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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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 Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 3:05 am Post subject: |
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im not so sure about taking a masters here. unless you want to live here for a long time. ive heard some bad stories. one of my best friends didnt finish his masters from Seoul uni because he got tired of his profs bossing him around (he's a white American)
A position of authority? Never. Ive seen Head Teacher and the like thrown around. Im guessing thats a nice words for organizer cause they cant and fall guy when the spit hits the can.
Id say using your Korean to get into a company. Another buddy just got hired after working for Samsung for a translation gig.
Im happy with the time and potential to make money (winkwink)
in the end , its all for teh money, no? |
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southernman
Joined: 15 Jan 2010
Location: On the mainland again
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| Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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| stevieg4ever wrote: |
I think you would pay around 400k outside of Seoul to be honest. 400k isn't going to get you that much rent wise in Korea.
Here, in short, is why you make less in Seoul:
1. overtime / after school classes pay 10k an hour less and there are far fewer after school programmes as there are more hagwons in Seoul and because more after school programmes are being shipped off to third parties, you've seen the job ads right?!?
2. there is no round fare air ticket if you renew. In EPIK you get a return airfare when you renew (independent of your inbound/outbound flight to and from Korea, this is something different). Viz-a-viz if I want to return to Euroland in the summer it would cost me 1mil approx.
3. accommodation - I have an office-tel but that comes with a high maintenence bill (approx. 150k per month). A lot of people are in this position. I had a 2 bedroom flat in Chungbuk and maintenence was half the price of what I am paying now.
4. Its Seoul, the capital, it just costs more.
I broke with my contract with EPIK and returned with SMOE.
| southernman wrote: |
| stevieg4ever wrote: |
eh?!? If you pay key money you still need to pay rent dude.
I was earning that much in EPIK. Now i am in SMOE and earning no way near that amount.
| southernman wrote: |
There is the opportunity to make more money in the PS environment.
Some districts pay 2.7 for a level 1+ teacher
Pay key money (the exchange rate sucks anyway right now) the cost is as little as 5 Mil in some some smaller cities. So you pocket the 400K accomadation allowance. You get the key money back at the end of your lease.
Do extra classes, hopefully 2 a day
Equals about 3.9 Mil a month
Thats what I'm aiming for in my next contract. It's not huge money but you would be saving a truckload |
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My bad, hehe, ok you pay rent but not a huge amount. If you put in more than 5 Mil down (say 10-15) the rent is even less.
So why'd you go to SMOE for dude, You must have been really living in the boonies. I'm actually on the subway line to Busan so things are pretty sweet, really |
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I agree that 400K wouldn't get you much in Seoul or even Geoje where I lived last year.
But I'm in Yangsan which is basically a suburb or Busan. An American friend and his Korean wife put down 5 Mil key money for a nice officetel with a loft and pay around 300K a month. They are the reason that I'm seriously considering doing the same if I renew my contract here. |
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stevieg4ever
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 3:34 am Post subject: Re: Job progression in Korea for public school teachers |
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Thanks for the suggestion. To be honest if I do a masters here it would be solely for the F visa and I am not sure if a masters in a Korean related field would be of any use outside of Korean shores. But the again if I made the commitment to stay longer here it would be a good option.
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| stevieg4ever wrote: |
I was wondering if we could start a thread on exactly how to progress through Korea's esl ranks, mainly aimed as public school teachers.
I am working in a Seoul based elementary school. My plan is to renew my contract at the end of this one (around next August) and stay for one more year. After that I would like to think about progressing to a better job with better pay and opportunities.
My main school has always been an elementary school (I had a middle school as my second school but that was only for one day per week, during my last contract) and this is starting to play on my mind. I am 28, I don't have any further teaching certification or anything, basically my Korea-based experience is all I have. I am also from the UK so my bachelors degree is a 3 year degree (in English literature however).
Lastly, I can speak Korean relatively well and am level 3 in the TOPIK examination, I will probably acquire level four status come next April and will be attending Yonsei from this winter.
I don't want to be in the public school system forever but am kind of wondering how is the best way of going about moving up and progressing. I cannot imagine universities would be too interested in me at this time having mainly elementary experience behind me.
How is the best way to improve one's job prospects in Korea? Should I seek out a CELTA, TEFL or equivalent? Or would a bachelor's in education or even a masters be more worthwhile? |
This is just a suggestion but why not do a master's? You've seen that new F-2 visa thing for unmarried foreigners right? A master's (in Korea) would give you points towards that. Also the fact that you speak Korean and are relatively young would help as well.
If you are fairly close already, completing a master and/or doing that Social Integration Program might put you over the requirements in terms of points. Then with a F-2 visa your opportunities (in terms of employment in Korea) would open up more. |
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