Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kuno808]

hey all,

i am sorry for posting something like this. i found these forums to be great information and very extensive. i tried looking for something about kangnam but am having a difficult time finding it. this is going to be my first time teaching in korea and i was looking into kangnam. i think for a first time teacher, perhaps teaching at a hagwon might be good since the number of students are far less. anyone think that teaching at a hagwon in kangnam is a good or bad idea? i also figure places they put you at can't be a crap hole since this is an expensive place to live. are there any honest and helpful recruiters for the kangnam area? i appreciate any input any of you can provide. thanks in advance!

Ed

[eslisez]

i teach in Jamsil now. hakwons is a completely new experience to me as well. let me just tell you now, prepare to get all your dreams quickly snuffed out. A hakwon is a soul sucking organization. That being said, the money is decent, the work is pretty chill, and the cost of living is sweet.

A word of advice to you, because i can sense you are very naive about this new experience....

make sure you know ABSOLUTELY everything about your position before you sign the contract and head over here. Chances are, your contract is not even 100 percent accurate or truthful....so BE PREPARED FOR BEING LIED TO....i don't even think they consider it lying here...i think they just consider it a fluidly changing set of expectations based on new circumstances.

also....KNOW KOREAN BEFORE TEACHING HERE.....i can't tell you how much i realize i need to know this language now that i am teaching english...its just not enough to work with kids and not know their language. TRUST ME.

ok.....good luck....its a rewarding experience...just one you have to work for to really appreciate it. Like all things in life i suppose.

[kuno808]

hey eslisez,


on these forums, i see hagwons are bad and then some that say hagwons are pretty good. i guess its the luck of the draw. i am a little hesitant and probably a little scared about teaching a class full of 30 in a public school. i think it would be great to teach less students and give them more direct and personal attention. from what i read here, i just don't want to be thrown in a bad hagwon where i won't get paid or over work me to death and make this experience a horrible one. i take it in your own opinion, public schools are a good choice for rookies?

[Binch Lover]

[Draz]

[Dome Vans]

[Sody]

Kuno, I remember your older posts inquiring about public schools in Gangnam. I'm still not sure why you are so interested in the area, it's nothing special at all. I would agree with eslisez, you really do need to be careful with what you decide because the job you get will be the most significant factor in your Korean experience.

1. Public school jobs are less of a gamble with issues of pay, taxes, health insurance and pension.
2. I think if there is any place in Korea to teach in a hagwon, the Gangnam area is the best. Why? Well because it is "considered" the best place in all of Korea for private academies. I know because my friends and I live in Gangnam and it is arguably the richest area in Seoul. There are plenty of students who want to attend these hagwons and more opportunities for private tutoring than any other area in Korea. Plus, even if you don't get privates your first year you can look around and get a feel for what the ESL hagwon industry is like. You can make contacts and learn more effectively than in another city, even Daegu. However, keep in mind two other things. One, you will have more competition from other teachers (not really an issue for you after your 2nd year here, but with little or no Korean experience it will be a problem, especially if you don't speak Korean). Two, Gangnam students tend to be spoiled brats who really are different from other kids in Korea. There is a slight to significant difference between a Gangnam student and say a student from a rural city. This will influence your ability to teach effectively in a hagwon.
3. Gangnam is a bit more expensive, but you get added conveniences. But don't let that fool you either. In your post you said you believed a job here couldn't be "a crap hole since [Gangnam] is an expensive place to live." Let me be frank. The type of job you get has nothing to do with the area, it has more to do with the owner of the school or the principal of the public school you are working for. So don't think of this like America or a place like South Africa where if you go to a nice area or city you can get a nice school. There are SO MANY hagwons everywhere in Korea, many of them new businesses that have no clue what they are doing. Many hagwons go out of business very fast. Gangnam is no exception. Think of it this way, the area or city has no bearing on the school (regardless of what any Korean says) but it does have an effect on your life outside of school. So choose the city based on where you want to live, choose the school based on where you want to work. Do not confuse the two.
4. As for you question regarding recruiters well if you research this forum you can find some recruiters who will do their jobs well enough. I would advise you against trusting most of them completely though as they work for themselves and not you. It's their business after all. Good luck!

[kuno808]

hey all,

thanks for taking the time to respond.

Sody,

one of the main reasons i choose kangnam is that i have some family there (was just in the area last week before i had to come back) so i am a litle familiar with the area. i keep hearing that it is an expensive area to live so maybe its just me being naive thinking that the place they put you up in, whether it is home or work, is going to be pretty good. the only other place in seoul that was recommended to me was the area near Yonsei University. i mean, a lot of ppl recommended places but my friend recommended that one. i suppose getting a public school job first time shouldn't be too bad. it will put my mind at ease on a lot of things that i am concerned about at hagwons. i have to remember that hagwons are private businesses and they have to do what they can to maximize profits. i may have a better chance of being treated fair in public school. the only problem i have is that i may not be able to start work until after oct (i hear public school starts in sept).i am currently talking with a recruiter from worknplay and she is asking for the neccesary paperwork. she seems ok but i am not sure.

does anyone have any recommendations on recruiters? anything bad with worknplay?

[raketbaler]

I'll be working at a hagwon next month in Gangnam teaching adults. My recruiter is English Apple who was recommended to me by another ESL teacher who had great things to say about them. I guess because Gangman is so expensive I'll be living in Seochu, which isn't far. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Lekker]

I would never work in Gangnam. The place is like a fucking shopping mall from hell. Highly overrated.

[Draz]

[icicle]

[Dome Vans]

[kuno808]