Korean Job Discussion Forums

matthewfrancis

Hello all!

I know I'm new and the topic of 'how should i get to korea' might get boring, but I did a search and couldn't find any old topics on this.

I'm thinking about coming to Korea from USA in September with a friend and a friend-of-a-friend. We will all be just out of university; I am a male with an elem. ed degree, they are both females with lib. arts degrees from good schools. What would be the best way to come over so that we are all in the same area and share an apartment or live nearby? Would it be best to try and all go through one recruiter and ask to be placed together, or would we get *beeped* over? Would it work best to find jobs individually in the same area, and then find an apartment together? I have no strong preferance over cities or towns, but finding vegetarian food is essential.

Also, has anyone had any luck finding a 9-month contract?

Thanks so much for your help and time!

postfundie · Joined: 28 May 2004

just tell the recruiter(s) that the three of you want to be in the same area..I'm sure there is some place in Seoul that needs three teachers....

9 month contract...good luck...just work 9 months and then resign..you'll miss out on the benefits of completing the year but hey...

veggie food ...they have your normal supermarkets here so you can easily continue the non meat eating lifestyle...

p.s. for mor info use the search thing on this site...good luck.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Find a job with SMOE (Seoul public schools) and tell them you want to either be housed together or receive the optional "no housing, but money for housing" deal and find a place together. Apply now with the recruiters that handle the initial finding of candidates for SMOE, like worknplay.

You will, by the way, have to come in mid to late August.

You won't find a 9 month contract, and if you plan on skipping out 3 months early on a year contract, forget everything I just said about applying with SMOE.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Another option would be to work at an English camp or village. Some of these jobs are a joke and some are all right.

confuzed · Joined: 01 May 2006

swetepete · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Location: a limp little burg

Nine month contract? Coming with your two girlfriends? I can read between the lines, my bearded Minnesotan friend.

Dude, use protection! It's very polluted here. 9 out of 10 doctors* agree that half the babies conceived in Korea turn out hydrocephalic, clubfooted, asthmatic, lack a lower jaw, and inevitably sport no-less-than seven superfluous nipples; or, at the very least, are kinda funny lookin'. The best they can hope for is a quick death, or a Hagwon Directorship.

To all expecting parents here, I'm sorry, but what the hell were you thinking?**

* of Mixology.

** Sorry. Just kidding. Parent-hood is sacred. Your babies will be kind and beautiful geniuses, little Scarlett Einstein-Johansens all.

matthewfrancis · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:00 am Post subject:

The nine month hopes (which I realized were an impossible long shot) were because I usually work as a summer camp counselor up north, so I was looking for a similar contract to the American Sept-June teaching position.

My friends are definitely not girlfriends; I'm trained to be a teacher and that's what I love to do, so I'm definitely not here to party (I rarely do). I thought going with people I knew would ease the culture shock and loneliness.

Seoul sounds really nice, and it sounds like public school is usually better than hogwans.

Thanks for all the help and advice! Is now too early to secure a contract for mid-August?

jazblanc77 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004

Try applying to a bigger franchise with central hiring practices. They are always hiring and you might be able to get placed in the same school or even one that is close to another.

Moonkkang, CDI, Pagoda, and Swaton all come to mind in this case. I think YBM might also do central hiring, but I don't recall right now.

If you go to a recruiter to find a placement with all of you together, please remember a few cardinal rules:

1.) never trust a recruiter, they are working for the school, not for you
2.) never work at a small school (with fewer than 10 full-time employees - any less and your legal rights start to dwindle in the case of a labour dispute)
3.) never work for a new school or one under new ownership (in business for less than 5 years - ensuring that the kinks have been worked out and that several rotations of foreign teachers have completed contracts with the said school)
4.) always talk to a foreigner who has worked there or is currently working there (on their HOME phone or via their personal email address)
5.) get everything you agree to IN WRITING before you sign anything
6.) don't be too sticky on the terms that you are demanding (placing three people in the same school is going to limit your options as it is)
7.) find out about living arrangements (if they place you together, are you okay with living together?)
8.) do your research and trust your Spidey senses

BTW, 9 month contracts are no longer permitted for E2 visa holders such as you will be. Even contract extensions have been limited to either 6 or 12 month periods. To get a 9 monther, you would have to be working illegally, meaning that you will no longer be protected by any labour laws that exist. Besides, anyone that will hire you illegally like that shouldn't be trusted to have you at their mercy anyways.

poet13 · Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:01 am Post subject:

Three's company huh? Well, have fun.
9 months? While others are advocating just pissing off in the midle of your contracts. If you're a serious teacher/professional, I would hope that you wouldn't consider it.
There are a lot of serious, professional teachers here, and the going gets a little rougher each year. Having people come over on a one-off tourist trip and do stuff like that doesn't make life easier for anyone.
I would suggest being completely honest. Just do a lot more legwork to find positions that fit you and be prepared to sacrifice some in the severance etc... (better than losing all of it)
Yup, my post is self serving. I am one of those who intends to be here for another four or five years....or more.
Good luck with it.

swetepete · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Location: a limp little burg

I quite agree with the poet.
It is possible to find a boss who will agree (verbally) to take you on for nine months, although on paper Immigration will insist on a 12 month contract. I don't know if I'd want to put myself in that situation though, because the owner might pull a fast one at the last and not pay you or something like that. Verbal agreements are tenuous, no matter where you are...
But really though, if you can do nine months, is another three really so bad?

jellobean · Joined: 14 Mar 2006

I had to go home for a bit last summer and knew about it before I signed my contract.... I got a public school where they agreed to let me have the last 2 month of my contract as unpaid vacation.... I got it in the contract and I got a legal visa.....

If you have a good resume (and the ed degree will help), you might be able to find a public school that will let you have the summer holiday unpaid (this way you have a 12 month contract with the guaranteed time off), especially if there is not severance involved. Just remember to get it in writing. Oh, and the summer holiday here starts in mid-July, although if you work at a middle/high school you might finish teaching at the end of June when exams start....

There are also international schools in the lesser known cities (Busan, Wonju, et al.) that run on a 9 month western schedule.... These gigs aren't always great, but with an ed degree you might be able to snag one.... Your friends could go for a Hagwon nearby...

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Don't.

Hope that helped.

Anyhoo,there are so many schools here,often one on every corner.No doubt you can sort out something roughly in the same neighbourhood.If it's haggie stuff you'll have similar schedules so you go and get sloshed around 9-9:30.Oh right,you're a vegetarian.You can go and do yoga at 9-9:30.

Yes,looking for a contract for mid-August now is way too early.For a Sept 1st job(start of 2nd semester in public schools) start applying around June or so.

matthewfrancis · Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all your help! I'll probably have to chin up and stay there for a year. Ain't no worry, but I'll be missing the Northern Minnesota summertime lakes.

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

My suggestion is, before coming, be very sure your friends share your maturity level/level of emotional strength--especially if you're going to be living/working together.