Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lizjane85]

Hi, well I've just accepted a spot in a program that gives you a 120hour tesol certificate and then posts you somewhere in Korea thru EPIK....I've been searching thru posts on here about Epik but most are from 2003. i was hoping to get some info from people who are either working for them now or have recently. I'd like to know the in's and out's before i get there so i can last the year.... cheers for any help

[boatofcar]

EPIK is not a school. EPIK is a hiring agency. They place you in public schools all over Korea outside of Seoul and the GEPIK province, and you go from there. Nobody can tell you if the school EPIK places you in is going to be good or not. The good news is that you're far less likely to be screwed out of a paycheck with EPIK than working at a hagwon. There are several good and bads to working at a hagwon vs public school, all of which can be found on the FAQ board, and none of which have changed since 2003.

[Tokki1]

GEPIK recently bumped up vacation time and housing allowance but 'froze' raises, meaning that if you renew with them, you get no more cash.

Seems logical, considering the plummeting economy and rising cost of living.

*Sparkling*

Not sure about EPIC, but imagine it's just as uber/epic as the current GEPIK contract.

[yeremy]

These need to be clarified: EPIK is not a hiring agency. EPIK is the acronym for the English Program in Korea. It is a Korean government entity in the Ministry of Education. EPIK does hire teachers but it is more than just a HR department or office.

There is no such a thing in Korea as GEPIK province. The poster is referring to Gyeonggi Province which has it's own version of EPIK called GEPIK, the Gyeonggi English Program in Korea.

It would be very difficult to condense into a few paragraphs what you might need to know before coming to Korea to teach English. Learn as much as you can from your 120 TESOL certificate program but be prepared to most likely hit the road running when you land here. The most important thing is that you have to go through the recruitment process and get hired by EPIK or GEPIK or SMOE. EPIK is more rural, so if that doesn't turn you on, you should look at GEPIK or SMOE, which is in Seoul.

EPIK has it's good and bad points, some of which you can mine and figure out for yourself from the various posts on this site. A lot has been posted about EPIK since 2003.

[Tokki1]

I'd suggest applying for 'WE' (Work Elsewhere) given the current situation with the Korean economy and what little perks remain for teachers here.

[lizjane85]

yes i know EPIK is not a school, see we have no choice on the matter we get placed thru EPIK and thats why i was asking if there was anyone who has had recent problems with EPIK or not. I've been around this whole site checking out other posts and its not like i'm going into this thinking its all peaches and cream....i know not to expect that, I was just hoping for some forewarning about any issues.

[yeremy]

EPIK is not perfect, far from it, but I did get the city in the area I asked for, but not the level (elementary) I wanted to teach a year ago. I have since transferred to working in two elementary schools in my city.

Frankly, EPIK is what you make of it. The EPIK brass are not always too concerned about the NET's but you can make your placement better or worse for yourself.

Be positive and optimistic but stay grounded. You should ask for the area or city you want to live and work in, but you should be prepared to hit the ground running. You can make a less than optimal situation better and better. I did that in GEPIK and I ended up having a very good experience there for three years, which has helped me a lot in EPIK.

[vonnegutjr]

You should be able to find plenty on EPIK. Maybe you are searching from oldest to newest. Also, many posters use "PS" or "Public School(s)" who are employed through EPIK in their message headings. *F* EPIK> It's a gamble. Money is not all that great. Long hours but not many classes. Lot's of free time at work. Better than small hagwons but you can find big hagwons and some Uni's that are better. Good Luck!

[lizjane85]

thanks yeah i've asked for busan and incheon...i know pay won't be amazing which is why im not sure i can afford incheon. since this will be my first year teaching i'm looking for experience while paying off some school loans. i figure i'll learn from my mistakes and maybe get better with it in time, with EPIK do they just give you one school...finally option..or can you deny that choice and pick another school? i don't know how passive or agressive to be when it comes to schools,locations, and housing....i don't want to get denied from the program

[yeremy]

If you want to help maximize your chances to get into EPIK, you should really work on your application, especially the essay. I have heard that more than a few applicants have just written a paragraph or two for the essay. Their applications were sent back to them for finishing. Make sure that your application is the best you can make it. And if you have a face-to-face interview, dress conservatively and nicely and have all of your supporting documents ready for them to look at and photocopy if they want, especially your diploma, transcripts and ESL certificates.

Second, don't be too picky about your location. Go rural rather than urban. The EPIK program actually wants to place more people at their rural schools, which do not have a native English teacher. Many people want to be placed in a larger city like Pusan, Incheon, Daejeon or Daegu thus the competition for those positions is greater than if you asked to be placed in Angye. Angye, where the heck is that? (It's in Gyeongsangbuk do.) If you do decide to go rural, first pick the province you would like to live in and then ask to be placed in the bigger cities in that province.

Third, don't be picky about what level you want to teach, but in my experience, if they want to hire you, they will put you wherever the EPIK manager wants to put you. Many current EPIK teachers seem to be teaching at either a middle or a high school.

[Lostone7]

NO !!

Seems to get worse and worse every year!

Sux too as I liked the places I worked.

[matthews_world]

PS gigs can be if not one of the most 'secure' positions in Korea.

Make sure when you do your TESL that you get advice on how to teach large classes. In my case, most of the planning is done by the co-teacher and the NET can give ideas accordingly.

I had a dispute today about my contract. Berievement leave is 7 days for a parent's death, a whopping 5 days for your own child's, but they allow nothing for a grandparent. Go figure. I had to take it from my vacation days instead.

[Lostone7]

[Sody]

[cruisemonkey]

EPIK contracts get worse every year. They don't care because they know there's a whole new crop of naive newbies who have nothing to compare 'it' to.

As with all bureaucracies, it's better to be perceived to be doing something than to actually accomplish something.