Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Evese]

Hi guys,

I'm new here to Daves ESL and was just wondering if you good people could help me out at all.

I'm currently considering heading out to Korea and was thinking of using the recruiter 'Reach to teach'. My friend who is a little futher along in the application process than me has been offered a place to teach at an 'Avalon' school in Seol.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with 'Reach to Teach' and with 'Avalon school?

Thanks a lot

[D.D.]

Take a public school job and there is many to choose from. Stay away from hogwans.

[Evese]

[sojourner1]

There are problems with most jobs, but usually not too severe. It usually boils down to problems like late pay or wrong amount, but most of the time these issues can be fixed and will be one of the most stressful elements of your job. Another common problem is a lack of communication between you and the employer due to the employer not wanting to talk to you any more than giving you your schedule and telling you changes at the very last minute.

You have problems in public school jobs too, but usually not as stressful nor as hard work as hagwon in my experienced opinion. Despite having a better time in public school than hagwon, I'm still dealing with issues like school not paying in NPS, late pay, shorted pay, and even getting taken for run by someone in the local electric company office though that ones tough to prove and fighting with them is like talking to a brick wall. Public schools love that free money and free time you'll be giving Korean teachers, but they probably won't love having you and may spend the English funds before they're paid to you so they scramble jamble up the money to pay you late, becuase in public school you can go above their heads and get them in trouble should they try to withhold money owed to you.

The suits love soju soaked nights on the school and just live to smoke, drink, and gossip. They often feel like they're entitled to a free way to go on the government. You'll find their irresponsibility often leaves them tense, stressed, leather faced, and very exhausted. They don't come off as being friendly one bit even if your considerate enough to say hi to them. They won't directly talk you down like a westerner, but they'll do more subtle things like shut your copy machine off in the middle of a run, close out your onscreen windows, and make teeth sucking sounds. Korea just acts preposterous when it comes to English and the money, but Korea has lots of excess money flowing due to it's export economic model successes so they can afford to play around.

You'll get very little genuine respect regardless of whether you're a great teacher approaching this gig with professionalism and sincerity or just a complete idiot. You will get a great deal of phony respect, but it's a saving image thing out of personal and patriotic pride for their country. You're handsome good looks will take you far in being popular, but so much is very phony surrounding the English and it plays out like a soap opera where you'll just receive more camera flashes as you teach. If you look really good, don't expect it to make you immune to pay issues and business related corruptions. You'll be judged in light of Hollywood celebrities and will be photographed incessantly while you teach, uh I mean entertain those cute little Korean people. I'm slightly disappointed, because I thought there was a real professional career in the subject, "doing business in Asia," but this isn't so. Business schools are selling a big lie to those who want to travel in their careers. I would classify this job to be in the entertainment industry rather than education even though their schools employ us. OK, it's definitely in the international business arena to a certain extent, but it's edutainment to be precise and you'll always get funny munny games played on you by funny queer styled folks. Don't compare this to or expect out of this job to a teaching job in the West. It's not a real professional teaching job, but it's a gig to go fly away and travel to see the world. Hey, it pays real money...

Enjoy your year and get out there to travel.

As for Reach to Teach, probably just another recruiter as they're a dime a dozen like the jobs are.

[D.D.]

Nothing worse than begging and waiting for your pay and being blamed for low class numbers.

I just make the suggestion to stay away from hogwans but if you want to learn by experience go for it and maybe you will find a good hogwan.

Good luck . No reason to discuss it more as there are so many other posts on the subject.

[afsjesse]

Take it from me: STAY AWAY FROM CRAPWONS!!!

I did almost a year in Busan and while I loved the city, the job was a nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS are great in my opinion. My school treats me well and everything is paid on time in the right amount. Not sure about this recruiter of yours. If you have trouble, use ESL PLanet. www.esl-planet.com

Suerte,
Jesse

[Toon Army]

[ChinaBoy]

You don't need a recruiter to work at Avalon. All the big chains have their own websites to apply directly to them.

[Toon Army]