Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fiery101]

I just graduated from college a week ago. I had a lot of friends and hook-ups from Korea through my University and I believe I just hooked myself up teaching at a National University

I had read that teaching at the University is the best deal, but I've also read a lot of bad things. What is the general pay and benefit rate for teaching this type of job? I don't want to make a mistake. Anything can help me.

Thanks

[ajgeddes]

Do you have teaching experience?

[fiery101]

Not formally. I just graduated. I have some experience teaching while I was undergrad, but just minor, and not in the same subject. I was a teaching assistant several times also, but it is nowhere near the same. I'm not afraid of the challenge, I think I can handle it. Just any info would be great.

[TECO]

Congratulations - You've come to the right country to teach EFL!

Korea is one of the only places I know of where unqualified and underqualified TEFL'ers can make good cash with university conditions.

With a little patience, in-country experience, and some contacts, you'll find a university EFL position.

[Cerriowen]

You said you *have* been offered a Uni post?

Why don't you post the details of their offer, and we can tell you if it's standard.

Also the name of the school might help, or the area, so people can warn you off crappy schools.

[DCJames]

Congrats!

No experience or Masters degree needed to teach at a uni here.

Just be really friendly with your students and you'll get great evaluation scores.

[agoodmouse]

If you're in Korea for less than 2 years, don't bother with any TEFL certification. Wait 3 to 4 years in Korea to do any TEFL certificate program (online or on-site). You're fine winging it in Korea until then.

(I'm joking, absolutely, fiery101.)

Humor aside for the moment, the general pay for a university position is around 2 million and you have a good chance of getting two months (or more) of vacation, which is one of the perks of university work. But you'll have to read your contract language first. Hopefully, you can be put in contact with someone who is a foreigner teaching there and can tell you more information.

[bassexpander]

Unis range in pay from 1.9 to 3.2 base or so for 99% of us non-Ph.D types. The jobs differ on which offer more vacation and how many hours they require you to teach:

9-12 hours = great
12-15 base = OK
Above 15 = not so good to awful.

Remember, anyone who brags about low hours at their uni also has office hours, spends time preparing, in meetings, and checking papers.

[agoodmouse]

Typically, you won't make much higher than the base of 2 million.

[fiery101]

I don't have the formal paperwork yet. My friend is very good friends with the professor in charge of hiring for the department. The professor visited my campus this semester, but I never got a chance to meet him. In addition the professor knows several other people that told him good things about me.

I spoke with my friend last night. He told me that formally I am essentially hired. The professor is out of town, but when he returns to the University after the weekend he will send me the paperwork through email. I can't imagine that my friend would be misleading me, but I suppose it is possible. Until I receive the paperwork I won't be 100% confident, but I'm feeling pretty good about it as is. When I get everything I'll post something.

I just wanted to know what the typical teaching environment is at in the University. I'm really excited about this. I knew eventually I would be teaching in Korea, I've known for about a year, but I didn't imagine I'd have a chance at this type of job.

[JJJ]

Reading this, all I can say is Wow!

I don't care if this is a good contract or a crappy one, I have applied to them all and it all comes down to the old adage "It's not what you know, but who you know", especially in Korea I've found.

Congratulations you lucky devil. Wish I had your contacts.

[Bibbitybop]

[PRagic]

Funny stuff, and congrats. Years ago, I knew a guy with a BA in biology who got a job teaching ESLat a major university in Seoul throught contacts . Will you be in a department, or at a university institute?

Let us know where the university is, your sched, and your vacation time when you can, and we'll let you know how you did. Odds are, it's not the best school if you got hired with a BA and no experience, though, and this will mean that you'll have a low salary (1.8 would be a good guess). Also expect to get tagged for overtime and summer/winter camps and the like.

Still, there are worse ways to get to Korea.

You will have a challenge as you have no teaching experience, especially if you are working in a regular department. Good luck to you and let us know how it goes.

[bassexpander]

[agoodmouse]

No, don't you remember? I've told you this plenty of times before that I work at a public high school. But if you forgot, it's just as well. Things wash away.