Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yellowstone_1872]

I'm thinking of taking a job in Hadong (Gyeongsangnam-do), and it looks like a small town (less than 60k in the county). For a position in a place like this, are the dress codes going to be similar? When I look on their website, the Korean teachers don't seem overly dressed up (collared shirt, slacks), but that may only be field trips. Any ideas?

[MoonArisa]

Another question within this discussion:

I've noticed that all the tips are directed towards men. I'd greatly like your inputs from views or personal experiences for the other side of things. Although I assume the general rules are the same for female teachers, it is really so?

Would female teachers be more casual or more professional?

This said, in Japan it's better viewed for a woman to wear a skirt rather than a pair of pants (be it as part of a suit or not). Is this also applicable for Korea?

[cyui]

I don't know, keep in mind female roles' are viewed differently here. There is no gender equality for even Korean woman, let alone a foreign one.

Iam not sure you would want to be drawing unwanted/necessary attention to yourself by wearing a skirt or dress. It might not be a very plesant experience in the end. But, the choice is yours'.

Older Korean teachers dress like that because it's a cultural implication ( yet while most of thier husbands' are free to go and do never-ending soju rounds' each night)

[nuthatch]

...it's all sooooooo 1950s

[jvalmer]

[mervanm]

Thank you so much for all this information.

[MoonArisa]

[brauggi]

[oldfatfarang]

Op. I'm not gonna read the whole thread, but here's my experience in Korea.

Came without a suit (not needed for a hagwon job). Found a discount suit shop in a back street and paid 100,000 won ($100) for a thick material sombre Chinese made suit.

I've worn this suit for PS opening days, Teacher Day parties, open classes, and the first week of public school. Looks good, but I've had to have the waistline expanded to allow for my teachers' gut.

As an older male, I found teaching for the first week in a suit in PS is a double edged sword. While it helps with initial classroom control (gets respect from students), it will put a barrier between the kids and you if you continue to wear it during the year.

Also, I think that many Korean teachers might be wary of you dressing like a 'teacher' or principal.

Sadly, I have to lug this thing around SE Asia again (arggggh).

Good luck.

[nathanrutledge]

I'm going to side with the "get a suit, ya bum" crowd. Sports coat and dockers at a formal thing just screams middle school to me. It's fine for everyday stuff, but when you have to get dressed, then get dressed. Bring it with you, buy it here, whatever. Just get a suit. Doesn't have to be fancy, but the jacket and pants have to match.

[daskalos]

@cyui

The way I teach ESL, it is professional, whatever I'm wearing. I've never worn a suit in my three years of teaching ESL in Korea, but I've never worn sandals or a t-shirt, either (excepting, of course, the days during the World Cup last year when I wore my GO KOREA! FIGHTING! t-shirt.)

I'll agree with you that it doesn't take all that much knowledge to be hired as an ESL teacher in Korea (you illustrate that point beautifully), but to do it well, anywhere, does indeed take some larnin', and perhaps it's this key issue that made you such a bitter pill about teaching ESL in Korea.

No, it doesn't take a suit or tie to teach well. If it weren't for how distracting the glory of my nakedness is, I could teach naked and my students, after their course, wouldn't even be able to remember that I taught them without clothes on. That said, since perception matters, since first impressions matter (even though they probably shouldn't), the better you dress in your professional life, the fewer barriers you will need to overcome in order to facilitate the kind of communication in a classroom that is essential to learning.

To the OP, bring or get a suit. Be a Boy Scout about it all and be prepared. No idea what your job is. For kids, you'll never need to wear a suit in class, but a button up shirt, tucked in, a belt, and real shoes will indeed set the tone for the respect you expect from them, and since language is a barrier in this setting of tone, why not aim satorially high to achieve it?

In any job teaching adults, the bar is higher, if you're serious about your work life. Even if you don't plan to make ESL your career (probably wise, unless you've got other income), pride in oneself should mean that you're willing to meet the cultural norms of your host country. Dressing appropriately is one of those ways we can display wordlessly that we are not Ugly Americans (Brits/Aussies/Kiwis/etc.) who expect other cultures to adjust to our norm.

No, clothes don't make the man (or woman), but it's really only the woefully ignorant or the oppositionally defiant turds of the world who insist that the world must have as much respect for them in their ratty jeans and t-shirts as it does for those dressed in collars, slacks and ties. Because first impressions matter, especially in a place like Korea.

@cyui, I begin to understand why your experience in Korea was so unsatisfactory. It's because you are precisely the kind of person who should never teach in Korea. My understanding is that you don't, any longer, live or teach there? Excellent. That reduces, by no small amount, the time and effort I exert to apologize to Koreans for the piss-poor quality of some of the foreign teachers they get.

Relentlessnesslessly,
Das

[smartwentcrazy]

I would think a nice dress shirt, pants, and a tie would suffice for any occasion.

[marsavalanche]

[jonpurdy]

@daskalos

Well written. You nail the points about first impressions and having less of a barrier to get over when dressed well.

I'd add that every single job will require you to wear a suit on occasion. Meet the parents day, graduation, open classes, etc. Even those that teach kindy (who would probably be fine with jeans and a nice tshirt most days) will need a suit occasionally.

[tealeeds1]

I brought 5 smart/work trousers and 7 shirts, 3 ties and 4 jumpers. to cover everyday of the week and spares, and for casual/weeekend wear i only brought 1 pair of tidy jeans, maybe 7 tshirts and 3 hoodies, plus a pair of tatty jeans with holed knees (for hikes, or fixing stuff, etc).

anyway, turned up all nice and smart on my first day, trousers shirt tie jumper, and was told not to bother with smart clothes, just jeans and hoody will be fine.

now ive got a wardobe full of tidy work clothes im not going to wear for a year, but i guess theyre there in case, and not sat in a wardrobe the other side of the world..

the other downside is i dont have enough clothes to get me througha working week properly... having more work clothes than casual, but actually working in your casual clothes too means i gotta go shopping come payday....