Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bixlerscott]

It's too bad it has to be this way with the economy and job market. Don't even think about looking at the stock markets as a gauge of how good or bad things are as they're skewed by the ultra rich. 2 million won was my gross pay over 2 years ago and the exchange rate was like 950 won to the U$ dollar. The apartment is roughly worth about a quarter of your income so consider yourself to be making 2.5 a month or about $2000 US per month. Car or not, this is a $25,000 a year job. Shouldn't I be doing better than this 5 years out of uni?

Back home, it's difficult to rent a place for less than $500 a month despite pay being equally low or even lower as one of you mentioned with BK jobs. Despite getting a pay raise, I, like many of you, am paid 25% less in reality due to the won's devaluation and significant inflation. I'd really love to move on into a more exciting better paying career and am researching skilled trades that may be viable options as I want to base myself at home as well as find a way to climb and move a mountain. Surely I can do better than Burger King or Macy's, but manage $3000 or more per month in a skilled trade. I still want to take international trips, but I just no longer want to live full time on the other side unless it offers a professional income.

[E_athlete]

[PRagic]

The friends I have have made Korea work for them. They have taken one of several basic approaches:

1a. Those who know they don't want to be teachers: Get a job, bank, pay off debt, and then transition back to home country after three years max. It's never easy making the transition, but most I know have done it, and the lack of debt and some seed money made it better than trying it right out of university. Plus, they wanted to see a bit of the world before selling their souls.

1b. Those who know they don't want to be teachers, but also know they don't want to work in their home country. Same basic course of action, but instead of transitioning back to a home country, these people have transitioned into a non-teaching industry sector here in Korea. It's possible if you look around, and there are several posters on this board who have gone this route.

2a. Those who know they want to be teachers: Get a job, bank, pay off debt, and continue to angle for resume pumping positions. Along the way, continue to accumulate degrees and certifications. Some write books or papers to boot, anything to continue to build their professional experience and keep them viable. Some stay for 3 years or so, some do over a decade. Those who do over a decade by-and-large transition back when they get a job lined up. They then either pay cash for a house in their home county, or finance with a small mortgage. With their degrees and experience, they're the ones that other people are worried about competing against!

2b. Those who know they want to be teachers and know that they want to work in Korea (or elsewhere, but not their home country): Same process as above, but they settle into a higher tiered level of employment in Korea or elsewhere. Some get on-going university positions, some stay in the public schools, some go to foreign schools, and some go it on their own and open 'study rooms' or even their own hakwon.

Over the years, the biggest problem I've seen people encounter is indecisiveness. You need a goal and you need a plan. You don't need a rut. I think the 'newbie' in our crowd has been here over 10 years, and he would agree that time does indeed fly by. If you are going to teach, get those degrees knocked out. If you are going to make a move, make the move. Remember that anyone can gripe and moan, but the people who succeed, and here you can supplement your own definition for success, are those who establish solutions. You don't want to be scrambling for employment options or trying to upgrade your skill set when you're older; when you're older, you want to be enjoying the payoff.

[AgentM]

[Demophobe]

[DCJames]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Real Reality]

Korea: Education at a Glance 2008: OECD Indicators--Indicator D3: How much are teachers paid?
(Note: in equivalent USD converted using PPPs)

--Primary Education--
Starting Salary: 30,528
Salary after 15 years experience: 52,666
Salary at the top of the scale: 84,262
Ratio of salary after 15 years of experience to GDP per capita: 2.29

--Secodary Education--
Starting Salary: 30,405
Salary after 15 years experience: 52,543
Salary at the top of the scale: 84,139
Ratio of salary after 15 years of experience to GDP per capita: 2.28
Table D3.1. Teachers' salaries (2006)--Annual statutory teachers' salaries in public institutions at starting salary, after 15 years of experience and at the top of the scale by level of education, in equivalent USD converted using PPPs
Last updated: 04-Sep-2008
Excel File for download: http://ocde.p4.siteinternet.com/publications/doifiles/962008041P1G025.xls
Main Website address: http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_41266761_1_1_1_1,00.html

Teachers' salaries -- From The Economist (Sep 27th 2007)
http://www.economist.com/markets/indicators/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9867632

[ReeseDog]

[madoka]

By taking the Korea ESL route, you are effectively removing yourself from the work force and accepting a dead end job. Although it was slow going in the beginning, I stuck it out in the U.S. and I made sure to prove myself invaluable to each of my employers. So I have standing offers of employment at three different companies/offices if I were to ever decide to return. Too many people act like "meat in the seat" instead of showing employers why they need you. Most NETs seem content playing games and doing the minimum amount of work possible. Then they whine about how bad their situations are. Kudos to those that actually try to improve themselves through further training and certification. I rarely see those guys complain about their situations, but rather they are busy looking for better opportunities.

[alphakennyone]

[E_athlete]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[alphakennyone]