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kimik15
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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 Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:47 pm Post subject: Help! Newbie with questions |
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Hey everyone, I'm thinking about applying for a teaching position in South Korea. I'm completely new to this, so I have a bunch of questions that I thought some of you can answer. I appreciate any answers you can give (especially useful if you're speaking from experience) Thanks! 
- Would it be possible for me to get a decent teaching job in or nearby Seoul, S Korea with no teaching background? (I have a B.A. in Applied Psychology and a Minor in English. I competed a Teaching Internship program in High School, but I'm not sure how much weight that carries...)
- Do most schools ask for letters of recommendation? (If so, what if you don't have references that can speak on behalf of your ability to teach?)
- Would you recommend taking a TEFL or TESOL certification course prior to applying?
- Is it better to teach at a public school? I've heard that hagwons can end up being unreliable/not pay on time/cancel contracts/etc. Is this true? If not, what private schools are known to be reliable?
- Are public school positions harder to obtain than private school positions? |
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Ramen
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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Yes or maybe to all.
Just get your docs ready and you'll get a teaching job of your choice.  |
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fugitive chicken
Joined: 20 Apr 2010
Location: Bucheon
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| - Would it be possible for me to get a decent teaching job in or nearby Seoul, S Korea with no teaching background? (I have a B.A. in Applied Psychology and a Minor in English. I competed a Teaching Internship program in High School, but I'm not sure how much weight that carries...) |
Yes, but the market seems to be a bit saturated these days, so it may take a little longer than a year or so ago to find one. You also can't be too picky on the kind of job you get. I know a ton of people over here who only have random BA's with nothing to do with teaching, so it's entirely possible.
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| - Do most schools ask for letters of recommendation? (If so, what if you don't have references that can speak on behalf of your ability to teach?) |
Yes, they do. And that's okay.
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| Would you recommend taking a TEFL or TESOL certification course prior to applying |
Yes, that will increase your pay by a little and make you a little more desirable to hire than one with absolutely no experience.
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| - Is it better to teach at a public school? I've heard that hagwons can end up being unreliable/not pay on time/cancel contracts/etc. Is this true? If not, what private schools are known to be reliable? |
It's a matter of opinion. I'm partial to public schools myself because unless you do the proper research (and sometimes if you do) hogwans can really screw you over. With that said, some hogwans do pay better than public schools. I personally like public schools because I have a government issued contract and am getting paid by the government so I know that I will get everything stated in my contract.
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| Are public school positions harder to obtain than private school positions |
depends on the time of year. You missed the boat for the big fall public school hirings, but that should come again I think starting from October to January for the new semester in March. Hogwans typically follow this same hiring schedule but far more are hiring throughout the year. It is also possible to land a public school job mid-semester if a teacher decides to leave, but there are far fewer openings. |
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kimik15
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you. That was helpful! |
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ramen209
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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IMHO... in general public school is a better/safer bet for a job.
If you have a degree in English it carries some weight, similar to a teaching degree, and you should be able to get a job in Seoul.
The recommendation don't matter if it is relative to teaching or not. (you usually need 2 of them)
I have worked in a public school in Seoul for a year and am very happy w/ my situation here. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me! |
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Troglodyte
Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 3:55 am Post subject: |
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You don't need a relevant degree or experience. Just a BA degree and a pulse.
I've never been asked for references. I've given them sometimes, but even then, they only checked those in Korea.
You might get a job in Seoul, but but there's a lot of competition. People already in Korea or with Korean experience are more likely to get them. BUT, you don't really need a job IN Seoul to hang out in Seoul. Just just need a job someone along the subway line - e.g. Bucheon, Suwon, Bundang, etc.
There is no real agreement on the hogwan vs public school debate. Both have their benefits and downsides. It's a matter of personal taste. |
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