Korean Job Discussion Forums

[NilesQ]

I spent about 4 years in Korea in my early 20s. I also taught for a year in a public school in Japan. I returned to Canada and work in an unrelated industry that provides a comfortable living. I remember my time in Korea fondly. I guess everyone remembers their early 20s fondly though, eh?

I always keep in the back of my mind that I could be on a plane and back in Korea if anything ever happened to my job here. Kind of my escape plan. I remember that the 21 year old new grad is the prize of every hagwan owner. Are things still the same in Korea? I remember my first hagwan rejecting an experienced, properly trained ESL teacher who was brought to the school by a recruiter because he was "too old" and didn't fit the image of the blond haired, blue eyed English Teacher.

In my first trip to SK people used to show up with no visa, have what ammounted to a 1 month audition, then go to japan to get their E2. I understand that the process is a lot more tedious and involved now. So, as a 34 year old Canadian male, what are my chances? I still have blue eyes, but my hair is a bit grayer!

[waynehead]

If you're flexible about location and/or want to work for a public school, you'd have no trouble getting a job with 4 years experience.

[kirkymonster]

[jvalmer]

If you're willing to work outside of the major cities, a position with a public school can be found. There are numerous people well into their 50's working in the schools. However I think once you're closing onto 60's they will be reluctant though, unless it is in some remote region.

[JustTurtle]

My friend started working for a hagwon three months ago in Cheongju and he is 35. It is his first ESL job ever, no experience.

[pangaea]

You shouldn't have a problem finding a job, especially with teaching experience. You could certainly apply for EPIK or start sending out your resume to hagwons and recruiters. There are private schools out there that value a teacher with experience and aren't necessarily looking for a Heidi Montag to fill the position.

[ttompatz]

[Troglodyte]

You don't even need to take a rural location. You can get a job in a big city. The fact that you've already had an E2 and 4 years experience in Korea is in your advantage because the recruiters know that you're less likely to pull a runner, AND as long as you have your paperwork ready, you can come to Korea tomorrow and start working the day after. There are still plenty of schools that leave hiring to the last minute. With a first-timer, they need to apply for the visa number, then the kid goes to the consulate for an interview and THEN they can bring him over to Korea. They can bring you over now and then apply for the visa number and send you to Japan.

Even aside from that, there are still plenty of jobs for foreign teachers. There aren't enough foreign teachers to fill them all.

[ippy]

Im 34, i have 4 years experience in japan, and so long as you have a bit of an energetic personality, arent too fussy on where you teach, and get those docs all sorted out youll have people biting your hands off to place you.

Also, hair dye or use a picture from a couple of years ago

[AsiaESLbound]

You are right in that the process is more tedious now. Word is out today that an FBI check is going to become necessary sometime soon. I can see that things are changing to become more bureaucratic with increasing competition just as they already had back home over the years. Sign of the times.

[Becka]

34 year old Canadian male? You'll be fine. I've seen more of a bias toward recruiting experienced/trained teachers, rather than the opposite (as far as public school/uni jobs go, anyway).

My husband was 40 when we moved to Korea and we worked in a hagwon our first year here. No one had a problem with his age, and it was kinda cool because he was older than his employers, which gave him a teeny scrap of leveraging power.

Oh, and not all of us remember our 20s fondly! You couldn't pay me enough to relive them, ha.

[Louis VI]

There are four waygook teachers at my hagwon and not one of them is under 40. The director is fed up with incompetence and irresponsibility. Times they are a changing.

[carleverson]

Seriously... if you're white, you'll get a job.

[Hotpants]

I am kind of in the same bracket as yourself.

Forgetting the visa documents for a moment, you might wanna ask yourself why exactly you are coming back.

Secondly, if you are coming back to re-live your 20s, and just do 'more of the same', you are probably blowing your chances of any 'career' that you could have back home forever. Will that matter to you in the long run?

You also might want to consider doing an MA as well if you haven't already got one, as then you probably could have the pick of any job then.