Korean Job Discussion Forums

mmace1 · Joined: 08 Jul 2007

I'm still in the US but would like to leave for Korea soon (just finished college and need money)! So assuming I could even get a public school job in the off season that starts soon:

Looking at the public school recruiters, they require a lot of paperwork. Particularly the criminal background check seems like it would take awhile (30 days? I see different times listed online). Do I really need all the documents before even applying? Do I need them before I can go to Korea & start?

Basically I'm wondering - how long from now to starting work for a public job? Would it be significantly faster to go for a private school?

sojourner1 · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:58 am Post subject:

Can't you just go to your local police department and request a criminal record check for a few dollars?

If so, then it's just a piece of paper that says, "No Record," if your clean.

It's just a piece of paperwork you submit. Right?

I understand for an English teacher job it typically takes about one month from accepting the job or 3 weeks from sending your documents to the recruiter to get to the actual event of flying to Korea. This was my time line for a hagwon job.

If this is not correct for a pubic school job, then please, by all means, correct me and tell, assuming you are starting on March 1st. Of course, if not March 1st or Sept. 1st, then you might be taking a runners job which has high chance of being a bad situation. Just an assumption.

Dome Vans · Guest

Usually all the paperwork isn't needed, or it wasn't in my case, before I flew out.

It took three weeks from sending all the docs off to Korea to the flying date. I ordered my criminal record before I left. But it hadn't arrived by the time I left England so I got it sent on when it did come. There was no problem with this. Just gave it to them when it did.

I got the medical check done out here and it cost about 35 dollars. The references they took copies of when I got here. There seems to be a lot of paperwork but getting the visa stamped, contracts signed etc are the essentials.

mmace1 · Joined: 08 Jul 2007

mmace1 · Joined: 08 Jul 2007

Darn it, this thread is getting buried - what's a runner?

sojourner1 · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:41 am Post subject:

A runner is a teacher who suddenly leaves without announcing departure(midnight run), be it for reasons of irresponsibility on the teachers part or being trapped into a bad unworkable employment situation.

This means the job could be just fine to take, but your peers and boss at the new job may have an indifferent negative attitude of mistrust for a while or it may be a downright horrible place to be. Or all may be well in taking an out of season job where there simply were not enough English teachers and your new school was next in line.

Soccerstar · Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Location: Kyungsangnamdo

Skip the recruiters, apply directly to the public schools through one of us teachers, and you could be here in a little over a week. Less hassle and a better guarantee of a good job.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Soccerstar · Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Location: Kyungsangnamdo

In an ideal world, all the public schools positions would be filled by only hiring twice/year. While this may happen in Seoul, many programs like ours are in expansion mode and are including middle schools and high schools in their list of schools needing a native speaker. Other programs lose teachers for all sorts of reasons, including the one that made headlines around the world. (:
At the very least, many of us teachers can direct people to good jobs. There is really no need for 100+ middleman recruiting companies in Korea.

mmace1 · Joined: 08 Jul 2007

Thanks soccerstar for the suggestion. I saw one old thread where that was suggested though, so the OP said "OK, anyone want to help?" and got nothing. And unfortunately I don't think I want to work in Gimhae!

topas · Joined: 25 Apr 2007

There is indeed a lot of paperwork needed to get a public school job. If you have everything prepared already, you can be here in a few weeks. If you're just starting to look for a job and still have to wait for transcripts, record checks, medical test results, and reference letters, count on six weeks minimum.

As an aside, there are public schools on waiting lists to receive native speakers, so you're not necessarily going to be placed in a runner's job. It's possible that positions in the best locations will have been filled by now, though.