Korean Job Discussion Forums

olefrankieboy · Joined: 05 Jun 2007

Alright, I have a question for all of you jobs gurus out there. I've decided to come to Korea to get a job teaching English, preferably in a public school. I'm weary of taking a job through a recruiter and I'm thinking of going over in person and finding a job for myself. I hope to fly over in the first week of August or so. I also want to live and work in Seoul. My question is, is this plan of action a reasonable one, in respect to being able to find a job? Also, how would I go about it over there? Is there some sort of office or perhaps a recruiter over there that could give me leads? I've been in Korea before and I can speak and read a little, so I can get around alright. What do you think my chances would be of getting my flight over reimbursed like the contracts through the recruiters? Obviously I'd prefer not to have to eat the ticket price, since as you all know its not cheap. I know I'll need at least my diploma and probably my transcripts to get an E-2 visa, but is there anything else? Birth Certificate, SSN card, things like that? I'd really appreciate any info you all can give me.

K-in-C · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Heading somewhere

Post your resume on Dave's a couple of weeks before you go and then again when you get there. Wean out the bad offers and go to the interviews that you are invited to.

Good luck. I am sure something will come together. Make sure to ask to see the apartment when you go to the interview. I am certain it will be very basic but if it is clean and has air con then that's the main thing.

K

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

For EPIK the contract is the same whether you go through the recruiter or deal directly with the school.

The contract just says you will be reimbursed. I don't think it would make a difference if you sign the contract before or after you arrive. The program needs you and if they won't agree to reimbursement then you can tell them no and I'm sure another province will agree to give it to you.

There were a few of us that got the airfare reimbursement a little late but I have not heard of anyone not getting it.

It can cost a lot of money to hang around in Korea while you are waiting on paperwork and such. I can see why you would want to though. In different parts of my province there have been a few reports of variation in the living and working conditions from town to town, but I think those problems have been resolved.

olefrankieboy · Joined: 05 Jun 2007

Thanks for your advice so far, but I have a related question. Apparently, EPIK recruits and trains teachers for all of Korea except for Gyeonggi and Seoul. GEPIK does the same for Gyeonggi, but who does it for Seoul. I thought that Seoul was under its own governance.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Ozabout7or8 · Joined: 04 May 2007 Location: NZ

Ozabout7or8 · Joined: 04 May 2007 Location: NZ

There are a bunch of 3 or four recruiters that handle the jobs for almost all publically funded public school positions. You might be best to give these guys a buz, they are pretty respectible.

Search on this site for comments of WorknPlay which is one. I went through them and they are very professional, and have had nothing but good reviews on this site.

There are still quite a few public schools however that advertise by themselves and pay you from some of their own money.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

The_Conservative · Joined: 15 Mar 2007

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

If you want to work for SMOE, apply directly or go through WorkNPlay or Footprints. Apply at only ONE, though. People have come in early August and gotten an SMOE job due to recruits backing out at the last moment, but it's a crap shoot. The hiring is happening NOW, so I recommend putting in your application ASAP and you'll be here in August without footing the plane ticket.

If you come on your own dime, SMOE will pay for your plane ticket here OR your visa run ticket, but not both.

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

GEPIK would not pay for my VISA or my plane ticket.

I came to Korea on my own. I got my F-4 Visa on my own. I got the GEPIK job and they wouldn't pay for anything. I think it would have been better to have saved over $1000 and gotten an E-2 through the school instead.

olefrankieboy · Joined: 05 Jun 2007

I would apply for those positions now, but my school, University of Florida, won't be mailing out diplomas until the middle to end of July, and apparently, no diploma in hand, no job. I really want to get a public school job, and it seems that they are hiring now through August, so I don't know what other choice I have but to wait until I get my diploma then go over and find a job.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

Just get all your paperwork together. GEPIK's hiring for March was in January and February. However, I couldnt' get all my paperwork together until mid-March, AFTER the hiring period was over. I took everything to the GEPIK office in Suwon personally. They looked at it and said "Can you start on Monday?"

Don't worry about missing the hiring period.