Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Johnwayne]

I have been combing over the various ESL boards looking for a job teaching adults and came across various recruiting ads claiming that they are hiring for ESL teachers for various corporations. I was rather curious if anyone had any experience with these types of job/job postings and would care to comment. Do they generally only hire people with previous ESL experience? Do they make you work insane hours and pay you in bondeggi? Any useful info would be appreciated.

Also if anyone knows of a decent school that teaches adults and is hiring, feel to PM me. Trying to steer clear of places that have make you wear lab coats or have similarly inane policies.

Sorry if this is redundant btw, but the search function leaves something to be desired.

[jinju]

Are you looking for part time or fulltime? I would expect that corporations would be looking mainly or only for F visa holders.

[Johnwayne]

Full-time and I have an F-visa.

I was thinking some of the jobs posting seemed too good to be true more than anything to be honest and there had to be a catch.

[jinju]

Fulltime, I have no idea. Part time I do:) I dont think Id like to work full time at a Korean company though...the corporate culture here sucks. Better to freelance.

[Johnwayne]

Is it just you teaching or do you have some sort of co-teacher? Job posting(s) I was reading said something about having a co-teacher.

Corporate culture... I just kind of roll with the punches, so unless something is truly shocking it doesn't usually phase me. Just kind of ignore it and move on. Care to expand either way?

I should add I'm not actually in Korea yet btw, so freelance thing, perhaps somewhere down the road once I get over there and get settled in after some months.

Edit: Google turned up this rather nifty link for Korean business culture: http://gc.sfc.keio.ac.jp/class/2005_14969/slides/10/

[jinju]

You wont have a co-teacher at a company.

Corporrate culture means LONG work. Not a lot of work but loooooooong hours and then social outings on top of it. The stories I hea about how much time these guys spend at the company are enough for me never to want to work there, and Ive been offered jobs that are relevent to my major (not teaching, not English). I wouldnt do it though, I have no desire to work from 8 to 10 and get home at 2 am because the supervisor wants to get drunk and eat galbi.

[Johnwayne]

The job postings made mention of more normal hours (i.e. 9-5) and it would be something I would get ironed out in the contract. If it turned out differently, I wouldn't be working there long.

The social obligations, meh, I like to go out and have a good time within reason, but I have no problems telling people no in so many words, Korean custom or not.

I suppose I was more curious about the actual teaching and classes that go on there, do they subscribe to some sort of 'official corporate curriculum' or is it more of "here is a book, teach" variety?

[jinju]

[Zark]

I applied for a job at *bleep* once - I was quite curious as I have an MBA along with my M.Ed.

But, it all went south rather quickly. Everyone lived together at one corporate site and all rode the bus together to work and all worked together . . . and I bet did the corporate chant together too.

The interview process was about eight steps with numerous demos - and to top it off it started with a 36-page case study you were supposed to write a lesson plan for - and then teach a demo (the students were high-level execs). So . . . if you didn't get the job you would probably invest at least a week or two of prep time just to do the repeated song and dance routines.

It was all very nose-up-in-the-air with the supervising foreign teachers - I just had to drop out. It just didn't feel right.

I suspect there are other better corporate jobs out there, but if that one was any indication . . .

[Johnwayne]

[mindmetoo]

[Pak Yu Man]

Best way to do it is to get a couple of hourly gigs. 1 hour a day, paid by the hour 75-100k.

2 hours a day and you're making way more than most other people.