Preferred Recruiters

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We recommend Eureka

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Region

Asia

Location

Hong Kong

Recruiter Profile

Since 2001, Eureka has served over 400 schools and organizations, making it one of the most well-established language service providers in Hong Kong’s education sector. Eureka actively recruits English teachers locally and from overseas all year round, and currently has 200 teaching professionals deployed to various kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and learning centers.

With over 17 years of experience and an extensive clientele, the Eureka Team prides itself on its ability to connect the right teacher with the right school, and its efficiency in helping teachers find a workplace where they can develop their potential to the fullest. Having developed and published more than 60 sets of textbooks and English learning materials, Eureka itself is a repository of resources from which teachers can benefit.

The Eureka Team has the knowledge of and passion for education, as well as empathy with those who have taken the leap to work in a foreign city. It is this palpable dedication to their teachers that makes Eureka a well-trusted working partner.

Testimonials

Sophie (UK) Hong Kong Primary School Placement

I only have positive things to say about the company so far. From my initial meeting to go through my CV, discuss what I was looking for and what they recommended, Eureka have been great. I initially went into the meeting unsure of what kind of teaching I wanted to go into and unsure of what would be involved. Wendy was brilliant at going through my options and explaining the whole process from interview, to different types of placements, to expectations etc. They passed on my information to prospective schools and organised an interview within days. They asked me to come to the office beforehand to provide interview help, advice and answer any queries I had. Veronica came to the school with me as a Eureka representative, which I was incredibly grateful for as it was my first visit to a school and I'd only been in the country for a few days. During the placement I have had two observations by Eureka - both times looking at classes of different age groups to get a thorough overview. I have found both of these incredibly helpful as Veronica was able to give me specific goals and targets for the remainder of the year and provide information and advice as to the best way to achieve these. I also found it useful that she was able to see first hand some of the issues and difficulties that I was having with certain classes or students, and therefore was able to give me specific advice rather than generic information.

In addition, Eureka also offer teacher training courses throughout the year on a regular basis, covering topics such as classroom management, different approaches to teaching and teaching students with learning difficulties. These are a good opportunity to gain further understanding and meet other teachers in Hong Kong. There are also social activities during the year including Christmas parties and hikes.I find that Eureka are always available if I have any issues or concerns, and I think that they really value their teachers. There are many opportunities to improve and if any issues or situations arise, there is always support available. I have heard lots of horror stories about other companies, and interviewed with a few, but I felt that Eureka were by far the best company that I came across.

Joe (US)

I'm just finishing my third year with Eureka and have signed a contract for a fourth. Prior to my placement, they were my number one choice. I got a great impression from them, just by looking at their website and digging around online. I was close to committing to another job when they called. When I had the interview, I immediately felt they were more professional than other agencies I had met with. They wanted to get to know me, and try to find a school that had the best fit. After about a dozen interviews elsewhere, this was a novel and welcome experience. I'm not sure of the exact timeline, but they found me a suitable full-time school for the academic year quite quickly. The following year, they found another school placement for me. It's proved to be an even better fit, and I'll be starting my third year there. So, I would say Eureka has attended to my wishes quite dutifully. There's also the potential for additional work in the evenings, weekends and summers. They have the biggest network of school relationships of any agency in Hong Kong. There's also in-person training sessions for current Eureka teachers as well as candidates.

As far as criticism goes, I've heard some teachers say they wished there was better hands-on support and communication after they are placed at a school. But perhaps there's some mixed messaging amongst teachers, as on the other hand some would prefer that Eureka not be hands-on after they're placed. So I think that's something Eureka has gone back-and-forth on. They also have to manage both teachers and schools as clients. From a business perspective, it's quite obvious which relationship is more valuable to preserve. Even in light of this, I've always felt valued by Eureka. Some school environments are inevitably dysfunctional. However, if arrangements don't work out for whatever reasons, teachers only need a month's notice to leave a school without a penalty and seek another placement.

Unilateral contracts with schools might lock you in for 2 years with mandatory penalties if you leave. And if it's an unhealthy work environment, I imagine that can be quite a scary and hopeless thing.

So, overall, I think being a contracted teacher with Eureka affords a lot of options, security and flexibility. Just remember that Eureka agents cannot possibly have a regular physical presence at all of their client schools, so it's up to the teachers to advocate for themselves and report any issues without hesitation.

Contact Details and Priority Processsing

Teaching House graduates have access to priority processing of applications and placements. Contact us for further details.

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