Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SunDevil Dre]

Hi all,

First-time teacher here. I'm hoping to be on a plane to South Korea by August. Is this a realistic expectation (for Hagwons or public school)?

To those who've gotten jobs in recent weeks: What recruiters did you go through?

Thanks!

Edit: I know recruiters don't actual do the hiring. Sorry for the misleading thread title.

[mariposita]

Although I ended up taking a job directly through the school, I was talking to Gone2Korea and Say Kimchi, both of which had positions. James with Gone2Korea was very helpful in providing detailed information for us newbies. From what I heard the public schools are done hiring for this season, so hagwon it will be.

August is a reasonable expectation. I got a job about 2 weeks ago and I will be there the last week in July. If you haven't already, start gathering your docs for the visa, the more you have ready when you talk to the recruiter, the faster you can get placed.

[SunDevil Dre]

Thanks for the advice, Mariposita! I just applied to Gone2Korea (among others). How long did it take for you to hear back from them?

[butter_opera]

I used Testimony Kim. She replies to me super fast! I got placed at a public elementary school. I start on June 28th! If you would like their email address, let me know!

[mariposita]

Anytime! I think James emailed to schedule a phone conference within like a day or two...not positive but it wasn't very long.

One of the first questions will be which documents do you have on hand. So with my transcripts, passport photos, diploma, CBC, etc in hand I was able to accept offers for 6-8 weeks later.

Good luck!!

[NYC_Gal]

Korean Horizons. I came off peak with him.

[SunDevil Dre]

Thanks for the replies. I was afraid I picked a bad time to apply. One recruiter mentioned a waiting list.

[balzor]

Hagwons are always hiring, Public school will hire for the August term very soon or even now. I used Korvia last year and they are solid and about the largest hiring firm out there

[Skippy]

People please be careful. Do not come over right away or because some recruiter has a position to be filled ASAP. If this is you first time in Korea you NEED to do an Embassy Interview in your home country. Unless you have done a previous E-2 you will need to do the interview. Do not be one of those people that get burned because they did not research.+

[austinmc86]

Say Kimchi is good

[SunDevil Dre]

[toph]

I'm not so sure as to what skippy is trying to get at...

But anyway, hagwons are hiring every month, so it's much easier to get a job with them. Some public schools hire in the off-season (e.g., not in August/March), but if you want get a public school job (even though you don't seem to mind either/or) then you want to apply for the peak hiring seasons (August and March).

And again for hagwons: There are TONS of job postings online that major recruiters don't use. I mean, you can just google "hagwon" and you're probably going to find a hosting site for job posts. That's not to say these are bad, this just means that the hagwons are looking for themselves/recruit on their own. So make sure you do major research in these next few months, and try to get TEFL certified for a hagwon cause it ups your hiring chance. (In Korea, any online cert will do). Also, really look into a hagwon if you're interested in a specific job. Ask around, and get as much info as you can. THEN apply.

So yeah, hope that helps.

[Skippy]

Sorry my answer was not the best. Little rushed. Anyways. What I am trying to say is. The OP to me sounded like he was going to in August jump on plane and come to Korea. and look for a job. True he is coming in August which is more then enough time to find a job. So he can find one and do the interview before coming over.

Also on point the title of the post is a little confusing. Recruiters (here in Korea for esl) do not hire they just point you towards jobs. The OP should understand that because all a bad recruiter could do is just say yea you are hired send me all your paper work. Comes August poor guy is living in a cruddy apartment in Wongju teaching Kindergarten and Afternoon classes for a total of 40 hours a week for 1.8 million.

Now on to the BURN....

The Pre-BURN - years ago you could just hop on a plane come look for a job, get one and take a nice trip to Japan, then get come back and go to work. This system worked. Many schools being in true spirit of Korea do not plan well. So one day said schools needs a teacher - today, now, right away - ASAP. So teachers came over and did the paper work in Korea, maybe with a week or two of shhhhh - illegal work. NOW with changes (brought to you by Christopher Paul Neil and a knee jerk government and bureaucracy) this system has got a bit harder. Those that have taught here before can do the above. But someone who has never taught in Korea - nope he has to do all the paper work in his home country and then do an interview at the closest Korean Consulate (Do not let the words closet fool you and whoops my mistake -consulate) then come over and works. But some uninformed and eager future teacher does not research or understand the new process gets a nice call from a recruiter or a school and hears the words "we like you, can you come right away! We will get you sorted out here in Korea" and flies over. OR the the teacher thinks darn finding a good job from across an ocean is not easy, so lets go to Korea and find a job there.

The BURN - above teacher is now in Korea and has found a job. Eager to do the right thing he wants to be legal. So the school starts the ball rolling and submits the paperwork and BAM the school is informed that the teacher needs to be interviewed in his home country. The school tries and reasons saying that's silly he is already here, they then try threats of my brother-in-law sisters husbands son works in BACKOFKOREA-JU immigration office and he will either get your fired or can influence for me. And round and round for it goes ... but to no avail school is told NOPE. School sure as heck does not want to spend million won and more to send the teacher back for a 5 minute interview, decide to not hire the teacher and find some nice F-2 or one year experience E-2 teacher or some Uzbeki with limit English skills will do better.

OH GOD THE HUMANITY - The FLAMES. So the teacher is now standing in some small town or city in Korea with NO JOB, has possibly spent his own money for a plane ticket to Korea he was that eager, has maybe a couple hundred bucks which he thought would last till his first payday but sure is not enough for a ticket back home. Never mind he very likely has a big student loan to pay off. So if he does get back home he just wasted a month or more and probably a couple thousand dollars for nothing. The recruiter who "hired him" seems to not either speak English know or is not answering the phone. And to boot he has a two large bags full of clothes and deodorant to lug around. Plus the add benefit everyone is speaking in Korean and the teacher only knows the word "annnyeonghasyeo" really badly.

Notes: There is a way to not need to do the interview involcing getting your degree verified by some organization here in Korea. Also those who get a job with EPIK, SMOE and any public school do get some leeway and the benefit of not doing the Interview because the government can make it easier for its own people. STILL overall do not rely on the above working for you.

[SunDevil Dre]

Thanks Skippy. I definitely understand that recruiters are simply middlemen. I was just wondering what recruiters have open positions right now.

[ttompatz]