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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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OThePestO
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
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 Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 4:50 pm Post subject: What is the best option for me? |
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Hello guys, lots of helpful people here, so I was wondering if any of you could help me.
Here's a little bio about me. I am a certified teacher in USA/AU/Canada, currently living in Canada. I have a Masters in Education and I am TEFL certified through a 100+ hours online course. I enjoy teaching, but I also like being paid my worth. I am currently completing my mathematics qualification, so soon I will be certified to teach, English/Math/Geography/History. However, I am fairly new to teaching, I have worked about 7 months in Japan as a TEFL Teacher and about 6 months in AU as a supply teacher.
The teacher market where I currently live is super saturated, so I am hoping to work in Korea and make some money. I would prefer to start sometime in Jan/Feb.
I was hoping you could answer a couple questions for me:
What is the best option for me, working in Public School, Private Schools, Hagwons, or Universities?
What are the best recruiting agencies or what do you recommend from your experience? Should I use recruiting agencies at all?
Is there anything else I should know about before signing/choosing to work in Korea?
Thanks for all your help!
(I would like to note, I have all my documents ready, so I am OK in that department) |
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Louis VI
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: In my Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: What is the best option for me? |
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| OThePestO wrote: |
...I also like being paid my worth.
What is the best option for me, working in Public School, Private Schools, Hagwons, or Universities? |
Not unis or pub schools for you then. Look at private schools and premium-tuition hagwons. They will often pay people with your background salaries in the 2.6-3.0 mill range. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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| also look at hong kong and the middle east |
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OThePestO
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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@Louis VI: Where would be the best place to look for these types of positions? I said I like to be paid my worth; however, I do not honestly know what my worth is in Korea (at least based on the current market). Is my worth 2.6-3.0 mil range, even though I have not taught in Korea before?
@blackjack: I have tried Hong Kong and Middle East, but they require 2 full years of teaching experience, I do not have that yet. |
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rollo
Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Hong Kong definitely. Keep trying for the net program. there are also international schools in Hong Kong. With your credentials you should find something. |
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OThePestO
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Hi rollo can you (or anyone else) point me in the right direction as to what are the best job sites for someone with my qualifications? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: What is the best option for me? |
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| OThePestO wrote: |
Hello guys, lots of helpful people here, so I was wondering if any of you could help me.
Here's a little bio about me. I am a certified teacher in USA/AU/Canada, currently living in Canada. I have a Masters in Education and I am TEFL certified through a 100+ hours online course. I enjoy teaching, but I also like being paid my worth. I am currently completing my mathematics qualification, so soon I will be certified to teach, English/Math/Geography/History. However, I am fairly new to teaching, I have worked about 7 months in Japan as a TEFL Teacher and about 6 months in AU as a supply teacher.
The teacher market where I currently live is super saturated, so I am hoping to work in Korea and make some money. I would prefer to start sometime in Jan/Feb.
I was hoping you could answer a couple questions for me:
What is the best option for me, working in Public School, Private Schools, Hagwons, or Universities?
What are the best recruiting agencies or what do you recommend from your experience? Should I use recruiting agencies at all?
Is there anything else I should know about before signing/choosing to work in Korea?
Thanks for all your help!
(I would like to note, I have all my documents ready, so I am OK in that department) |
Gotta get your feet wet before you can swim.
You have the paper but don't have the time in the classroom so you are only about 1 step above "green-as-grass" for the good jobs and way over-qualified for the average EFL job.
You are NOT going to get 2.6-3.0 as a newbie in Korea (even with your pretty wallpaper). Fact of life.
You can land a job in a public school starting at about 2.2-2.3.
You can probably get a job in a hakwon at 2.2-2.4.
(ALL jobs with the usual benefits and headaches).
Alternatives might also be Taiwan (public schools require home country certification) and the pay + benefits are not bad.
Get your 2 years in the classroom and move up.
That 2 years opens a LOT of doors for you: international schools, IB schools, HIGH end private schools, etc. (in many countries).
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OThePestO
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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@ttompatz: So if the salary is pretty much the same for public/hakwon (sp?), what is the better option. Is it public because of the extra vacation time and guaranteed salary?
Still waiting on what are the best places to look for these jobs or what are the most trusted recruiting companies. |
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OThePestO
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:31 am Post subject: |
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| What is the minimum salary I should be asking while looking for work, is it 2.3 mil? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| OThePestO wrote: |
@ttompatz: So if the salary is pretty much the same for public/hakwon (sp?), what is the better option. Is it public because of the extra vacation time and guaranteed salary?
Still waiting on what are the best places to look for these jobs or what are the most trusted recruiting companies. |
It largely depends on where you want to go after.
If this is a gap year (or 3) to pay off your loans cause there are no jobs at home then take the best salary you can find (probably in a hakwon).
IF you plan to get your class time in and move on to greener pastures then go for the public school.
Like any other school (as compared to a language academy - after school tutorial service) it will be a grind (40 hours - 22 classes) + all the prep that is avoided at the hakwons
BUT
The time will count as verifiable classroom experience (which many hakwon positions won't count as outside of Korea) when do go looking for the greener jobs after you get your 2 years in.
Side benefits are the (slightly) longer vacations and assurances that there won't be any funny stuff with your pay and benefits.
With your qualifications you may also want to take a hard look at China.
There are lots of decent positions in high schools and universities with salaries in the range of 8000-12000 rmb, housing, airfare and holidays.
With the much lower cost of living you can easily live on rmb3000 and bank the rest.
As far as a recruiter goes...
Use as many as you need to find the job you want , with the benefits you want, in the area you want, at the time you want.
A recruiter is nothing more than an introduction to an employer.
Hello Mr. English speaker this is Mr Hakwon owner.
Mr. hakwon owner, this is Mr. English speaker.
Mr. English speaker, here is the contract. Please read and sign.
School, here is the signed contract. Pay me.
Good bye.
You are not paying them anything (or you shouldn't be).
THEY DO NOT WORK FOR YOU! - They work for the school.
They owe you nothing once you get here.
They are not your friend.
They are not your baby sitter.
They cannot help you if things go to *beep* after you get here.
Beyond that it is YOUR responsibility to check the school out.
Do NOT trust ANY recruiter. They are like used car salesmen. They will lie and sell their soul to get the signature on the contract.
Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE in regards to the school or get burned.
Use the recruiters for what they are. Use more than one and keep going until you get what you want. There is no rush and there is certainly no shortage of jobs.
When it comes to the school - again - repeat - Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE.
1st - READ the contract over very carefully. If that doesn't scare you away then...
The best you can do is minimize the risk by talking to MORE THAN ONE of the foreign staff and ask POINTED AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS (*when the boss is NOT listening over their shoulder). Don't accept non-specific answers and broad generalizations.
No foreign staff references to talk to = walk away now.
Accept NO EXCUSES for any reason.
The hard questions to ask AND get acceptable answers to ARE:
-What are the hours? (start time / stop time / breaks).
-How many classes per day, week, month? NOT hour many hours per month. 30 classroom hours can mean anything from 1350 -1800 minutes per week standing in front of the class. The difference can be up to 7.5 HOURS in front of the class EACH WEEK.
-Do they ALWAYS pay on time? (no=red flag 1)
-Do they pay at the end of your month or do they have a hold back period (5-10 days after your month end) to prevent runners? (no=red flag 2)
-Do they really pay overtime or avoid it with creative book keeping? (no=red flag 3)
-Do you get credit for classes on the national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime? (no=red flag 4)
-Do they have national medical (with the little booklet)? (no=red flag 5)
-Do they pay into pension? (no=red flag 6) These two are legal requirements (not optional) and are usually NOT complied with (to your detriment).
-What about the holidays? 10 or more WORKING days? (legal requirement here) (no=red flag 7)
-When and how do you get your holidays?
-What extra stuff do you really have to do - mentioned or not in the contract.
-Then consider the quality of life issues - things that are important to you that aren't mentioned here (housing, furnishings, THE BATHROOM, access to recreational facilities, shopping, banking).
Do they take additional deposits in addition to the delay in payday? (yes=red flag Cool
I would also like to mention for comparison:
My co-worker (at a public school) who is a green as grass, fresh off the boat newbie gets a base salary of 2.1 mil per month for 22 classes of 40 minutes each.
She gets 20k won for each 40 minute class over 22 per week and works from 8:30-4:30 each day. She usually averages 26 classes per week and her salary works out to about 2.5 mil per month.
She also gets (as required by law and ignored by most hakwons) NHIC medical, pension, severance, non-shared housing, airfare and 4 weeks annual PAID vacation.
Do NOT be in a rush to sign anything. There is NO rush or urgency in spite of what your recruiter may tell you.
Take your time. The job (or more likely a better one) will still be there next week and probably next month too.
There are 30,000 openings in Korea each year and only about 25,000 applicants to fill those jobs each year.
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6666[/quote] |
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OThePestO
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks ttompatz, that was a super helpful reply for a first timer! Thank you for taking the time! |
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mimi belle
Joined: 11 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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With your background, you could probably get a position at a university or an international school. You can look for these ads, as they seem to advertise directly.
It's actually a good time to look for university and public school positions, since the school year starts in March and there are positions listed for a Feb/Mar start date.
Here's an example:
http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=44690
Only 2.3 per month & no airfare but 8 weeks vacation and fewer classes than a hagwon or public school. You might get overtime as well.
So I think you have a lot of possibilities. |
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