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Bryan
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
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 Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 3:03 am Post subject: Does Knowing Korean Help You Get Better Jobs? |
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| In your experience, or the experience of others you've met. |
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fustiancorduroy
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:46 am Post subject: |
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| It depends on what you want to do, but I've applied for a couple writing/office jobs (such as a Writer/Editor job with UNESCO) where they wanted somebody who speaks at least "Intermediate" level Korean. Those jobs are better than a majority of the jobs most native-English speakers who work in the ESL here industry have. |
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romano812
Joined: 09 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:03 am Post subject: |
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| The problem with knowing Korean is that bosses will often try to dump extra work on you with no extra pay. |
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Bryan
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:47 am Post subject: |
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| Well anyway, my goal is to learn Korean well, whether or not it helps me get better jobs. I always assumed it would because I could at least outperform my competitors on interviews. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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Does learning Korean open up better job opportunities?
In many ways it does.
What it also does, and this in my opinion is huge, is open your eyes to a whole new side of life in Korea....
As for work...it can improve your profile for many employers and depending on your qualifications, credentials and network on contacts it can lead to very lucrative jobs. |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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I'd have to agree with romano,
Korean bosses usually lack realistic expectations of their employees.
That being said, a foreigner that 'knows' Korean will be expected to follow the 'Korean way', which means taking a dump truck load of extra work and smiling while receiving no extra compensation 
Then again, it could get you on TV (1박 2일 or Chatting with Idiots) and that would make you extremely marketable (if you want to push for a higher salary)  |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
I'd.
That being said, a foreigner that 'knows' Korean will be expected to follow the 'Korean way', which means taking a dump truck load of extra work and smiling while receiving no extra compensation
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Where do you live? I've not experienced this nor does any other foreigner who knows Korean that I know of. |
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Chet Wautlands
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Being able to speak basic Korean has ensured that our principal relies on me to explain things to the other foreign teachers. Sometimes this means more work... often it just makes me feel special. |
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ABC KID
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| As for work...it can improve your profile for many employers and depending on your qualifications, credentials and network on contacts it can lead to very lucrative jobs. |
We have discussed this before by PM and I know you are right - I do not doubt it for a minute. I certainly believe that it has improved my standing and how others perceive me amongst my colleagues.
Having said that, I am still to actually see the evidence of it leading to bigger and better things job-wise, either personally or amongst those that I know or have come into contact with. Would you agree with the assertion that that is one of the perils of happily living in Chungcheongbuk-do rather than the big cities? |
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storysinger81
Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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It improves relationships with co-workers, though this is not true if you "look" Korean--then they just think "Finally!"
90% of the time at work it makes no difference and just annoys me because my co-workers continue to be "shocked and amazed" when whitey understood what they said or answered her phone and spoke with someone in Korean. It did help a lot when I wanted to change apartments because I was able to deal with the business office directly, rather than making my co-teacher do it. Now the business people love me and come greet me every day.
On job interviews, Koreans find your knowledge of their language fascinating and it makes them more comfortable and happy. That will give you better bargaining power.
Otherwise, what Patrick said is right on. |
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Bryan
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
I'd have to agree with romano,
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So this opinion is based on your experience of knowing Korean and having extra work dumped on you? |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:52 am Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
I'd.
That being said, a foreigner that 'knows' Korean will be expected to follow the 'Korean way', which means taking a dump truck load of extra work and smiling while receiving no extra compensation
: |
Where do you live? I've not experienced this nor does any other foreigner who knows Korean that I know of. |
Never happened to me either. Surprise, surprise. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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| ABC KID wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| As for work...it can improve your profile for many employers and depending on your qualifications, credentials and network on contacts it can lead to very lucrative jobs. |
We have discussed this before by PM and I know you are right - I do not doubt it for a minute. I certainly believe that it has improved my standing and how others perceive me amongst my colleagues.
Having said that, I am still to actually see the evidence of it leading to bigger and better things job-wise, either personally or amongst those that I know or have come into contact with. Would you agree with the assertion that that is one of the perils of happily living in Chungcheongbuk-do rather than the big cities? |
Professionaly speaking living in a smaller city can limit your job opportunities outside of teaching.
Also knowing Korea will not create jobs for you right away.
Like in any other endeavor or professional advancement project you need to network, pad your resume and upgrade your credentials and qualifications....it is the combination of this with Korean that pays off. |
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rooster_2006
Joined: 14 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 6:13 am Post subject: Re: Does Knowing Korean Help You Get Better Jobs? |
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| Bryan wrote: |
| In your experience, or the experience of others you've met. |
I got Level 5 on the KLPT (6,000+ vocabulary words according to the test specification), so obviously my Korean isn't bad. I could attend a regular university program in Korea, taking normal classes with Koreans.
I ace job interviews with Koreans. I just aced the job interview for Kaohsiung Korean School in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan last month. They loved me. It also helps put Korean teachers who think we're over-privileged in their places. They can no longer argue they're better-qualified than us if we speak both languages well.
That said, I think it makes my job harder. If I even speak Korean just to explain directions to confused four-year-olds, I get flak from the parents. Parents want you to speak English all the time, even when you have 20 kindergarteners and no co-teacher, and even when an activity is hopelessly complicated to explain in English.
Can you seriously keep quiet and not let on that you know Korean, even when kids are calling you a butthole right to your face?
And the trouble is, once you've let the kids know you speak Korean, they'll stop speaking English almost entirely, and then you'll be blamed for it.
So I'd say it makes getting a job slightly easier because it gives you credibility and allows the boss to relate to you, but it makes your job harder because you WILL inevitably have to use Korean at some point, and when you do, you'll be flagged as a problem.
Of course, if I were still in Korea, I would have left teaching by now. I was offered a position as an interpreter. I don't like teaching kids. I hate having to yell over them, and watching them fail repeatedly to put together the simplest of sentences and feeling like I've done nothing to advance their English.
If teaching is your career goal, power to you. I don't like teaching kids. I'd rather use my Korean to spend more hours in the office for 2/3 the pay as an interpreter, where people look up to me for my language skills rather than down on me as a stupid foreign dancing monkey. |
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backhand
Joined: 17 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:28 am Post subject: |
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| romano812 wrote: |
| The problem with knowing Korean is that bosses will often try to dump extra work on you with no extra pay. |
Adjeosshi never take advantage of foreigner. |
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