Job Discussion Forums

[gamato]

Give it to me straight all you experienced EFL teachers- I would prefer to hear bad news BEFORE I plunk down $2500 for a certificate course rather than after.

Ever since a friend of mine mentioned going to South Korea for a year to teach English, I started thinking about doing it myself. We talked about it for a while and decided we should go together, and made up a list of countries we'd be willing to go to.

Well unfortunately it turns out that the world of TEFL is a bit different than I had imagined, at least from what I read on the forums. Scandinavia is right out. Germany and Italy sound like they are very iffy at best. I've variously heard that heard Nepal might pay subsistence level salaries only and that you can make a killing there. South Korea is still on our list, but only he knows any of the language at all. He also has some family there. We're both Yanks from Massachusetts, but we're very well-behaved. Usually.

I'm starting to wonder what our realistic chances are of landing decent jobs even in South Korea. We're both college graduates with a semester's teaching assistant experience (which is to say, not much experience at all), and I've been working for the last couple of years since graduating- he's getting his second BA this spring. We're looking into schools to get TEFL certifications, but will this be enough, or would we really need some other teaching experience before trying to get jobs like these?

If there are any veteran teachers around, please be brutally honest. If we have little chance of getting jobs with degrees and certificates but no experience, I need to know! I don't particularly trust books on the topic, as they make their money by giving you good news only. I would also be interested to know if being Korean-American (him) or a very pale white man (me) would make any difference.

Opinions?

[lajzar]

For first timers, I believe the usual destinations are (in no particular order),

East Asia (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, PRC)
Eastern Europe, Russia

South America will take first timers, but you generally have to be there in person to even get an interview.

Of these, the best paying jobs are in Japan, followed by Korea and Taiwan. All of them will typically pay a good wage by local standards.

Knowing the local language is not a job requirement for most starting positions, although it is very useful for living in the countries.

Decent jobs in South Korea? I don't think they exist. On the EFL blacklists, South Korea outweighs the rest of the world combined. Bear in mind that, at least in South Korea, they aren't particularly interested in experience or qualifications (beyond a degree for visa purposes) so much as a white face and a passport from an approved country.

[gamato]

So the pay is good in South Korea but there are no decent jobs? How does that work?

[Scott in HK]

Decent jobs do exist in Korea. You just have to do your homework. The problem is that they are run as businesses so the dollar is more important than the teaching. This is not true for all of them. The salaries are pretty much the same. Check out the Korean boards for more information.

If you have a pulse, a degree from a English speaking country, you will get a job.....just make sure you take some time to check out the school but talking to some ex teachers...

[ls650]

[Glenski]

In Japan, all you need to qualify for a work visa is a bachelor's degree, any subject. You both seem to fit that.

Eikaiwas hire such people widely. In fact, if you have TEFL credentials or experience (more so the latter than the former), you are likely NOT to get hired by many because they are afraid you will change the teaching format they want you to use.

What do you two want to get out of teaching EFL?
Short term experience? You won't need the certification.
Long term experience? You'll probably be better off getting the cert.

Are you experienced in teaching anything now?
If no, you might want to think about a cert.
If yes, you may not really need a TEFL cert, unless you have absolutely no idea how to teach English.

[gamato]

[lagerlout2006]

Both of you should find jobs unless the market has really dried up in the last year and a half...(It is tougher I hear.) There are many Kyopo--Korean Americans-- working there..Strangely enough you (pale white man) may earn more than the ethnic Korean. Maybe..Does your friend speak Korean?

Depends also on whether you plan to fly there and look---this is preferable---or line up the job and visa at home...In the 2nd case schools will prepay your flight..Problem is if the job is a nightmare there is no legal way out...There is no advice really (avoid splits) it's a crapshoot..E-mailing teachers doesn't help imo because the school will only tell you the happy ones...

[Glenski]

[lajzar]

[gamato]

[ls650]