Korean Job Discussion Forums

[reactionary]

Sorry for all the questions lately..I'm usually not like this!

Anyway wondering when/how long it will take to find out what school I'm placed at. Apparently my contract isn't ready yet, but I'm guessing from the sample contract that school specifics are not on that.

To be honest, if I am given an elementary school in a remote corner of Seoul (Sorry sorry gangseo and nowon), I probably will be a no-show. If I can get either a secondary school or a downtown location, then I'll go for it...

Just not that desperate to get back to Korea, I guess.

[gogohorrorshow]

Yeah, i'm wondering about my SMOE placement as well. I've never been to Seoul before, so what are the crap places you're thinking of? I'm not too gung-ho about going at the moment either so i'm trying to weigh my options here.

How does that work, being a no-show? Like if you sign the contract and get all the paperwork in, and then you just decide not to show up after all? Is that really bad? I mean its obviously a breach of contract, will there be any legal action they'll take?

[reactionary]

I can predict this thread is going to get a lot of hate.

I've never been a no show or anything, in fact I completed 2 year+ long contracts because I'm a fairly reliable person (or maybe I just wanted that big fat severance pay check), but I also don't want to set myself up for a bad year. Anyway, if you don't show, I'd say expect angry e-mails and don't even think about job-hunting in Korea ever again.

It's not so much that they're "crap" areas, it's just that Seoul is a big city, and if you're on the other side from where you want to be, it can be a LONG trip (are there any express trains yet? there should be). And, unfortunately, I'm the type of person who tends to pass out on the night's last train (no, not involving alcohol).

But, really, it's more important for me that I work at a secondary school, which I stated fairly clearly in my interview.

[prideofidaho]

You will probably find out when all of us SMOErs did. The last few days of orientation.

And, I asked for secondary after my first contract and got elem. Friends who asked for elem straight up got secondary.

[climber159]

When I worked for SMOE I learned, half-way through the useless orientation, that I would be in southern Seoul. (Yeah, really narrows it down. Thanks.) The last day, we all piled into the bus to go meet our co-teachers. I met mine, they drove me to my apartment. That's when I learned where I was and what school I would be teaching at.

As for whether you'll be at an elementary, middle, or high school, you will know at the beginning of orientation. At least that's when I found out.

[reactionary]

HAhaha, OK, I figured as much - they're smarter than I gave em credit for! Well, smart enough not to give any potentially bad news BEFORE the new teachers' flights take off!

As for secondary/elem placement, I'm sure they just play darts to decide!

[prideofidaho]

[Xuanzang]

[cruisemonkey]

The Ks are many things but one thing they're not is stupid. They're not going to tell you where you're going for two reasons:
1. it would allow you some sort of control; and,
2. they don't yet know.

Believe me... they don't throw darts. As 'prideofidaho' has been told, placement is based on 'objective' merit and qualifications. All the principals and a SMOE rep. meet in a conference room with your pictures and have a 'reverse auction'... 'warm face' = kind = worth more = a 'fatter' white envelope for SMOE rep.

Of course, literally having a warm face is a guarantee of being quarantined, and figuratively having a 'warm face' means the chances of your principal believing in his psychic ability (and fan death) are 99.999%.

Roll the dice... or not. It's up to you.

[Xuanzang]

As 'prideofidaho' has been told, placement is based on 'objective' merit and qualifications. All the principals and a SMOE rep. meet in a conference room with your pictures and have a 'reverse auction'... 'white, blonde female face' = kind = worth more = a 'fatter' white envelope for SMOE rep.

That`s the ticket

[Spy Guy]

[JJJ]

[fakeplastiktree]

Can a person with a "good look" really be given a more desirable placement just because of their appearance? I've got blond hair, blue eyes, a year of teaching experience, and CELTA so I'm just wondering if that means I stand a better chance of getting a more desirable school and/or more central location? I certainly don't condone their tendency to base so much on appearance but if it works to my favour, I'm not complaining!

Also, would someone with CELTA (that requested secondary school) be more likely to get placed in a high school, considering this is a TEFL certificate specifically aimed at teaching adults?

[valkerie]

[iggyb]

I'm going through this as well, but I have more confidence I'll get a high school based on the interview. I could easily be wrong, but I at least have some feel for it based on the conversation and my experience.

I'm a high school teacher in the US and just finished a MA-T (teaching - English) degree and have certification for secondary school.

I also have 4 years of experience in hakwons in Korea from the late 1990s.

During the interview, they asked specific questions about high school classes - like how I'd handle 32-38 high school students in one class - and so on.

If they end up putting me in an elementary school, we'll have to have some serious talks about it. I'd probably insist on a transfer, because I'm not new to teaching, and going back to teach young kids like I did at a couple of hakwons would take a fundamental shift in my approach. It wouldn't make sense for me or SMOE to put me in an elementary school..

...And I think they won't...

...but we'll cross bridges when we come to them...