Korean Job Discussion Forums

[vaticanhotline]

I've been trying to get a job in Korea for the last few weeks, and despite having had a number of phone interviews which seemed to go well, every time I get a sniff at a job it falls through. I don't think it should be this difficult, despite what people are saying about half of the Western world travelling to Korea. I have a BA in English, an MA in English, and I've been studying for a PhD in English for the past two years. I've also been teaching English in a university in Ireland for the last two years. I'm not incredibly picky, but I'm also not too keen on working in some hogwan where they'll make me work every Saturday and be there 12 hours a day (which, coincidentally, was one of the few serious offers I had). I might add that I have long hair, but I've also made it clear that I'll cut it if necessary (although it hasn't seemed to be too much of an impediment). Can anyone help out?

[princess]

Ummm..Your guess is as good as mine. I came here in 2006, landed a job in 6 days, and it was a school I actually wanted. I ended up staying 2 years, and wanted to stay a third, until management changed and it all went downhill for the last few months of my second year. We actually got a boss lady who rolled her eyes at us and walked away when we asked questions...a real meanie, too.

Anyways, this time, I have been here giving my hard-earned money to a motel for 20 days, and I have found zip. Another guy I met in the lobby of this motel has been here over a month. He hasn't found anything either. He even taught uni here for 2 years before and some public school, too. He thought he had a job he told me, until it fell through. He even went to one day of training, and then all of a sudden, they changed their minds. They made up some kind of bull saying he said something they didn't like...Yeah right...whatever.

I have had one interview in 20 days. I have sent out resumes and heard nothing. I have gotten some offers from recruiters for nothing but crap, blacklisted places...an I have experience, too.

And from what I have heard everyone with a useless placemat of a degree is coming here now, so jobs are harder to get. What will I do? I hate the USA and will have to be down to a few hundred bucks before I will go there again. If I can't get hired here, what will become of me? Will I have to go to dabangs and bars and beg them to let me work there in the good old dirty business? Hmmm...I am so scared of the future. I am afarid a lot of us will start doing anything to make money. We can't all have rich parents or get a job in the states by sleeping with the boss or something, the way I'm sure some people getting hired in the states right now are doing.

[myeo]

[Evanzinho]

I had been looking for the last month or so and I finally got a job just late last week. But like I said it took about a month of looking to get this job, as opposed to early 2008 where I think it took me less than a week to find a good job. I would say don't panic, you'll find what you're looking for but it's going to take longer than in the past. Have at least a month or two worth of money for living expenses in the bank.

[sigmundsmith]

I dont know what kind of positions you have applied for but did you try SMOE/GEPIK programs?

Korea has been complaining about English teachers coming to this country with unsuitable qualifications and no experience. You on the other hand are not part of that mold.

Depending on where you have applied I may say that you are too over qualified and they maybe intimidated by you and afraid that their program that they offer to the students is lacking and you will see through it and become difficult to work with.

Most Hakwons will profess that they only hire the best but in reality they just want a talking monkey/clown who is young fresh faced with no clue who will do their bidding.

Like others have said keep searching, the right job will come along.

Good luck.

[Carla]

The biggest factor is the influx of 1st year people looking for jobs.

The second factor is timing. The semester just started so most of the public school positions are full. A lot will open up when the 1st year people (some of them, not all) will realize they are over their head and run home.

OP, don't knock all hagwons. I've worked at 3 different places, and 2 were great, no problems, etc. The only problem at the third one was a creepy director. But even with that, he was fair about the work.

Now, I know there are some little-shop-of-horrors hagwons, but there are some really great ones out there too.

Your credentials sound great, but what about the rest? Age/sex/race/nationality

If those are in line with expectations, it could just be you need to wait for the mass exodus of newbies in a few months.

[vaticanhotline]

[Carla]

[vaticanhotline]

Sorry, I didn't mention that yes, I'm a man. I'm talking to any recruiter that will talk to me, and I'm not dead set against hogwans, just against being exploited.

[Carla]

[vaticanhotline]

I have applied to universities, although only the ones that are advertising. I'm also aware that there is a bit of a problem with me not being American, even though if I have to I could do a fairly good impression of an American accent. Maybe if I did that the next time I had a phone interview I'd have more success?

[Carla]

[vaticanhotline]

[DCJames]

[PigeonFart]

Dealing with Koreans is actually your biggest problem.