Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mdsb87]

I am getting pretty upset by hagwons refusing to even put me forward for a phone intro just because I am Irish. We are always hearing jobs for North Americans and Canadians - why not Irish !? We have an outstanding English secondary school programme - our leaving cert exam takes 2 sittings both over three hours long !

Getting very disheartened by this !

[Radius]

[Steve_Rogers2008]

at least you won't have to worry about protectin' yer Lucky Charms!

[ThingsComeAround]

Yeah- if your accent is thick, forget about finding work

I have met Irish in my time here, though. Keep searching and you'll find work

[PigeonFart]

They do hire Irish people in higher positions. You're just scraping the bottom of the barrel with hogwons.

[oldfatfarang]

OP. I met Irish lads and lasses working for SMOE (a while ago though). Don't fret, most Korean employers are just worried about you being too luck, and..... well, you guys do have a reputation for fightn'. Just kidding. Keep trying. You'll get someting.

[Nester Noodlemon]

[Yahowho]

[kimdeal54]

I'm Irish, and I've never had trouble finding a job in Korea... but I've always avoided the nationality question until I have an interview. I just don't mention it specifically, and people don't really read CVs thoroughly here.

Anyway, once a school or recruiter can hear that I don't have a strong accent, everything is fine. Other posters are right... it's almost certainly your accent, or the idea that you'd have an accent.

[livinginkorea]

In any agency if they hear the appliciant has a strong accent then they will place that person to the bottom of the pile, it doesn't matter where they are from. It's true that hagwons can be very picky, mostly wanting a North American but I have worked at some places part-time that specifically wanted an Irish teacher.

There are over 1,000 Irish teachers in Korea, according to the embassy and I have to say that I've only met 10 or so of them. Most are in public schools and at universities.

As an Irishman, I personally didn't have any problem getting a job except for one who told me that he would hire me but that I would make less than the North Americans. I was stupid enough to accept but worked hard at getting the students to like me for my teaching and who I am. There were four different levels at the hagwon and after two months I had the most number of students (students are meant to go up a level every two months but most don't once they like the teacher). After four months I left that job (boss really was a beep) and a surprising number of my students also left. Coming from one of the big seven countries to teach here doesn't mean anything much I realised, it's my teaching skill and experience that always give me a good shot at any job in Korea.

About the accent, I always made my voice very clear on the phone when speaking to any Koreans, especially when talking to agencies or employers. I think we all have a teacher/classroom voice which is a little slower, clearer, slightly accentless at times. In my case it is certainly that. Just take some care when speaking, try to be clear and I am sure that it will help.

And finally, it you ever met an employer who tells you he will pay less to you because you are not North American then tell him to dun a bheal!

[madoka]

[thedsr]

It is definitely the accent. MOUTH is not MITHE....heard that one a few times last week...

[Radius]

[creeper1]

My experience of the Irish here has made me lose all respect for them. First year I was here (2007) not one of the losers finished their contract. They all done runners simply because they didnt like small stuff. They constantly complained. They were really, really annoying people.

More recently I knew a guy that was fired for getting drunk all the time and being too hung over to teach.

I won't be giving any tips on here for them to get a job.

[Radius]