Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shostahoosier]

Does teaching abroad open any career doors for you...besides education?

[alphakennyone]

It did not help me whatsoever. I can't find decent work at all. Whether it's because of my teaching abroad experience, the current economy, or both, I'm not sure.

[tob55]

[Chambertin]

A: Yes, but see B
B: Depends on job

The US State Department gives a lot of credit to those who lived and worked overseas, but you get lots more if you can really speak the language. Korean is currently a super critical needs language.

Many other organizations have desire for those with international experience, that�s why I'm still moving around. I will tell you this though:
If you don�t learn something about the language and culture expect living aboard to be not much more than an ooooh aaaah story at the water cooler back in your home country.

[Goku]

[shostahoosier]

I want to learn as much Korean as possible....I'm hoping to get a basic amount down before I go (I'll be using the "Integrated Korean" textbooks)

[Ukon]

[Chambertin]

Think about the people you deal with at immigration and the other places in Korea.
�We don�t know you should call Korean immigration.� Was my favorite response to a visa question from the Chicago consulate.
Now think about how we have the "Learn English or Die" method to most of our immigration services.

If you can pass the basic test, you are in there like swimwear.
Language adds bonus points and fast to the basic civil service exam. Having international experience bumps you up to the front of those who get to take the exam.

[The_Source]

Here's how teaching in Korea can help your future career outside teaching:

1) Save money.

2) Using the money you saved:

a) get an advanced degree, or

b) offer to temporarily work somewhere for free to gain experience in that field, while you're living off of the money you saved.

Just be sure that, in the case of either a) or b) it's something you REALLY want to do with your life.

[typo]

[WendyRose]

I'm a journalist and it has opened many doors for me, especially when it comes to travel writing. I've also begun writing a lot on ESL teaching itself which has proven to be good for me (both as a writer and financially speaking).

I think that you can use the experience to your benefit no matter your career path, though. Play up your ability to adapt to rigorous situations that place out out of your comfort zone, mention the skills you picked up when it comes to communicating with myriad people and also talk about your willingness to learn and grow as a person. Sounds cheesy, I know, but your experience abroad will set you apart from others and will help potential bosses remember your face and name. Never a bad thing. I say play it up.

[Ukon]

There has to be at least some corporations that work with enough korean companies that knowing korean would be a huge plus....

If there isn't any kyopos with good Korean applying for a job, your probably in like flint.

[friendoken]

[PatrickGHBusan]

Yes it can open doors but you have to be the one to take the steps that will open these doors.

It won't just happen automatically. Basically you get out of your international experience what you put into it. You sit in a hakwon playing bingo and not ugrading your qualifications for 4 years and you just wasted 4 years. That experience will do next to nothing for you, even in Korea because the truly good jobs require references, qualifications and credentials.

If you want to move ahead at all you need to start working at it: network, upgrade your qualifications, advance your credentials, learn Korean if you can.

I can say my time in Korea paid off in a big way and opened doors I did not even know were there. On the flip side, I know people in Korea who have been there 10 years (I was there 10 years myself) or longer who are jumping from one dead-end teaching job to the other and have not moved forward one bit...this includes saving and investing as these people amazingly have not put much away.

So..OP..what you need is to figure out a plan and set goals and work towards those. These goals should not be immovable or unchangeable but they should be something you strive for.

You can also make a decent career out of ESL itself in Korea or in other nations. Korea offers many ESL opportunities that are open to those people who know where to look and how to present themselves. I can provide one example of a friend of mine from Canada. I met this person in Busan in the early part of the fall of 2000. He was a hakwon teacher at the end of his 2nd contract. He married a Korean woman from Seoul he met through his friends. He moved back to Canada in 2001 and upgraded his qualifications to a M.A. in Education. He had studied Korean while in Busan and Seoul and reached intermediate level. He pursued this in Canada and by 2003 he was at expert level. He worked as a trainer for a few companies sending people to asia (mostly corporations) for a few years. They had a daughter and wanted to move to Korea for a few years so she could get to know her Korean roots. He did not wish to go back to ESL Teaching. His experience in Korea, coupled with his linguistic abilities in Korea, upgraded qualifications and experience landed him the position of Superviror of training, Orientation and Public Relations with a large Hakwon chain. What does he do now?

He runs the training and orientention department of that company. This department takes care of all the foreign teachers on staff at this company, across Busan and Daegu. He organizes and coordinates training, workshops, coordinates with recruiters the company uses and is also working with a staff to deal with public relations with the Korean government and with various US schools on partnership programs. He makes a great salary and was offered a competive benefits package.

Why?

Because he took his time in Korea and did something with it.

Up to you OP.

I could add that my time in Korea led me to start a flourishing consulting agency that still thrives today and ultimately to a public service job in Canada that came my way through contacts and specifically because of my experiences, qualifications and credentials. In my time in Korea I also cleared my debts (first 2 years), bought a house in Canada that was paid off in under 10 years, invested profitably, learned Korean to fluency level and more....but that takes effort, dedication and sticking to your goals.

[Chambertin]

[quote="typo]... Korean isn't a super critical needs--it's a critical needs. ... [/quote]

Thanks much for the update. My info was quite a few months old.