Korean Job Discussion Forums

Troll_Bait

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/01/113_38044.html

sojourner1 · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:31 am Post subject:

Yep, that's how it's been at home for quite some time. While most college grads are employable, it usually means a low paying job to make ends meet with keeping hope in positive light or it means boomeranging back home still with high hopes of an exciting professional career full of exciting opportunities. Companies are looking to hire experienced candidates; not newbies. For at least 7 or 8 years, they're not interested in investing in and developing newbies, because there's a huge pool of experienced talent in the market in most career fields. Nursing is about all that's demanding newbies except the ESL in Asia. The ESL one is quite a good one for those who like to travel, but still not sure what sort of career track we're embarking on. I have high hopes this experience can develop into bigger and greater things later in life. You really learn a lot out this experience more than you would of the McJob or non-rewarding job at home.

What we've been seeing go on in America since about 2000 is becoming a global phenomenon and it downright blows. Job market blows.

Korea is only a micro sized demonstration of what's going on in America and many other places. Their isn't enough wealth being passed along to the newbies for the older selfish stingy greedy hands are holding onto it. The less young to middle aged adults produce, the lower the economy goes. The less activity, the less new opportunities and wealth being produced. This, unfortunately is the sign of the times we live in. It's not the robust 20th century any more.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Yep, I should've saved all that tuition money and learnt how to drive a forklift. I'd be way richer right now.

Rusty Shackleford · Joined: 08 May 2008

sojourner1 · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 6:24 am Post subject:

Well, Rusty man, it's plausible to be positive, but I must say everything is finite. It will take new endeavors, new investments, new ventures, and new projects to put more out there for us and the kids as they come along. The old got what they got and they're taking it to the grave with them, if not spending it all on their quest for immortality. The health care industry is the only thing booming now days back home. While the old people worked, the opportunity was there for them; not all employers telling them they're no good, becuase they lacked experienced.

Of course it was better 40 years ago, where you didn't have to worry so much about not being employed and being outpriced. In these changing times we live in today, our money does not go as far and pay is stagnating and even decreasing. It's a crap system while the rich get richer. It's true. Easy to not feel it if you're living in some kind of protective bubble like having wealthy or decently successful relatives who help you out.

When it comes to that, I only wish someone would send me some damned new Fruit of the loom or a care package, shit. They'se all too poor and busy......... Go figure.....

Rusty Shackleford · Joined: 08 May 2008

[quote="sojourner1

Of course it was better 40 years ago, where you didn't have to worry so much about not being employed and being outpriced. .
[/quote]

How old are you? What information are you basing the assumption that life was better 40 years ago on?

I don't have any fear of being unemployed, because I know that the skills I have are inherently useful. I know that I don't have to rely on others for a job because I will be able to get by on the skills I have.

Rusty Shackleford · Joined: 08 May 2008

Paji eh Wong · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

kcs0001 · Joined: 24 Jul 2005

I never aspired to be a grease monkey, but my younger brother in AZ is still making pretty good money as an ASE certified auto tech for Toyota.
He only did 1 year trade school after high school but Toyota paid for Toyota Professional Automotive Technician (TPAT) cert. He can work as much overtime as he wants, but only works 6 days. Lots of side work.
Pre tax he makes about $100K, but 45-50% goes to Fed,State, county, city tax so he makes it up on side work.

madoka · Joined: 27 Mar 2008

Bigfeet · Joined: 29 May 2008 Location: Grrrrr.....

jennzy · Joined: 12 Jan 2009

its really sad Sad

because ive seen jobs decline so fast in the past year with the economic recession.

unless one is to become a family doctor, there is no hope in getting a job in korea as well...

teacher's colleges in ontario are telling the students that for the next 5 years they will not be getting a stable job. hence, i plan on taking my sweet time travelling, working abroad before applying for teacher's college. (my current plan, teach in korea for 1 year, then come home and get a full time retail job and volunteer lots then apply to teacher's college)

semi-fly · Joined: 07 Apr 2008

kotakji · Joined: 23 Oct 2006

michaelambling · Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Location: Paradise

My story:

I got my B.A. in English in 1999 and, bright-eyed and full of stories of graduate jobs making 40k a year, I moved to my home town to look for work. Everyone told me I was either overqualified or lacked experience, so I spent a year going from temp job to temp job, then doing commission-based sales jobs. That really sucked, because I hate trying to sell people stuff they don't need/want (and if they need/want it, they don't need a salesman).

So then I went back to school, got a scholarship to do an M.A., then another scholarship to do a Ph.D. Now I was set for a life in academia, which was fine--few working hours, easy work mostly full of trying to impress not-too-clever people with rather low standards. No prob. I get my Ph.D., publish a few things, and get ready to get a job in a university.

Then the economic crisis hit. I applied to about 35 universities; of those, 7 replied back and told me they had a hiring freeze, and I heard that another 5 had hiring freezes put in place. Rumors and analysts agree that the job market will be even tighter next year.

Then I look into TEFL, which isn't that far removed from what I wanted to teach anyway, and all of a sudden there is this HUGE market of well-paying jobs. Most people in Korea don't realize how good they have it. With the low taxes, severance bonuses, and free apartment, someone earning 3 million KRW a month is making about the same as a starting assistant professor in NYC is making ($64,000), if one assumes the exchange rate improves sometime soon. I'm comparing a university job in Korea with one in America--it seems that the hagwon/public school teaching jobs aren't quite as good.

So, in short: things are bad in America, and native speakers are blessed that they can get such good, easy jobs in Asia, as long as they don't mind living in a foreign country.