Code of Ethics that recruiters should give candidates adequate time to consider employment offers. This time should be sufficient for candidates both to reflect on the offer itself, and to complete interviews with other schools, during the recruitment fair.

If a candidate so wishes, he or she may accept at any point following an offer being made. Search Associates expects that recruiters observe the following guidelines, as a matter of professional ethics.

A number of advice sheets will be provided nearer the fair to help you make your decisions regarding any offers your get and to clarify what our expectations are for candidates in accepting offers.

REMEMBER: If you, as a candidate, receive a FIRM OFFER of a position and you ACCEPT that offer in writing or verbally, it is considered a binding contract. Each year we do get some confusion arising at our Fairs when some candidates misinterpret what a recruiter has said and believe they have been made an offer, when in fact they have not. Please check your understanding with the Recruiter: is this a FIRM OFFER? Or are they saying they need a bit more time to consult with their colleagues before making a final decision but they are interested in your candidacy. 

At that time the school offering you a job incurs a placement fee due to Search Associates.  If you later renege on your agreement you would owe the school that fee. In the international school world, your word is your bond. Schools pass up other great educators once you have accepted a job with them and it puts the school in a very difficult position to find a replacement for you…especially if your decision comes later in the year. More advice on the expectations surrounding offers and acceptances will be provided nearer the fair.

NOTE: Departure best planned:  NOT before Sunday 20th January 2019, late afternoon/ evening

We look forward to meeting you all during the Hong Kong Fair next January.

Barry and Veronica Drake

Renaissance – Proud Sponsors of the Hong Kong Search Fair.

Who are Search Associates?

We are the biggest international teacher recruiting company world wide. Please see this page for more details.

Search Associates (Hong Kong): how we can help you find a job in an international school.

How does the Hong Kong job fair work?

For general explanations of how our Fairs work please see this FAQs page

For specific details of how the Hong Kong Fair works please take a few minutes to view the video below.

Are there any membership fees?

Please see the Search Associates candidates frequently asked questions located here

Why choose to attend the Hong Kong fair?

Which Fair to attend is very broad question and the answer is, unsurprisingly, that it really depends on the candidate's needs. Many candidates will be interested in the January London, Bangkok or Cambridge Fairs. These are amongst the largest we operate. This means there are more schools, and more positions in total, available at these Fairs. However, it also means more intense competition from a much larger pool of candidates. Some people find the atmosphere of large Fairs daunting and somewhat intimidating. Others thrive on the competition! The bigger Fairs tend to attract schools from all over the world whereas other Fairs like Dubai, Melbourne, Toronto and Hong Kong are more regionally specialized. Some schools will attend a number of Fairs, others will recruit at only one Fair. Which schools attend which Fairs tends also to change, to some extent, on a yearly basis.

If a candidate has a strong preference for working in a particular geographical region of the world, then they should consider registering for registering for a regionally specific Fair. So, if you are interested in working in China/Hong Kong/Taiwan or East and S.E. Asia, then you should certainly consider attending the Hong Kong Fair.

What can I expect from the Hong Kong Fair?

The Hong Kong Fair aims to develop an intimate sense of 'family' and connectivity. To this end the number of schools attending the Fair is capped at 50-60 of the very best institutions invited from the region.
The Hong Kong Fair is designed primarily to help fill teaching vacancies in the China-Hong Kong-Taiwan region. To this end the majority of schools attending the Hong Kong Fair are usually located in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan. However, up to 25% of the schools attending the Fair are generally drawn from the broader Asian region. As a result the Fair attracts top teachers from around the world who are specifically looking for positions in highly regarded international schools in the China- broader Asia region.

The recent demographics of the HK Fair were as follows

Schools:

Candidates:

The vast majority of candidates attending the HK Fair have IB or other international curriculum experience with over 50% having more than 10 years international school experience.
68% of the candidates attending the Fair came from outside Hong Kong.
Hires: Between 30 and 40% of all candidates attending the Hong Kong Fair are regularly hired as a result of the interviews they have at the Fair. Typically around 50-60% of all hires made as a result of the Hong Kong fair are in schools on the mainland and Taiwan, 25% in HK schools and 15-20% in other Asian schools.

What sorts of organizational structures can I expect from international schools in the China-HK-Taiwan region?

It is important for candidates to note that there is no single organizational model for international schools, even amongst those registered with SA.

In the past international schools could be characterized as, small-family-orientated, non-profit making institutions, catering to a largely transient expatriate population, with children from many parts of the world who were taught largely by expatriate international teachers. The curriculum was usually based on a national model: Australian, British, Canadian, US etc. Though some of these schools still exist they are very much in a minority today. The more common model today is a much larger school, increasingly part of a 'group' of schools / educational consortium. The majority of the newer breed of international schools are entrepreneurial and profit making, the children drawn from the middle classes of the country in which the school is based with a greater proportion of national teachers. There are still schools teaching to a home national curriculum such as IGCSE / A levels or AP but increasingly the market is dominated by the IB programmes. The bottom line is that there is no single model or, indeed, any agreed right or wrong way to structure an international school. Candidates need to be very clear about the sort of school they are thinking of moving to. Questions need to be asked about their own genuine sense of flexibility: can I adjust to different ways of allocating classes / preps to that which I am used to? Will I be happy with a more top down approach to management rather than the participatory decision making I am used to? Am I excited about working in a very different organizational culture that may be reflective of the country I am about to move to etc. The candidate's Associate is there to advise on such issues.

For more information regarding the changing international school scene in China/Hong Kong see this linked article

What sort of schools recruit at the Hong Kong fair?

It is important to note that the growth of the international school market is exponential and each year we are seeing a considerable number of new schools coming 'on line' and looking to recruit teaching staff. There is, naturally, a very wide quality spectrum of schools available for candidates to consider and making decisions to accept a contract at a relatively unknown school is fraught with challenges. Search Associates (HK) can help candidates chart their way through this vital exercise in a number of ways.

On this subject it is important to note that Search Associates (HK) does not accept all schools which request registration with the company.  Roughly 10% of all schools listing themselves as providing international education, world wide, are currently registered with Search Associates. This is the product of clear policy by our company to work with a certain types of schools. Each applicant school has to undertake a rigorous process of screening before it is accepted. Only schools from the better end of the quality spectrum are accepted. School performance is then regularly monitored and interventions made when concerns are raised about unacceptable practice. Schools attending the HK fair have to be first of all registered with Search Associates and as a registered candidate at the HK Fair you can expect specific advice regarding schools which are of interest to you.

Is there a clear profile of candidates who are successful in getting placements at the HK Fair?

Once again this is a very difficult question as there are always exceptions to the rule especially in shortage subject areas / fields such as IBDP physics, maths, counselors etc. However, our experience over the last few years would suggest certain types of candidates have a greater chance of success. Please see this FAQs page for more details.

What will I get from registering with Barry Drake?

See also my biography page
40 years of international education experience incorporating time in Central Africa, the Middle East, South East and East Asia. Barry has an outstanding network of contacts in the schools in Asia and he will be able to offer his candidates a very personalized service which will seek to help candidates get placements at schools which are a good fit for them.
Part of the service provided by Search Associates is to advise candidates on the relative merits, qualities and challenges offered by particular schools.
For personal references, see this link

Specific advice can be provided to registered candidates on

• personal bios
• communication with Heads
• interview tactics
• approaches to package comparisons

and more!

L'hotel reservations:

Reservation Form 2019.pdf

Search Associates Hong Kong 2019 Job Fair 

18-20th January 2019

SCHOOL RECRUITER Information

Organizers: Barry and Veronica Drake
Venue: Chinese International School

 1 Hau Yuen Path, Braemar Hill, Hong Kong:  Contact Barry Drake: bdrake@searchassociates.com

Fair Hotel: L’Hotel: 18 King’s Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 3553 2898. Fax: (852) 2553 2888. Email: info@lhotelcausewaybayhv.com

Hotel Booking (please book only after you have received a confirmed invitation emailed to invited schools by Barry Drake). Bookings should be made using the reservation form on the top left of the HK fair page of the Search Associates/ Fairs web site.

Please note that the hotel could be fully booked by late December, so we strongly recommend that reservations be made EARLY, and no later than the 24^thDecember 2018. Although bookings can be made after this date Search Associates and L’Hotel cannot guarantee the preferred rate if late bookings are made.

Your booking must be guaranteed by credit card. Book earlier than the final deadline noted above. Please note: Any no show or cancellation that occurs within 14 days prior to the arrival date is subject to the one night's room charge and will be billed and charged to the individual guest’s account or credit card guarantee.

Recruiter Schedule: the recruiter schedule for the 2019 Hong Kong Fair will shortly be published on this page of the Search Associates fairs web site. 

If your school is interested in recruiting at this Search-Hong Kong (January 2019) Recruitment Fair and your school has not received an invitation yet, please contact : Barry Drake at bdrake@searchassociates.com

Interview Rooms: All recruiters must interview at the facilities provided by the Chinese International School.

Travel:

Make own arrangements early; flights in and out of Hong Kong in January can be very busy.

Visas: Most participants traveling from overseas will require no visa but, if in doubt, please check with your travel agent

Further information:

 1.Attendance at this fair is by invitation only. Once an invitation is extended, payment of the US $600.00 (+ $400.00 per additional interviewer) will secure the place.

2. Having booked, candidates will know your school is coming, so please do not withdraw.

3. Please update your school vacancies regularly for accuracy. Candidates are visiting the Schools Info/Openings section on a daily basis. This is vital once the fair portal is made active.

 4. All heads/interviewers must interview at the facilities provided by the Chinese International School.

5. The usual code of school and interview ethics applies. Please be entirely honest about the school, the post, if known, and all conditions. Uncertainty regarding whether or when a vacancy may emerge and delay in communicating with the candidates after the Fair are fully understandable and acceptable if stated and explained to candidates at interview. Please record the same information about uncertainties and expected timing of later decisions with Search Associates at the fair.

6. Candidates will be told firmly that their word is their bond, and the same applies to interviewers. Verbal offers are binding.

7. As a general guideline, whenever practical, no jobs should be offered until the recruiter has interviewed all candidates who have been firmly promised interviews for that job.

8. Employment Offers at Search Associates Recruitment Fairs should be consistent with best professional practice as outlined in our Code of Ethics which will be re-sent to all recruiters before the fair

9. By registration agreement with Search Associates, a school agrees to pay the placement candidate fee for any Search Associate intern, teacher, or administrator hired by the school. Should a candidate’s partner be hired at the fair or within one year of the fair, the school agrees to pay this candidate fee as well.

10. Please keep in touch with Search Associates to strengthen and speed up your appointments for future vacancies.

DEADLINE DATES FOR CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION.

Before 31^st December 2018. No charge.

From 1^st January 2019 onwards: the full registration fee is charged.

We look forward to welcoming you at the Search Hong Kong-January 2019 Fair.

Barry and Veronica Drake

RECRUITMENT FAIR COMMENTS

The Hong Kong Fair is sponsored by RENAISSANCE Medical and Workplace Benefits:

http://www.renworkben.com/#page

A RANGE OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

Employee benefits packages to suit all school budgets anywhere in the world. We offer a best in-class range of products and services to make it easier for you to build an appealing benefits package to recruit and retain the best teachers.