Korean Job Discussion Forums

deusbelli · Joined: 18 Oct 2007

If your job in Korea doesn't workout for whatever reason, how hard is it to get a new job without having to fly all the way back home? What documents will you need on hand and can your old boss stop you from getting a new job? If I come to Korea for work, I want a solid backup plan in case my employer is unscrupulous.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Guerciotti · Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 4:57 pm Post subject: Re: Changing Jobs

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

It's a mixed issue. Obviously having my degree is more convenient, but I want to also shape my life where I am not dependent on preparing for the "worst".

What is the worst? Usually, you will see threads like this starting already claiming fear of a bad hagwon bogeyman.

It's justified, just not the whole picture.

I am in a situation where I am grounded basically (financially and contractually). I could get up and leave, I could stay. Some days it seems like it could go 50/50. There are no guarantees. Even the most experienced in this don't have a handle on every job out there. They are only working one school at a time.

I have found that going to a country the first time (Japan, and now Korea) involves changing jobs before you get the location and work environment you want. Of course, my experiences in Japan helped me filter out some crappy job offers in Korea. However, none of it prepared me for Korean culture.

I am less likely to take on a city job in Korea than Japan due to how the average boss operates in Korea. In Japan, I could simply pick and choose the schools I wanted to work with. You can't do that here. So, working in the country (doesn't have to be "extremely" rural) provides a more relaxing working environment. So, when the bad days come, I can ease through them without much stress. I felt it the same way when I lived in Boston. So, I don't think this is as much a cultural obstacle as it is learning where you fit in the grand scheme of things.

Do you like a stressful city life? Look to location first, then worry about your boss. Chances are, your boss will NOT want to see you any more than you want to see them. It's your co-workers who work with you everyday that you have to really worry about.

Those things won't come up in an interview or be mentioned in your contract. So, pick the school you feel matches you and try it out. Be as nice as you can with the school so if things really go bad, you can try to transfer schoools at the 6 month mark without having to pay for the flight.

It's also a good time to get demanding to see how much they want you around, as it will help you decide if you want to continue into the 13 month or leave.