Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ajosshi]

On average, what is the age at which one has trouble finding work as an ESL teacher in Korea?

JohnKim, 46, mentioned on another tread that he's not been able to clear the "age hurdle" with recruiters.

[Zackback]

42
And it took quite some time before I was offered a position here.

[gava01]

48

I've been here six years, worked for four different schools, current school wants me to extend.

[ttompatz]

Mid 50's and I still get offers of employment (please come work for us when your contract is finished) on a regular basis (usually word of mouth and not through a recruiter).

.

[thegadfly]

Well, it depends on if you are just older, or if you are older and experienced...with no experience, other factors are considered.

A common overgeneralization is that as folks get older, they get more set in their ways, have less energy, and are more prone to illness or injury -- all negatives from an employer's perspective.

Of course, in my own experience, stubborn people are stubborn, and age isn't as much a factor as one might think. There are plenty of inflexible 22 year olds, and plenty of older folks that are quite open-minded and willing to adapt to changing situations -- but such people seem to be a minority in ANY age group. Folks that CALL themselves open-minded and flexible, however, are everywhere.

The folks that call in sick most often tend to be from a younger generation than mine -- folks my age and older seem to soldier on despite our aches and sniffles.

Basic energy also seems to be a personality trait, rather than a function of age, as I have seen some sluggish 26 year olds in the classroom, and some fairly frenetic 50+ year old teachers. However, every one of the high energy folks I have talked to admits to having less energy now than earlier in life...myself included. It is just that even with less energy than 20 years ago, some folks can still turn the dial to 11...it just used to go even higher....

Perceptions work against you as you age, which means references and experience are helpful to overcome the stereotypes and prejudices.

Good luck to you....

[Johnkim]

Ajoshi, did you call out? ha ha. The question rears it head again. I must add that there is life at the end of the tunnel even though the light gets dimmer by the slow process of ageing. There are some recruiters that will take an interest in an older person's application. A thinker will say: ''Yes this candidate may be a good asset on my team''. A non thinker obsessed with looks and no brains will say:''No, pass him by his grey hair is intimidating". It definitely is a waiting game once we hit our 40s. I just hope that all these morons that judge a person's competence on age has the same experience as us when they hit their 40's. Karma creeps up on you when you least know it.

[rainism]

I've met 40 and 50 something teachers in public schools. When I asked some of my first grade highschoolers who was their net in middle school, they said black lady, when I asked older or younger, they said old, so I assume she was at least 40 or older.

they're out there. There was a 50 something year old guy at a school one of my teachers got transferred to.


they may not be in highly sough after locations, they may not be in the most desirable schools, but they're out there.

the biggest hurdle you will have is getting that initial first offer, especially during these times of high supply. A school and a recruiter will naturally gravitate toward their idea of a perfect English teacher - this being a young blonde female, preferably lean and shapely.

Once you're in, network among the Korean teachers as much as possible, then you will be recognized as a good teacher (if they consider you to be one) and you'll never have to go blind through recruiters again.

[Colorado]

I came to Korea at age 54. I'll be 60 this year, still at the same public school. They keep asking me back, but I'm leaving at the end of my contract next year. Looking forward to retirement in Thailand.

[Johnkim]

It appears fledgling sexy blonde women and young drunk men are the main criterion to get a job in Korea. Today I was told by a recruiter my age is an issue. I just feel sorry for all the kids and adults that have to listen to an intoxicated drunk ranting and raving about some BS bar or pub he went to in Itaewon as a basis of his lesson plan. Or the nubile woman that has a Korean boyfriend and uses ''Korean and Western relationships'' as a topic of her lesson plan. Poor Koreans, poor world! Now I will sell my arse. If you are reading this and you need a real teacher at your school, please leave a message. You can not PM me as I have not reached the PM quota, so you may have to leave your e-mail in the public forum.

Signed

Running out of ideas.

[methdxman]

[rainism]

yeah, your woe is me attitude isn't going to get you anywhere.

work with more recruiters. Look for ads from individual schools.

and if you're a gyopo as your handle suggests, use that to your advantage because you certainly enjoy an advantage over a similarly greying white guy.

lastly, stop your idiotic aspersions as to teaching topics and abilities of others who are younger than you are.

btw.. what have you been doing while job ads like this one have been appearing?

http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=47797


let me guess. You've been sitting on your "arse", wailing woe is me.

there was another one several months ago for the Air Force, full year contract gig near Busan, where they specifically said they wanted more "mature" teachers. Young Korean military officers aren't going to really respect some snot nosed frat boy younger than they are, are they now? If I weren't in a nice gig I would have looked into that myself, sounded interesting and will certainly be more rewarding having adult and highly motivated students to teach in a small classroom envionment.



stop whining and get to work.

[rainism]

I am quite smart, thanks, no matter what your "books" say. MOD EDIT, but I only need a single book for such things.

bottom line is I'm only drawing assumptions on what you've said and that wasn't much aside from what a single recruiter told you.

I haven't cast any serious aspersions, perhaps you should go stand in front of the mirror and reread the nonsense you posted previously about what others supposedly less "wise" than you supposedly teach and how they go about their profession. (and btw those topics you take such umbrage at are perfectly acceptable topics for adult learners)

there have been some nuggets of wisdom given in this thread. If you've really tried everything, keep trying for a little longer or perhaps the stars simply aren't aligned for you to teach in Korea at this particular time. Go teach elsewhere, or find something else to do. I'm not saying this with any malice intended whatsoever.

I don't know how open you are to working in whatever part of Korea and I don't know what other requirements if any you have on your end.

what I do know is that there are older teachers here so it's not impossible and I also know that just the dave's Korea job section is filled to the brim with job ads just in the last month, and there are other sites with job ads to boot. Yes, it's significantly harder now than it was even 2 years ago but such is life. It's never inert.

at 46 you're not quite yet a dinosaur. Unless you also can't adapt, in which case their fate also awaits you.

[Julius]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Ramen]

70 young. 5th year at same school.