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biomathChris
Joined: 16 Feb 2009
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 Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:06 pm Post subject: Interested in Korea |
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Hello all, my first post here on the forums  ...
I have been reading through the posts and they are extremely helpful and I would first of all like to thank everyone for all the information you provide.
I am just finishing the last year of my degree and I am thinking of coming to Korea to teach. I have quite a bit of teaching experience as I was a volunteer teacher in a high school.
So I will start with just a few questions:
1. I see there is mixed reviews about whether or not to use a recruiter. I do not know much about the system so I thought it might be useful. I also want to work for the government so I think SMOE and stuff requires a recruiter?
2. I read a lot about this so called "Co-op" housing. Is this only a problem in Seoul or is there co-op housing everywhere?
3. I'm not looking to work directly in Seoul, is it easier to get jobs in other cities?
4. With the state of the WON are salaries increasing or decreasing? I see some jobs are not even offering flights anymore, which is a big expense.
Thanks to everyone!
Chris |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: Interested in Korea |
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| biomathChris wrote: |
Hello all, my first post here on the forums ...
I have been reading through the posts and they are extremely helpful and I would first of all like to thank everyone for all the information you provide.
I am just finishing the last year of my degree and I am thinking of coming to Korea to teach. I have quite a bit of teaching experience as I was a volunteer teacher in a high school.
So I will start with just a few questions:
1. I see there is mixed reviews about whether or not to use a recruiter. I do not know much about the system so I thought it might be useful. I also want to work for the government so I think SMOE and stuff requires a recruiter?
2. I read a lot about this so called "Co-op" housing. Is this only a problem in Seoul or is there co-op housing everywhere?
3. I'm not looking to work directly in Seoul, is it easier to get jobs in other cities?
4. With the state of the WON are salaries increasing or decreasing? I see some jobs are not even offering flights anymore, which is a big expense.
Thanks to everyone!
Chris |
1. If you're applying from overseas you'll likely have to use a recruiter. Just be very clear about what you do and don't want, and set up a new email account you can delete after you already have a job (because they'll be sending you ads for years).
2. It's fairly rare, and something I'd rather avoid myself.
3. It's generally easier, yes.
4. Salaries don't seem to be increasing much. The drop in the won seems to be off-set by the lack of jobs for young people in the west, in the current employment market. |
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berrieh
Joined: 10 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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You seem to be mixing up SMOE. It's only in Seoul.
As for pay, SMOE, EPIK, and GEPIK have their own scales. They're published, along with the benefits offered. Some now offer 1.3 instead of airfare--for me, that wouldn't cover the airfare (it'd cover most of it). Just something to think on. |
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biomathChris
Joined: 16 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| When is it best to start looking for a recruiter? I here Canada2Korea is a good one. I live close to Toronto so if anyone knows a good one in that area... |
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asams
Joined: 17 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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if you're looking for public school I think they start recruiting in June. Hagwon's recruit year-round
You have to have your actual diploma though. You have to send a copy, or the original, to the immigration office to acquire an E2. Will you have that by the time you want to be over here?
Are you looking to send money home? Because if you are public school might not be the best way to go. You could do it, it'll just be tight. |
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biomathChris
Joined: 16 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, I get my diploma in the first week of June if not a little earlier then that.
The only reason I am thinking about Public School is that I hear so many horror stories about Hagwons and I fear that I may not get paid etc. I guess its risk vs. reward. I do have to send money home, unfortunately Student loans will be the death of me.
I am not totally opposed to Hagwons, I mean I am sure there are good ones out there. I suppose a recruiter would know if they were good or not? |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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| biomathChris wrote: |
Yes, I get my diploma in the first week of June if not a little earlier then that.
The only reason I am thinking about Public School is that I hear so many horror stories about Hagwons and I fear that I may not get paid etc. I guess its risk vs. reward. I do have to send money home, unfortunately Student loans will be the death of me.
I am not totally opposed to Hagwons, I mean I am sure there are good ones out there. I suppose a recruiter would know if they were good or not? |
No, but he will no which ones pay the best commissions. Never take a recruiter's word about what is a 'good school'. |
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asams
Joined: 17 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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| No, but he will no which ones pay the best commissions. Never take a recruiter's word about what is a 'good school'. |
agreed. the best way to find out if a hagwon is good or bad is to talk to the old teachers (i.e., the ones who no longer work there)
if you can find these guys then they'll give you answers
current teachers would be second best. if the recruiter or the school won't give you emails of the current or old teachers then run |
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nate2008
Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| biomathChris wrote: |
| I am not totally opposed to Hagwons, I mean I am sure there are good ones out there. I suppose a recruiter would know if they were good or not? |
Nooooooooo, big mistake here. Don't count on a recruiter to tell you if a hagwon is good or not. They only make money if they actually get you to a hagwon, so you can bet they will tell you every hagwon is good to get you to sign with one.
My advice: don't work for a hagwon. Go with public school. Us public schoolers get boatloads of time off, and our job is so much less stressful than a hagwon can be. |
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biomathChris
Joined: 16 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Are public school jobs harder to get?? Does it depend on the area .. say smaller city? |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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| biomathChris wrote: |
| Are public school jobs harder to get?? Does it depend on the area .. say smaller city? |
Public school jobs in small towns have been very easy to get lately - just make sure you know what you're getting yourself into (i.e. there may be very little in the way of English about and you'll have to plan and do everything yourself). |
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Perceptioncheck
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| nate2008 wrote: |
| biomathChris wrote: |
| I am not totally opposed to Hagwons, I mean I am sure there are good ones out there. I suppose a recruiter would know if they were good or not? |
Nooooooooo, big mistake here. Don't count on a recruiter to tell you if a hagwon is good or not. They only make money if they actually get you to a hagwon, so you can bet they will tell you every hagwon is good to get you to sign with one.
My advice: don't work for a hagwon. Go with public school. Us public schoolers get boatloads of time off, and our job is so much less stressful than a hagwon can be. |
My advice; don't listen to people who speak for everyone because chances are they could be wrong. Not all public schoolers get 'boatloads of time off' and some people find teaching thirty plus students without any support very stressful. |
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D.D.
Joined: 29 May 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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With my overtime at my PS job I make more than most hogwan teachers and I get two decent holidays a year. Also last year we had a 10 day and a 6 day holiday extra on top of the other two holidays.
I don't get desk time during holiday periods so I am lucky. Public schools are always looking for teachers. |
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nate2008
Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Perceptioncheck wrote: |
| nate2008 wrote: |
| biomathChris wrote: |
| I am not totally opposed to Hagwons, I mean I am sure there are good ones out there. I suppose a recruiter would know if they were good or not? |
Nooooooooo, big mistake here. Don't count on a recruiter to tell you if a hagwon is good or not. They only make money if they actually get you to a hagwon, so you can bet they will tell you every hagwon is good to get you to sign with one.
My advice: don't work for a hagwon. Go with public school. Us public schoolers get boatloads of time off, and our job is so much less stressful than a hagwon can be. |
My advice; don't listen to people who speak for everyone because chances are they could be wrong. Not all public schoolers get 'boatloads of time off' and some people find teaching thirty plus students without any support very stressful. |
Chris, ignore this perception check guy, he's obviously one of the dave's posters that either A) got really unlucky and placed into a crappy public school or B) is one of the people who can't handle living in Korea and shouldn't be here in the first place, so he takes out his frustration with life by posting hostile comments that are not in any way helpful to people like yourself.
Most of my friends here are public school teachers, and every single one is extremely happy with their schools. Odds are that if you go with public school, everything I said will be true. Yes, class sizes are large, so be prepared to deal with it, but know that you will probably have a co-teacher in the room with you. And you will teach a fraction of the amount of time that hagwon workers teach. |
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Perceptioncheck
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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| nate2008 wrote: |
| Perceptioncheck wrote: |
| nate2008 wrote: |
| biomathChris wrote: |
| I am not totally opposed to Hagwons, I mean I am sure there are good ones out there. I suppose a recruiter would know if they were good or not? |
Nooooooooo, big mistake here. Don't count on a recruiter to tell you if a hagwon is good or not. They only make money if they actually get you to a hagwon, so you can bet they will tell you every hagwon is good to get you to sign with one.
My advice: don't work for a hagwon. Go with public school. Us public schoolers get boatloads of time off, and our job is so much less stressful than a hagwon can be. |
My advice; don't listen to people who speak for everyone because chances are they could be wrong. Not all public schoolers get 'boatloads of time off' and some people find teaching thirty plus students without any support very stressful. |
Chris, ignore this perception check guy, he's obviously one of the dave's posters that either A) got really unlucky and placed into a crappy public school or B) is one of the people who can't handle living in Korea and shouldn't be here in the first place, so he takes out his frustration with life by posting hostile comments that are not in any way helpful to people like yourself.
Most of my friends here are public school teachers, and every single one is extremely happy with their schools. Odds are that if you go with public school, everything I said will be true. Yes, class sizes are large, so be prepared to deal with it, but know that you will probably have a co-teacher in the room with you. And you will teach a fraction of the amount of time that hagwon workers teach. |
There you go again, Nate-oh. Making assumptions that are pretty far off the mark. I could assume that you're a recent college grad at your first job, having your first proper overseas experience and have your head so far up your own ass you can't see the light of day. But that would be petty of me, so I won't.
I am not a guy, I am quite happy in my public school and also reasonably happy with my life in Korea. HOWEVER, I know a considerable number of people who have had big issues with their public schools and, in the interests of fairness, feel inclined to point this out when people start making broad generalizations that are - in my experience - untrue. |
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