Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ttompatz]

IF you are looking at Asia there is also the international one in BKK in March.

.,

[Nick Adams]

For credentialed teachers:

Search Associates and International School Services are two of the major recruitment organizations that organize job fairs for international schools, including the previously mentioned fairs in Bangkok, as well as fairs in London and North America (e.g. San Francisco, Boston). There are newer and smaller fairs in Australia and Hong Kong but there are fewer schools attending these.

The Bangkok fairs are likely the most competitive each year. They are the first two fairs by ISS and Search and schools have plenty of time to find good matches. Experienced teaching couples and hard-to fill positions like special ed tend to do the best. It's not cheap to attend these fairs (registration fees, hotel, flights, etc. can add up to $3,000 or $4,000).

The University of Iowa organizes one fair annually that may be worth checking into, especially for a first international school placement. Long way from Korea to Iowa though.

The Council of International Schools is another good option for recruitment fairs, based in London, and probably favors I.B./U.K. teachers a bit more than Search or ISS.

TIE Online as mentioned before is a solid resource for tracking down some job openings, but not all schools advertise with TIE. TIE does not organize recruitment fairs. Membership is cheap so it is a no-brainer.

You can definitely get a job teaching at a smaller international school without two years of experience, but the quality schools are likely to pass over anyone without at least two years of full-time experience. Most good schools want 5+ years of continuous subject area experience plus a Masters degree. One school I worked at had about 120 teachers and there was only one teacher hired straight from university. It is more likely to bump into someone with dual Masters degrees or other advanced degrees than someone straight out of college or straight out of hagwons. However, teaching in Korea is good experience.

International school teaching is a good gig and can be a professionally rewarding career if you are willing to work hard and have the self-restraint to plan for your own retirement (no Social Security, etc.). I know quite a few people who are living high quality lives, enjoying their time teaching and living overseas.

[youtuber]

The $3000-$4000 required to attend these job fairs is a waste. There are plenty of online complaints about how poorly organized they are. In fact, ISS and Search run their fairs at the same time and blocks from each other. In SWANKY hotels!!! They coordinate their fairs for Christ sake. And they are making a pretty penny off of you.

Laying out that much cash for the chance of getting a job is ridiculous. Don't be a sucker. There are no guarantees.

[Mr. Pink]

[jaejyang]

thanks for the helpful posts. Can I ask one more question?

Any advice on which state's credential to pursue? I'm looking for a license that is easily renewable for international school teachers. Preferably one that doesn't require employment in the issuing state to "clear" the license.

[missjulia]

Hey OP,

[definitely maybe]

Is the Ministry of Education really capable of dubbing a school that's probably 70-90% Korean "international"?

[hubbahubba]

[Mr. Pink]

[Nick Adams]

Legit international schools are always accredited by a major North American organization like WASC or a major European organization. If a school lost its accreditation or never applied, it is a sign that the school is largely being run as a for-profit business and does not prioritize teaching and learning.

One thing to find out is where do students typically go after graduation? If they primarily go to North American or European colleges and universities, that's a good sign. If the school calls itself "international" but most students move on to a local college or university something isn't right.

Admin from legit international schools are going to want to talk to you at some length, preferably face to face, before hiring you.

I do know people who got hired via Skype interview sessions. Everyone wants to do this, but it often doesn't work out. Hopefully, in the future, this will become more common. In my personal experience, many of the school administrators I've met are from a generation that is simply not comfortable relying on technology like Skype to conduct business. A lot of people in their 20s and 30s can do this but they aren't the ones hiring.

I went to the Bangkok fair and got a job. I agree it is expensive and wasteful but if your goal is to get into a competitive school being there in person helps. The hotels are 5 star but there are always 3 star options 5 to 10 minutes away. Most of the jobs advertised before the fair disappeared the day before or the morning of the fair.

In the Seoul area the legit international schools are: Seoul Foreign School, Seoul International School, Korea International School, Yongson International School or Seoul and maybe the up-and-coming Chadwick International School in new Seongdo City (it is new but had some bumps opening due to government regulations - big nice campus in a growing construction zone).

[Mr. Pink]

I'm curious if the person who got the Seoul job got one at Korea Kent? Or perhaps Indianhead International School? I heard both are accredited, but I haven't heard good things about either.

[smurfetta]

I think missjulia got offered a job at Rainbow International school.