Korean Job Discussion Forums

[brassmnky48]

Hey hey, I'm new to the board, and have a few newb questions...if anyone could help me out it would be greatly appreciated.

I am currently an English major en route to graduate by about this time next year with a concentration in writing and literacy. I will not have a TESOL certification upon graduation. I've been thinking hard about taking the plunge and jetting off to Korea to teach English, but I really want to live in a big city as opposed to a small village. My preliminary plans (although admittedly ignorant plans) are to find a job in Korea and teach for a year, and at some point get my online TESOL certification. After my year is up, and I am armed with some sort of certification and a year's experience in teaching, I'd like to travel elsewhere, possibly somewhere in Europe, to teach more. I guess my questions are as follows...

1. How difficult is it to find a decent job in Seoul (or other cities) with only an English degree? When teaching in larger cities, is it still possible to get your rent paid for?

2. I understand that, obviously, a TESOL certification gained in a live classroom environment is more valuable than an online certification. How much of a difference would this make, however, coupled with a year's experience teaching English in Korea?

Thanks ahead of time for any responses, hopefully somebody can shed some light.

[bassexpander]

If you're planning to teach in Europe, you should get a Trinity or CELTA certification. They are a sort of standard there, from what I read. Be prepared to make a substantial investment to get one, however.

If you don't plan to teaching in Europe, then you need nothing for teaching here. A 100 hour TESOL course (online or whatever) may currently help you get a bump in pay of 100,000 to 200,000 won, if you work for a public school. It depends also on what pay level you are already at -- a 100 hour TESOL course may not help an MA-holder get a pay raise, for example.

If you are just going to work for a hagwon for a year, and plan on leaving this place soon after for other horizons -- save your money -- don't do a TEFL course. It's not necessary.

[brassmnky48]

Thanks for the response...the Europe thing is pretty far off on the horizon, but that info does help quite a bit. However, I am mostly interested in teaching in Seoul. I'm not real set into a certain plan, but I could see myself staying for one or two years, depending on how I adapt.

You say I need nothing to come teach at a hagwon for a year, but what about a public school? I assume that public schools pay a bit more than hagwons? (But without the advantage of free rent?)

[Otherside]

Hagwons and PS's have the same requirements: Native English speaker, passport from one of the "magic 7" countries and a Bachelors degree. There are some PS positions which don't even require a Bachelors degree but are very very low end. Both pay housing, and in general hagwon salaries are a little bit higher but require more classes and offer less vacation. Look into the countless Hagwon vs PS threads on this board for more detail.

[karri]

In Korea basically any TESOL with 120 hours will give you an edge. In public schools it means an extra 100,000 won a month (about 75usd at today's exchange rate).

If you have longterm teaching goals a CELTA or equivlent is the way to go. Even schools in South America want them now. Plus it give you an even bigger edge here.

My suggestion, get a 200$ TESOL online while you're still back home. Come here to teach and decide if it's what you wanna do. Then go do your CELTA in another country (Spain, Malaysa, Thailand).

Many Celta schools have a ESL School attached to them, so if you go and do a CELTA theer they will guarentee you a job as well. Its expensive. The ones I've seen have been starting at 1000 euros.