Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tumbleweed]

Hey everyone!

So yeah. I'm new and all that- and, based on some accounts of some of my friends, I've decided to look into teaching in Korea.

So about, oh, two weeks ago, I shot off a quick resume to a recruiter for the Avalon school they're building in Pohang. We exchange some e-mails, and the recruiter finally called me Tuesday night.

Now, I thought this was going to be an interview call- though what it really boiled down to was the recruiter asking me if I wanted the job or not. Huh. I told her I'd need a week or so to think about it, but she didn't seem too thrilled with that.

Now, I can't help but feel the whole application experience was, I dunno, too easy? Or does the process usually work like this? Exchange a resume, a couple of e-mails, and then BOOM, hired?

I'm not sure if I'm gonna take this job, though- I mean, it sorta fits my schedule, but at the same time, I think I may wait 'til some other openings pop up that do the same.

So yeah, any wisdom you have to offer will be appreciated. Thanks!

[frankly speaking]

recruiters just sell you to a school so they don't ask a lot of questions. If you get hired directly through a school they will be more likely to ask you about your teaching style and beliefs, but again that is not always.

Pretty much for newbies, you are all the same. As long as you breathe and want the job you are hired. That again is another reason why so many newbs complain about teaching in Korea.

[Cayne]

I don't really have any wisdom to offer since I'm new to this whole process myself, but I had my first Hagwon interview last night and it was an interesting experience.

I originally applied to GEPIK through Korvia, but after only getting one interview with a public school and seeing what an overcrowded mess the application process has been decided to look at other options.

The public school interview was a little odd, but still felt like a real interview. The fellow I spoke with just seemed harried, and little rushed like he had tons more interviews to do. He'd ask me a question, I'd start to answer and he'd cut me off and ask another question, but I thought the questions were pretty revealing about the school, definitely not trying to sell me a position, and mostly reasonable things to ask. After speaking to him, if I had been offered the position I probably would have taken it.

Now last night's Hagwon interview, that was something else entirely. I've read plenty of accounts here of what they tend to be like, but it really didn't entirely prepare me for it. A couple softball questions, and then when can you start, what do think of the job, we really need you to start as soon as possible, so will you take it? It really felt like begging, and I've never been begged to take a job before. Of course when I wanted to ask some questions they suddenly wanted to get off the phone, the more questions, the more they seemed to want to escape. All in all the whole experience didn't leave me feeling very confident. Of course I should have expected as much when the recruiter initially asked me what I would think if they would hire me without an interview. Anyway it was a learning experience if nothing else.

[curiousaboutkorea]

[Oliver]

Sure, anyone with a degree or what not could get hired in korea.

The trick is getting somewhere good. That can be difficult if you don't invest the time and money to come here and seek out a quality position for yourself.

[lifeinkorea]

Yes, it is easy to get a job. Yes, it is easy to lose a job. Yes, it is easy to get another job. Yes, yes, yes.

You want it difficult for some reason?

[Altair4000]

Fish Markets LOL! I was thinking the same thing when I read Pohang. I went to this town once when I was visiting some people in Daegu, they took me for the fish. The fish was good the town was...a small Korean town (I worked in Japan at this time and the town was really dirty and broken down in comparison to what I was used to in Japan).

My friend and I have been looking at working in Korea too and we have had a few of these interviews. I think these interviews are pretty funny and they obviously don't care who they hire they just need someone.

So yeah offering a job without an interview this is a big warning sign, the agents will just place us where ever, they just want to get paid. I have even talked to a few school owners and so far kind of the same thing. They ask when I can come and they usually want me to start the day or next day after I get off the plane, and I really don't think they even looked at my resume (I have been thinking of adding a weird line in somewhere to see if they catch it but this might alienate legit people). Anyhow, we have been turning these down flat since we're in no desperate hurry to get there; just bored with life here. If we find a place that seems cool we will make the plunge otherwise I will go to some other country or even stay here get a mortgage and get fat.

Anyhow, best of luck to you.

[onlyinkorea87]

Recruiters shove jobs in your face because they want to get one thing from you coming to Korea: their commission. It's all about the $$$. That's why next year I'm applying straight to the schools.

[Cayne]

How much money does a recruiter typically make when they place someone anyway?

[SanchoPanza]

Of course it was easy to find a job in Pohang. Pohang is the sticks.
Finding jobs outside of Seoul is no problem. Most people, foreigners
and Koreans included, want to live in Seoul.

In fact it is so bad in these places that the men who live there have to
import women from S.E. Asian countries. The local women hightail it
to Seoul at the first opportunity.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Troglodyte]

[Troglodyte]

[Altair4000]

[SweetTea]

Avalon franchise or Avalon company-owned? If it is Avalon company-owned you will not have any problems with late pay or getting ripped off. I don't know anything about Pohang but I think it's famous for steel because they have a soccer team called the Pohang Steelers.