Korean Job Discussion Forums

hagwonnewbie · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Asia

I've met a few people who had decent university jobs outside of Seoul who only had Bachelor's degrees. There was a guy with a degree in Art History or something who had a sweet gig (2.7 mil, 12 hours/week teaching, four months vacation) in the first city I lived in. I was wondering how common this is.

Do you know of any other people who have pulled it off?

Maneki Neko · Joined: 15 May 2009

It's perfectly possible, but you cannot go straight to a university job without prior experience.

Most people with good uni jobs got them through their contacts.

pandemic902 · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Dorim-dong, Seoul

I'm not personally (is it just me, or did competition for uni jobs ramp up this semester?) but my girlfriend and about 15 other friends/acquaintances are working at unis in Seoul/Anyang/Bucheon/Incheon/Yongin and none of them have MA TESOL (a few have MAs in an unrelated field)...however, I was told by a few unis that currently employ BA teachers that they would only interview instructors with MAs this time around.

I'm on the waiting list to start my MA in april... the free time and awesome schedule is desirable enough to stay in country for IMO.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

I am teaching at a university in Seoul with just a BA. There are at least 3 others at my university with just a BA, as well. Not sure how many are coming in that just have a BA (we just hired 5 more new teachers, and I haven't met them all). We now total about 10 foreigners, I believe.

Last I heard, Hongdae used to have several BA's on staff, as well, but that was a few years ago.

Previous experience is important, whether you have an MA or not. I used to teach at a private high school for a few years. That helped.

Our place starts at around 2.5 for 15 hours per week, and about 4 months vacation. In the past, we've had to teach closer to 19-21 hours per week, though (OT paid). This semester we hired so many new teachers that hours have gone down.

hagwonnewbie · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Asia

That's encouraging. I'm guessing that timing, having experience with adults and being in Korea for an interview are almost as important as having an M.A. in TESOL.

smartwentcrazy · Joined: 26 Feb 2009

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Well, if you guys could figure out the search function (or the Google/Dave's thing if the in-house search leaves you empty-handed) then you would find many answers.

Many of the people you are looking for are on their 2 1/2 month summer vacation right now and even if they were here, I doubt that they would want to re-write these things every month.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Schools generally make a short-list of applicants. Most tend to be MA's. After interviewing, and finally hiring, the top applicants may end up canceling for a better offer. We had a guy or two do that last semester, and it left us short a few teachers. By then, it was several weeks past hiring time, and classes were beginning in just a few weeks. The school became somewhat desperate, and began asking us to ask friends to apply. They got lucky, too, because a long-time teacher brought up a friend who was quickly interviewed and hired. She is both a good teacher, trilingual, and happens to be very beautiful.

Many universities encounter such situations and will grab someone who just sent in a resume, was recommended by someone, or whatever.

As for me, I was notified I had been chosen as an alternate a few days after a demo lesson. Their top person took a better offer, and the school called me back two days later to come in and sign. I also created a kick-ass flash demo CD of myself teaching. My boss saw that, and gave me a shot.