korean style cover letter/ autobiography

I was born March 11, 1976 to Elmor Francisco, a retired colonel in the Philippine Army and Luzviminda Francisco, a retired accountant. My father had been stationed at different islands in the Philippines. Being an army officer gave us very little time to spend with our father. My mother was basically a single mother who had a successful career in accounting with three daughters to take care of. I’m the oldest and I was nurtured to be the second mother to my two younger sisters.

I was educated for 14 years in Colegio de Santa Rosa, Makati City. My mother is a very religious Catholic. She had faith that by sending her three daughters to an exclusive Catholic school for girls, we would have the moral fiber similar to that of girls who were raised in a nunnery. The high quality of education I had early on in life was among the building blocks of my values, confidence and personality.

 

As a young girl, I have dreamt of traveling. I believe that experience is the best education in life. I want to visit many countries and experience other cultures. I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. I had my internship at Japan Airlines. I worked briefly at Continental Airlines as a sales assistant. I gave up my career in the airline industry when my Korean boyfriend of four years, asked me to marry him. 

My husband works in the trading industry. He travels abroad frequently. Having no kids allowed me to do volunteer work for UNESCO’s Cultural Exchange Program. It was a very good opportunity for me to visit different elementary, middle and high schools all over Korea conducting classes about the Philippines. It was rewarding to eradicate Korean’s misconceptions about the Philippines. Korean broadcasting companies make a lot of documentaries about Philippine street children, the Smokey Mountain, the Ifugao, Igorot and Badjao minorities. They think all Filipinos live in mountains where men wear loincloths and women are topless. It was great to answer children’s questions about Philippine history and ghost stories.

Since I got married in 1999, the only jobs I got are English related. I decided to work freelance to maximize my earnings. Working part-time was more lucrative as I got paid per hour. Teaching English in Korea for eleven years taught me self-learned techniques and strategies in teaching. English is my second language. I studied Spanish and Japanese as mandatory courses in BS Tourism.  My knowledge in languages gave me an extra edge in teaching because I know how it was like to learn another language. I have conducted classes for kindergarten, middle, high school, university students and adults.  I have edited and proofread newsletters, reports, e-mails, web sites, introduction letters, theses and other documents. I motivated my students to achieve effective English skills through fun conversations, chants, songs, poems and interactive games. I made use of different resources such as books, educational websites for references and information to update teaching strategies. I spent good money on making my own teaching materials. Wherever I travel, I search bookstores for fun game cards and other materials that help enhance my skills and make my students’ learning experience more effective and fun.

As much as I enjoyed teaching kids, it’s more rewarding to teach university students and office employees. I got paid $70 per hour to speak English to a university professor twice a week. Despite having PhDs abroad, Koreans find it hard to maintain their English fluency unless they can speak a couple of hours a week with a foreigner. I taught morning classes to overseas departments of big companies in Seoul. I got paid $10 per page when I edit and proofread theses and translations. These jobs gave me financial freedom to feed on my desire to travel. If I worked full-time in an English school, I can only get 3-5 days vacation leave. Working part-time enabled me to take long trips to the US, Australia, UK, Japan and the Philippines.

My passion for books helped me realize my goal to be a published author. I have been writing since elementary school. I contributed articles to our monthly newsletter. I continued writing in high school. I was a features writer for UST’s Education Journal. I have published articles in Korea Herald and Dialogue (UNESCO newsletter).  My essay Seoul and the Dormant Volcano was among the honorable mentions at the 6th Seoul Essay Contest in 2002.

I’m presently working on teen fantasy and children literature. I have traveled in London and New York, the two literary capitals of the world, to broaden my knowledge in the publishing industry. My dream to be an international best-seller gives me inspiration and determination to live my life to the fullest. Dreaming big requires me to work hard, persevere and strive to reach the goals that will enrich my life and my loved ones.

In 2008, my husband quit his job and built his own company,   Daechang International. As I worked freelance doing different English-related jobs, I also became my husband’s secretary and personal assistant.  We traveled together in New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Illinois to make sales calls and participated in Detroit’s 2008 Auto Show. I was in San Francisco International Auto Show last November 2010 distributing brochures and searching for potential car-parts buyers.

My father passed away May 2010. My mother is now 63-years-old. She’s in good health now but I realized that it’s time I spend time with her. For eleven years, I lived in Korea and missed out on my family’s lives. My husband agreed to let me relocate back in the Philippines and start a new career. I’m positive and confident that whatever job I get, I will excel and succeed.

 

cover letter feb2011

I have worked as an English teacher in South Korea for eleven years and at age 35, I am determined to have a career change utilizing the same skills and strengths I used in teaching.

I am proficient in spoken and written English. I have worked with Americans, Canadians, British, Irish and Australians in Korean language schools. I have minimal difficulties understanding speakers with strong accents. I have published articles in Korea Herald and Korea UNESCO Dialogue magazine. I have written blogs on HiExpat.com and I continue to blog on http://starbucksaddicteri.blogspot.com   and http://11thyearinkorea.blogspot.com

I am an expert in multi-tasking.  I’ve worked as a freelance teacher, tutor, writer, editor, proof-reader, personal assistant to my husband’s business in addition to being a wife and an aspiring novelist.

I am very keen on punctuality. I make sure I finish 3-5 days before deadline. Procrastination is not in my vocabulary. I want to get things done. I have the need to impress my employers and colleagues. It’s not about being an over-achiever. It’s about worry prevention. The more prepared I am, the less worried I’d be.

I have both Korean and Filipino citizenship. My husband is Korean. I prefer to use my Korean passport when I travel. When my job requires me to travel, as a Korean passport holder, I have a US visa valid till 2014. I don’t require visas to go to Japan, Canada, Europe and most Asian countries. I can acquire Australian and New Zealand visas online with automatic approvals.

My eleven-year experience in teaching Koreans from kindergarten to university students made me handle customer service on my own. I get most of my students through referrals. I dealt with parents who were very demanding about what their children need. I comply with their demands and made sure they don’t lose their faith in my skill to provide the best education for their kids.

I have a BS degree in Tourism from the University of Santo Tomas.

I have attached my resume for your consideration.  I am available for interview at your convenience. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,