Korean Job Discussion Forums

[defaultusername]

I've currently been offered a "provisional" contract with EPIK, and they have just received all my documents. I've been told it can take as long as 1-2 months to hear back at this point. Is it typical at this stage to be interviewing with hagwons (Avalon) as a fallback plan? Or is it just asking for trouble?

I've heard a lot of good things about Avalon, so how does it match up with an EPIK job?

Thanks!

[exit_everything]

I believe that you won't be able to apply for EPIK again in the future if you drop out at this stage in the process.

[World Traveler]

[ttompatz]

[defaultusername]

Thank you all very much for the answers.

So basically, interviewing with a hagwon at this stage is alright, but I should definitely hold off on signing a contract with them?

[fergalreid]

[defaultusername]

I guess because what I've heard on here is that there's nothing certain about the provisional offer. Or am I wrong?

[blonde researcher]

EPIK do not use immigration for any of the E2 intial processing.

EPIK do not issue you a visa number.

If you get an EPIK job offer the individual office of education writes you a NOA. (notice of appointment hard copy page, with seal)+ hard copy of the contract. They post this to you (or get your recruiter to do this)

The first time you get into the immigration computer system is after you have your NOA and you report to the Korean embassy to get the visa stamp in your passport.

My advice: If you get a good hagwon job offer you simply must take, then do the following

Leave your first set of papers sitting with EPIK and even if they send you a NOA later you can simply toss it and inform them you decided to withdraw( they will immediately use one of their back up over hire people instead) You will go into the EPIK system as never to be offered a future job in EPIK. EPIK will never give you your papers back or send them on.

Have the back up set of paperwork for a hagwon ready so an employer to get this into immigration to obtain a visa number for you and then head off to get the visa in your passport with this number.
Depart for Korea.

You do not have to stay locked into EPIK and worry about any 'threats of withdrawal ' that may come your way from a recruiter etc.

You are more than free to get underway with hagwon applications right now as a back up to not getting your preferred EPIK location in a NOA or getting cut from EPIK anyway.

EPIK and offices of education and hagwons are different visa systems with different paperwork.

Remember, Some public schools with EPIK contracts do hire direct and put papers in immigration for visa numbers, but EPIK hiring from offices of education (directly) do the NOA process.

[ttompatz]

My point was that if he got a visa confirmation number from the hakwon (which doesn't take all that long)

that he would NOT be able to get a NOA from EPIK (since he would have a visa confirmation number outstanding) and take the EPIK position (his 1st choice).

PICK one and go with it.

.

[Perceptioncheck]

[Weigookin74]

Actually I would say with EPIK that you get 5 weeks of vacation if you renew. Two of those weeks are for renewing. Otherwise, you get 3. The rest of the time, you are at school from 8:30 to 4:30 everyday. A good hogwan can be better than a bad public school or a bad supervisor. A good public school in a smaller city that gives lots of extra time off and treat you with respect is better than anything. But those are pretty rare. If you like to sleep in and stay up late, a good hogwan is not a bad thing. A good hogwan might even allow you to take a part time job or do extra tutoring and make more bucks than what you do in a public school. PS is strict on part time jobs. A good hogwan might pay you a higher base salary than the public school. Add extra teaching to that and you might make significgantly more money. But a bad hogwan on the other hand...well.... A bad public school or local supervisor can also make life uncomfortable and really make you feel dead inside. PS or hogwan can be good depending on what you're looking for. Prob better to get a PS postion first year even if it's a bad school. Prob will be a good schol or ok school. Then you can network and find a good hogwan when you're here for your second year if cash is your main motivation. But most of what is on the net through recruiters is hard to predict. Many bad ones, many ok ones. But when you're here you can hear about good ones and bad ones more easily.

[ttompatz]

[Perceptioncheck]

[isisaredead]

for what it's worth, i have never, ever heard anything good about any Avalon ever. and that's putting it mildly.

then again, i would never, ever work at a public school.

[ttompatz]