Korean Job Discussion Forums

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

What is their problem? Why does a person with 2 years experience have soooo much trouble finding a job? Why is that a place makes you believe they are hiring you by saying they will send you a contract and then you never hear another word out of them? I think it is pretty crappy to get someone's hopes up about a job only to let them down. Now wonder there is so much suicide in the world these days!!! They can't even answer a simple e-mail as to whether or not your picture was received.

osangrl · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Location: osan

I know.....I worked part time for 5 months over the summer, all the while looking for a full time job. I wasn't being too picky either i simply wanted a 5 hour block shift a day and 2 million a month plus basic benefits......... Well, with 3 years of experience, and being a tall, blonde, cute canadian, I thought i would have no problems............well finally 6 months later i have my ideal job, but i had no idea it would take so long!

batman · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2003 8:52 am Post subject:

Sometimes I think that some hogwans directors prefer teachers fresh off the boat to those with experience.
Figuring that the fresh meat would have little knowledge about their rights and privileges in Korea, the directors would have an easier time lying, cheating and stealing.
My last director was like that.
He would always hire the young and inexperienced newbie from North America rather than the older and more experienced teacher from Korea.
Anyways, princess, good luck with the job search.
Your dream job is out there somewhere.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

A lot of times it is about connections and timing.

Also having a preference for 5hr block shift and 2mil plus was probably a factor of why it took you so long.

For those who have no preference there are tons of hawgwons hiring.

There are also apparently a ton of hawgwons firing lately too.

The Korean economy is not doing so well...so if you do find you want job security, maybe check out the big name hawgwons.

(Also princess the fact you got fired might be a factor for you, hawgwons might think there is something wrong with you...)

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Look at it this way. Any place that would rather hire a newbie over you (having 2 years experience) is probably not a place you'd enjoy working.

Hang in there, you'll find something.

Merry Christmas

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Call me foolish but I was a bit less fussy. i needed a job in a hurry, and once it was clear that I would accept 1.9, I had a job within a day.
Granted i'd like to be earning more, after a years experience, but a 2.0 demand sounds like a smack in the mouth to many employers nowadays.
if you have time to hang out long enough, you'll get it: but if you're running low on finances, just settle for the 1.9....
On the up side, this hagwon is a lot better than my previous one.

Austin · Joined: 23 May 2003 Location: In the kitchen

Experience can be a double-edged sword!

Having had the "pleasure" of being able to select and hire people in the past, I can say that "experience" in and of itself is not necessarily an advantage. The type of "experience" is more important.

For example, if I am faced with a person that has never been able to fulfill their contract and has many complaints about Korea, I would rather select a person with no experience (a person that has not been tainted and that can be influenced, trained, etc.). However, if the "experienced" person has fulfilled contracts, has great reference letters, and has a sound understanding of Korea, I would rather select that person over a newbie.

When I am faced with recruits that do not have a clue about their own strenghts and weaknesses, I pass them by. Moreover, I do not offer them an explanation, as it is a waste of time (they would not "get it" anyway). Furthermore, considering the sheer quantity of responses, if a person can not follow simple instructions for applying or has an undesirable quality, I simply delete their email.

I hope this helps.

Austin

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

Well, I am having a hard time finding a new job and I fulfilled 2 contracts and the last school that fired me STILL gave me a letter of recommendation saying I am recommended with no hesitations for any ESL job and it says I fulfilled my contract agreement. AND...I STILL can't get hired. An employer calls me for an interview, I send a picture, and NOTHING ELSE IS SAID.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

simulated stereo · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 3:57 pm Post subject:

Princess, if I'm wrong about this, feel free to smack me around, but aren't you currently working at a university? If so, then some schools may be reluctant to hire you because they think you may demand more time off and fewer hours than they are willing to give you. I'm not saying that you ARE asking for those things, I'm just saying that the hagwons may think you will. I know a friend of mine who worked for three years at a national university took a year off and then decided to come back. Since he decided to come back around October, he couldn't get another uni job and he tried to get a hagwon job. But the hagwons wouldn't hire him. He asked why, and several said he would ask for too much, which wasn't true. He would have been happy with whatever.
Just stick with it. There are good jobs out there both in unis and hagwons.

itchy · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Busan