Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shawner88]

For me, I'm a qualified English teacher back in the states. I think the 3 years experience in Korea I have would help me land a job, perhaps with a bonus + in salary. However, I have no desire to go back home anytime soon. I'm wondering if I spend too much time here that employers back home will consider it odd rather than unique. That perhaps I may be out of touch with working with American students, etc.

I know most people here aren't teachers back home. If you stay here 5, 6, 7 years, how do employers react to that? Either in the education field or otherwise.

[matthews_world]

My feelings are is that if you're gonna be here 2 - 4 years or more you should get working on a distance Master's degree.

You could use your new-found degree in a teaching position or even, if you're lucky enough, find a position teaching a university position in your country.

Not sure what other industries one with TESL experience would be qualified to work in.

[Homer]

It all depends what your experience here amounts too shawner..AND...on where you want to apply for work when you get back home.

Your experience here combined with another degree and some language studies can be quite beneficial to you in certain fields of work back home.

As for teaching, if you are a "qualified" teacher ,i.e. have your teaching permit, then your Korean teaching experience cannot hurt on your resume as you apply for teaching positions.

In the end it all depends what you put into your experience here.

[OiGirl]

My years spent teaching in Korea have been added to my state teaching license. So in the state where I am licensed my salary is at the pay level of a teacher with seven years of experience, even though two of those years have been in Korea.

[eamo]

Does hagwon teaching count for anything back home?? (your country or mine).

I don't know. If I applied for a teaching job at home (presuming I was adequately qualified) would my experience in Korea count for any thing??

[OiGirl]

Yes, my hogwon experience counts. Your state or province may view it differently.

Verification of K-12 Educator Experience(PDF File)

[Tiger Beer]

Teaching English in Korea is as good as anything, and most find it interesting back home.

My parents were both educators.. Father worked as Superintendent.. and often was in charge of hiring teachers. I'd think he would be quite excited and interested in a person who'd taught overseas.. particularly figuring that many students are coming in from overseas as well..

Plus the last I knew there was quite a shortage of teachers.. due to low pays, etc.

For other jobs.. again means nothing. I went back to the States on different occassions each time for a year or two.. the teaching English abroad part was kind of interesting or a novelty.. true however that this experience doesn't exactly help you if you have some cool specific degree in some field or realm you've had your heart on doing your whole life.. (but then again you wouldn't be here if that had been the case). For all other jobs, its just as good as anything else.. and probably slightly more interesting than that desk job through the temp agency or whatever..

[shawner88]

I just wondered if teaching here too long would be detrimental to finding a teaching job back home. I know 2-3 years would be considered a plus, but 5, 6, 7 years?

[Homer]

Shawner,

If you stay here 5,6,7 or more years you might not need to get a teaching job back home. You might be better off making a plan for yourself.
You can do quite well here and start planning for other jobs if and when you plan to return to your home country.
Thats what we did and things are working rather well.