Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mr. Pink]

To the OP:

I went with Search Associates as they are much cheaper than ISS. Yes, I too cringe at the fact of having to dish out money to get a job. I think I paid $200 US. I got a job within a month or two of joining, so it was worth it.

ISR is a great site and IMO it is worth the $30 a year or so to read about prospective schools. You will see that Seoul International School isn't regarded as being a great place to work due to administration issues. There isn't much on SFS, probably because of the school's Christian nature. There are like 11 or 12 reviews on KIS, which looks at the good and bad sides. Overall for the Korean schools, that site isn't really worth it. However, you shouldn't bank on just getting a job in Korea. Like I said, you might have to do a stint in China or Japan to get some international school experience. In that case, ISR is gold. It gave me a fair look at what I was getting into in regards to my school. I also used it to look at some offers I had outside Asia and I was glad to be able to walk away from those schools.

TIE Online was a good investment too. It is a yearly fee and most international schools post their jobs there as well.

If you think $300 or so is a lot, then forget the job fairs. You are looking at airfare+4 days of hotel and food to go to one of those job fairs. The hotels are around $1000 cdn for those 4 days.

[dalem]

In my situation, I'm already here in korea. I currently have a job at a hagwon, but want to use more of my teaching training (and yes, i am a certified teacher with 4 years experience in Canada). I am here with my boyfriend, who is also teaching english here but has a English degree, not a B. Ed. We both discussed this, and want to stay in Seoul. I would like best to work at an international school, but if i can't then i'll just stay at my hagwon (which actually is a pretty good school).

Someone i met at a meetup told me she got her job at the international school through a job fair in Seoul. Just wondering what this was.

Thinking that the best thing to do is to just apply to the SFS, SIS, YISS and KIS individually. Any other schools i've missed?

[dirtmcgirt]

I have never heard of a job fair here in Seoul, not for the top three schools anyway. If you want to stay in Seoul, I would just send your resume into each of those schools now and do some follow up work on it.

Politics at any school is hard to avoid with 100+ teachers at the top schools. ISR is a good site to check out schools but take it with a grain of salt. Some reviews are accurate some are bitter. SIS is a great school, I can verify that. It just depends on the situation, some teachers at any school can view it as an untolerable situation while others thinks its great. Just depends on your history, experiences, and relationships within the school and department.

Good luck in your search, hope you land a good situation. PM me if you have anything else specific to ask.

[Mr. Pink]

Two things to add:

1) SFS and YISS are both Christian. YISS you have to apply through their website and give a bunch of testimonials on your Christian walk. If you aren't Christian, forget it.
2) Songdo International School in Incheon just opened and has some SWEET facilities. They have 99% Korean students atm, but since they only have elementary open they might have more openings. I'd send them an email with your resume/cover letter. Your boyfriend can change jobs. Hawgwons are a dime a dozen. Good IS jobs aren't.

[Konglishman]

[dalem]

THank you very much, Konglishman! Great comprehensive list. I didn't realize there were so many! I guess not all of them are in Seoul, though. Thank you.

[Konglishman]