Korean Job Discussion Forums

[warford]

I'm a 24 year old Canadian male with a B.A. in English from a Canadian University. No teaching experience and no TEFL certification. I'm looking for a job that provides airfare and (preferably) accommodation and provides enough income to pay down some of my student debt (CDN$60,000). I understand that getting a well-paying ESL teaching job isn't what it used to be, but what can I expect/demand given my qualifications? Is a B.A. in English considered equivalent to or even better than TEFL certification by employers? I would prefer to work in Seoul, but I'm pretty flexible and would be willing to work in any big city. Also, I'm aiming for a job that begins in either October or November.

Thanks for your help!

[northway]

They do tend to see "English" and assume you can teach English, even if they don't go together at all, and I do have some friends who get paid a bit more based on having degrees in English.

[BoholDiver]

Agreed. You'd likely get chosen over someone else with a BA in Philisophy, and possibly paid $100 more a month if you're lucky.

Are you white? tall? Thin? Handsome? Blond hair? Blue eyes? Those things will make you marketable.

[ttompatz]

[warford]

Thanks for the responses!

BoholDiver: Well, I'm white, tall, and thin, but with brown hair and brown eyes. Since physical appearances seem to be such an issue in Korea, I have to ask: I have a bit of a beard (nothing much---it's very short). Does facial hair actually work against you in Korea? Or am I just being neurotic to worry about it?

ttompatz: I'm pretty open about location. Any large city will suit me fine. And even with Seoul, anything close to a subway stop would be adequate.

[RMNC]

Your best bet is to shave your face clean for your picture and once you get to Korea, ask if you can grow it back.

Koreans associate beards with dirty/homeless people and sexual predators. I loved my bear but I realized quickly that it's putting yourself at a disadvantage in Korea, with employers and the women. At least that's my experience, I'm sure there are plenty of guys with beards in Korea doing just fine at work and have a hot broad, but that's more the exception than the rule.

[mmstyle]

As long as your beard is kept trim, you should be fine. My husband and a few friends have all had short beards. You may get a bit of a reaction, but they will quickly adjust.

[yellowdove]

It might just be that my school is a little lax on the facial hair, but the guy before my husband and I at our school had a scraggly beard and long hair (like, past his shoulders) and my husband has a beard that can get a bit unruly sometimes. They haven't said anything. But yeah, you should shave it before your pics, and then grow it back after.

[iwillteachyouenglish]

They basically just look at you as another North American stooge. The only reason they make you have a degree is because the government makes a law requiring this.

Just look at all the posts from people on here who are mad because their "experience" as an overpaid babysitter does not get them special perks they feel they deserve.

[captain kirk]