Korean Job Discussion Forums

keppiezbt · Joined: 01 Feb 2008

Hi,

I'm looking to move to korea soon and was wonderinf if something near 3 million won was possible? Mostly I see 2.3-2.5 million. I want something at least 2.7 or higher. Am I being unrealistic? I want to live in Seoul too...

Also, Im a certified US history teacher, have an MBA, and 3 years teaching experience...

thanks,

Matt

mistermasan · Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Location: 10+ yrs on Dave's ESL cafe

the new woman with 0 years experience is getting 2.7 base.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

I'm not saying "no," but I will say I searched as hard as I could to find the highest-paying job I could in my first year. Although the job turned out OK for a hagwon, I learned that it's more important to find a job with good hours than it is one with the highest pay. The higher-paying entry jobs usually make you work your tail off (Poly school, for example) for it.

It's much better to have something where you work less, and have more free time to find other revenue streams, if you catch my drift.

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

It depends what type of job you're looking for.

Teaching straight ESL--EPIK will pay you the most if you want to teach children. Other than that some sort of corporate job teaching for an airline or an electronics firm might get you where you want. I'm sure it is possible at private institutes, but probably difficult to arrange from out of country. Be aware many private institutes could care less about what kind of qualifications you have.

What about an international school?

isthisreally · Joined: 01 Sep 2007

Any place that gives you 3 mil is gonna work the hell out of you and make you wish you never came to Korea. Get a job with good hours to make room for other opportunities.

Saxiif · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: Seongnam

Don't go through hagwon recruiters, go here: http://www.iss.edu/

Typhoon · Joined: 29 May 2007 Location: Daejeon

Yeah, look for lower hours and decent pay. The rest will take care of itself. To make 3 million you are looking at working 9am-7pm not including prep and marking time. You could also end up working longer than that. With you qualifications you should have been looking into universities. The hiring period for most should be over now, but if you can delay your arrival you can look for unis in the next hiring period.

skyline17 · Joined: 09 Nov 2007

If you can teach AP US, World or European History then you can easily make that much.

Suwoner10 · Joined: 10 Dec 2007

Keep your e2 hours low as possible. Do privates. You'll probably make between 3.5-6 million.

rhinocharge64 · Joined: 20 Sep 2006

International school, you'll earn more than 3 mill and vacation will be approx 13 weeks of the year. Don't go to a hogwon, it will put you off teaching for life!!!!!!!!!!!!

DongtanTony · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Location: Bundang

Even though I agree with the international school route...and you will work your tail off...but as a certified teacher back home...you should be used to working your tail off...the bonus here...a little less of the "politics," but of course...you'll have a new set of drama to deal with.

I've worked hagwons...and public schools...my first hagwon...with a couple of extra programs my director and I created together...legally...my girlfriend and I both pulled in 3.6 from our hagwon last year.

It's not impossible to make money, and have an enjoyable experience at a hagwon.

rhinocharge64 · Joined: 20 Sep 2006

True Dongtan and many do have a top experience. Sorry to generalize and I don't want to be misleading to the o.p. Just be very careful if you go the Hogwon route. With the o.p's credenitials I would suggest a Uni. Although it's a little late in the day for the new semester there are a few Unis looking for teachers. If you want to go to a top tier Uni then wait to the following semester I think you have the creds.

Best of look

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

I think Michael from Scribblings of the Metropolitician use to teach history classes at Daewon (?) or Daeil (?) Foreign Language High School and later at Hankuk Foreign Language High School in Gwangju for about 100,000/hr. Opportunities are there, but hard to find

KoreanAmbition · Joined: 03 Feb 2008

OP,

I'm not in Korea, but I'm going in the summer. I've been doing research on this stuff for a couple months now and talked to countless recruiters. As others here will tell you, beware of recruiters because they might be lying.

I have an MBA and I consider 3 million won easy to find but depends on what hours of the day you want to do your work. Actually, I think you you can earn whatever you want, as long as you put in the hours.

One thing I've learned from my job searching is I certainly find hagwons more likely to give me permission to work a second job, or willing to talk about trying to develop more overtime classes that you can provide to them. I usually tell a recruiter that I probably won't take the job unless I'm allowed to work elsewhere or there is some system in place that I can get more hours if I want them. However, with the reward of hagwons comes the greater risk. They probably offer the highest risk in the market and obviously therefore offer some of the higher financial rewards, aside from good university gigs. Ask some others here, because some of them have really great situations set up it sounds like.

Also, because you have a Master degree I think you have a lot of options, and looking at the boards now, you see such a variety:
- 9 to 5pm jobs
- 9 to 1pm jobs
- 12 or 1pm to 5pm jobs
- evening jobs
- I'm even seeing some that offer an E-2 visa on a Monday to Friday job for 35,000 won per hour and hours are 12-2:30 totally like 12.5 hours a week, or some for like 15 hours a week.

If you can get a job like that AND a job in the evenings from another hogwon and get both to let you work elsewhere, then you really start finding some decent options.

Or worse comes to worse, get a normal job that offers 10 hours overtime a week at a measly 20,000 won ... 2.2 million won salary and 800,000 won overtime... 3,000,000 won a month. The hours suck, but the money is there. I think you can do much better than that though.

If your MBA was anything like mine was then you are used to working most days of the week and tons of hours. I'd say you if you are willing to put in that kind of time in Korea then you'll be well over 3 million. How many years are you staying? I factor in my burnout time as well so I could only keep up a really crazy schedule for a year possibly and then have to tone it down in year 2.

With that said, I personally want either 6 days a week with mediocre hours on those 6 days, or I want 5 days a week with LONG hours. I'm up for either, as long as I can patch it together. How much effort are you willing to put in for the money? I think it's there if you want it.

Good luck

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Very possible and you don't have to work your tail off.

I did years in the P.S. system back home. Better pay, more taxes.

Here, if you show what you can do you can earn the 3 mil and more. But don't expect it walking in the door. That's a certainty. But from my perspective Koreans do recognize talent and work ethic and respond if you approach things the right way.

If you work an International school, you will be just a wreck, like home. Stay away from that if possible. IMO

DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com