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vaticanhotline
Joined: 18 Jun 2009
Location: in the most decent sometimes sun
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 Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:03 am Post subject: Anyone know anything about working in Yeosu? |
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| I've been offered a job in Yeosu public school by a recruiter. She told me that they're trying to hire something like a hundred teachers to go there, so I presume that's why I didn't have to do an interview with someone from a school. I also asked her if I could speak to someone who teaches there or has taught there and she couldn't help, most likely because the recruiter's based in Seoul. Any advice anyone? I looked up Yeosu, and the recruiter, and it all seems legit but I've never been to Korea before and I'd prefer not to end up in some kind of strange situation. I guess it's a stupid question ("Should I trust this untrustworthy person?"), but from what I can gather, it's not a particular school that I'll be employed by, but the Yeosu education board. |
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warren pease
Joined: 12 May 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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Not a stupid question. However, I can't really answer it.
What i can tell you is that Yeosu is a beautiful part of Korea. There are something like a thousand Islands. I've only been there once and only for a weekend but I definitely loved it.
On the other hand, I didn't see a single other foreigner while I was there. While that was awesome for me and a big part of the reason I was going there, it could be tough for a first year.
I personally would never work for a school that I wasn't able to talk to someone who worked there. That's just my opinion, and I have never worked for a public school, so I don't know if the protocol is different.
Sorry I wasn't able to be more helpful. Enjoy Korea! |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 12:41 am Post subject: Re: Anyone know anything about working in Yeosu? |
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| vaticanhotline wrote: |
| I've been offered a job in Yeosu public school by a recruiter. She told me that they're trying to hire something like a hundred teachers to go there, so I presume that's why I didn't have to do an interview with someone from a school. I also asked her if I could speak to someone who teaches there or has taught there and she couldn't help, most likely because the recruiter's based in Seoul. Any advice anyone? I looked up Yeosu, and the recruiter, and it all seems legit but I've never been to Korea before and I'd prefer not to end up in some kind of strange situation. I guess it's a stupid question ("Should I trust this untrustworthy person?"), but from what I can gather, it's not a particular school that I'll be employed by, but the Yeosu education board. |
1. If Yeosu is trying to hire 100 foreigners, I'll start by calling the pope's unlisted number. 
2. It's very unusual to be interviewed by the actual school when applying for a PS position. In most public schools, the K-English teachers do not possess the verbal ability to do so - that's why you're (going to be) there.
3. I guarantee you will end up in a "strange situation" (not necessarily 'bad'). When applying from overseas, PS jobs in K-land are a total 'crapshoot'. 'Success or failure' will depend (approx. 50-50) on your adaptability/resoursefulness as much as the attitudes/expectations of: the principal, v.p. and your co-teacher/�handler� for the school in which you will be placed.
4. You (most likely) will be a 'stranger in a strange land' with no support system and no one to talk to without struggling to understand and be understood.
5. You (most likely) will be made to feel welcome at first, and be slightly euphoric... this will wear off after about three months (the exact length of time depends on the individual). Hopefully, by the time the �honeymoon� is over, you will have made some foreign & Korean friends, and can get down to the everyday reality of controlling/educating (in that order  ) classes of aprox. 36, K kids - most of whom don't give a damn about learning English.
If you're: independent, confident in your ability and adaptable... go for it! There're a lot worse places in K-land than Yeosu.
Last edited by cruisemonkey on Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:12 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:00 am Post subject: |
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I liked Yeosu when I went there on breaks, but I've never worked there.
100 new teachers they're hiring? Check to see which category describes these jobs. All TESOL jobs can be placed in the following categories:
1. Teachers who are being added to expanding programs
2. Teachers who are replacing contract completers
3. Teachers who are replacing quitters who give notice
4. Teachers who are replacing runners
Group 1 is fine.
Group 2 is iffy and more research is needed.
Group 3 is to be researched absolutely. Never blindly accept a group-3 job. Contact former and present employees to avoid spider webs.
Group 4 is to be avoided like the plague. Not worth the trouble.
There's also a group 5, the teachers who leave a job because they're dumbasses who get arrested for working illegally. The jobs they vacate must be researched to ensure the boss(es) were not involved.
Last edited by Tobias on Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:08 am Post subject: |
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| The whole friggin' province isn't hiring 100 teachers. I'd be suprised if Yeosu-si was hiring five for September. |
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warren pease
Joined: 12 May 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:25 am Post subject: |
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| Tobias wrote: |
I liked Yeosu when I went there on breaks, but I've never worked there.
100 new teachers they're hiring? Check to see which category describes these jobs. All TESOL jobs can be placed in the following categories:
1. Teachers who are being added to expanding programs
2. Teachers who are replacing contract completers
3. Teachers who are replacing quitters who give notice
4. Teachers who are replacing runners
Group 1 is fine.
Group 2 is iffy and more research is needed.
Group 3 is to be researched absolutely. Never blindly accept a group-3 job. Contact former and present employees to avoid spider webs.
Group 4 is to be avoided like the plague. Not worth the trouble.
There's also a group 5, the teachers who leave a job because they're dumbasses who get arrested for working illegally. The jobs they vacate must be researched to ensure the boss(es) were not involved. |
And how would you suggest that OP goes about checking about these jobs? "Hello Mr. Principal, I see you have many job openings. I was wondering if the reason for these jobs is that the previous employees were unhappy..... Oh, they were unhappy? And what? You are a dishonest employer and will continue to cheat your foreign teachers? Well sir, thank you for telling me this ahead of time!" |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:15 am Post subject: |
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I'm sure principal Kim will tell the truth after you get by the school's secretary... who is fluent in English.
P.S. I checked, and Jeonam-do is hiring exactly four teachers in September. It could be a long, lonely winter (unless 96 decided to re-sign). |
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vaticanhotline
Joined: 18 Jun 2009
Location: in the most decent sometimes sun
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for your help. I thought that the hundred teachers thing sounded reasonable enough, since there's this big tourist thing going on there in 2012, but they probably said that just to get people applying. Out of curiosity, where or what is Jeonam-do? |
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chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| vaticanhotline wrote: |
| Out of curiosity, where or what is Jeonam-do? |
'Jeonnam' (I misspelled it) is just the short version of the name of the province - Jeollanam-do. The same as 'Gyeongnam' is the short version of Gyeongsangnam-do |
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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| warren pease wrote: |
| Tobias wrote: |
I liked Yeosu when I went there on breaks, but I've never worked there.
100 new teachers they're hiring? Check to see which category describes these jobs. All TESOL jobs can be placed in the following categories:
1. Teachers who are being added to expanding programs
2. Teachers who are replacing contract completers
3. Teachers who are replacing quitters who give notice
4. Teachers who are replacing runners
Group 1 is fine.
Group 2 is iffy and more research is needed.
Group 3 is to be researched absolutely. Never blindly accept a group-3 job. Contact former and present employees to avoid spider webs.
Group 4 is to be avoided like the plague. Not worth the trouble.
There's also a group 5, the teachers who leave a job because they're dumbasses who get arrested for working illegally. The jobs they vacate must be researched to ensure the boss(es) were not involved. |
And how would you suggest that OP goes about checking about these jobs? "Hello Mr. Principal, I see you have many job openings. I was wondering if the reason for these jobs is that the previous employees were unhappy..... Oh, they were unhappy? And what? You are a dishonest employer and will continue to cheat your foreign teachers? Well sir, thank you for telling me this ahead of time!" |
Conversation 1 Starter: "Hello, Mr./Ms. Present Teacher. Can you tell me about this place? What's the turnover like? Is it a spider web?"
Conversation 2 Starter: "Hello, Mr./Ms. Former Teacher. Can you tell me about that place? Why'd you leave?" |
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