Korean Job Discussion Forums

[strawberries]

I'm 17 at the moment, but i want to spend my gap year in S Korea teaching English (i did tutoring for two months last summer it was great) I want to go for this summer, I will be 18 (19 in Korea) doing the tutoring thing again is a definate no no it was hard to set up and i wouldnt be able to live off it so please dont suggest i do that again.
So of course Im too young to have a university degree. Ive already applied but deferring a year. Will i have to wait another few years when ive finished??? I will have an International Baccalaureate Diploma which is pretty prestigious.
I reeally need something to do in Korea I dont have all the money in the world and TESL provides accomodation and everything its perfect so I dont know what else I would do.
Most of the stuff ive seen requires a degree. Would I be able to get a TESL job?
In a nutshell by the time I go I will:
Korean age 19
have an IB diploma
have a place at university

[furtakk]

No.

[Altair4000]

Hi Strawberries,

Sorry to tell you, that you have no chance of finding work in South Korea as an English teacher. The law is requires that ESL teachers have a 4-year degree, sealed transcripts showing graduation, and a clear security check.

There are some people who try to skirt around the law or that tell you they can hire you once you get to Korea but these people, simply put, are EVIL. You can do a search through the boards of people who did this and almost every case ended in them doing a midnight run and taking a lifetime of horror stories with them.

If you just have to get to Asia for the summer there are working holiday programs for your people 18-25. The jobs will not be teaching and you have to have a round trip flight ticket and enough money to support yourself for 3-months. Japan does it (You can actually teach in Japan with this but no one will hire you overseas or pay your airfare), so does Korea (Korea will NOT let you teach on a working holiday visa). Korea's site is at:

www.workingholiday.com

Cheers

[strawberries]

omg. NOoooo. What am I going to do?
Slightly off topic, do you know what other options i may have in my situation?

[Altair4000]

Not really without more information. Are your Korean-American and/or speak the language? If you speak the language and so on you might actually be able to land a working holiday job somewhere. I spoke a little Japanese when I finished highschool and did a working holiday there and it was EPIC!. After that I went to uni and ended up going back to teach.

There are always homestays too if you just want to travel, explore your roots or whatever. This is probably a pretty cheap option in Korea and I am sure as long as you're polite you will have them eatting out of your hand by the end of your stay. Do not do the illegal teaching thing though you will reget it.

[strawberries]

OK erm more about me, im half english and half korean. i was born in korea but when i go there im a foreigner and they say i look like a russian so i am not seen as one of them. ((( i moved to england when i was 2 so i have forgotten ALOT of korean and i only speak a bit. If i were to start learning again (which i did last summer i pick up very fast)

I dont want to go there and then find a job because it would be expensive to support myself for that time to start off.

is working in hooters good enough pay to live off?

[Konglishman]

I wonder if it would be possible for her to qualify for the TALK program.

[strawberries]

well would i ?
what is it
please go on... im absolutely desperate here

[crazy_arcade]

Come to Korea on an F4 visa, you'll find work.

[candyteacher]

[strawberries]

Theres no demand for nannies or aupaires in korea really :/

What about GEPIK would i qualify??

[andrewchon]

You don't qualify for GEPIK.
Nannies etc are strictly paid-under-the-table jobs.
Your best bet is doing your uni-study in Korea.

[Altair4000]

You said you were 2 when you left Korea I believe? Do you still have Korean citizenship? If you do maybe they could hire you...I don't know is there any rule that Korean English teachers need a certain education or something to work in a conversation school or cram school?

I would still be skeptical of any employer that accepted this way.

If you are the child of a Korean national the F-4 visa maybe a possibility look it up or call the consulate, I doubt anyone will pay your airfare though. I know nothing about F-4 really.

Other than that you could try working in a hostess bar lol! mmmm drunk salary men......

[strawberries]

you were probably joking about being a hostess at a bar. but i am desperate here.
can i get that job online so i have it before i leave? or a job like it?

[Konglishman]