Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LGSakers]

Hi everyone.

I have some friends, a couple, looking for work in Korea. Both have a BA, and one is a qualified teacher with experience (roughly 8 months worth).

Both were born in Canada and native English speakers. But each time they apply for work, they're asked what ethnicity they are (one is Indian, the other is Iranian). When they tell them, they're told no one will hire them.

I would greatly appreciate any help with this... options for them, if they should just try another country, etc.

Thanks.

[ttompatz]

They need to learn to give the right answer.

Ethnicity is "Canadian". They were born there.

ANY other answer (factual or not) will result in the application heading for the round file bin.

.

[LGSakers]

Thank you!

How about when they send their photos in? They certainly aren't white.

[ttompatz]

[suki]

Why do you think they ask for photos?

No. They will be hired as last resort only. Take it from me, I'm a NET who's ethnically Korean. Only the public schools will give me the time of day.

[TeacherinDeajeon]

[marsavalanche]

[suki]

I've met an East Indian NET before, but again this is only with the public schools and they are only hired as a last resort.

It sucks, but that's the way it is.

Maybe if they respond to an off-season notice, that would increase their chances. Only that might indicate a difficult situation to be entering into, and with GEPIK at least they're trying to eliminate off-season hires.

Or they might try applying to school districts directly, as then the schools don't have to pay recruiter fees.

[marsavalanche]

Actually at my old job they hired a Muslim guy.

Yes I'm aware Muslim is not a race/ethnicity but I couldn't tell you what he was. If I had to guess I'd say he was Egyptian. But he got hired because his girlfriend was a pretty hot little white girl (something he even admitted when I talked with him).

If you want the contact info of the school, I can give it to you. They are large, always hiring, I've seen other backgrounds not caucasian besides that guy, and as long as you're willing to accept crap housing, crap pay, and crap hours (even though the work itself is good) you at least have a puncher's chance at getting hired.

[TellyRules986]

"Do Hogwans/Private schools hire different ethnic groups?"

Yes. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Just apply and don't be unreasonable with the demands.

[northway]

[TheUrbanMyth]

I've worked with minorities before at hakwons (two African-Americans). Both enjoyed it and the kids seemed to like them as well.

So there are open-minded directors out there...you just have to find them.

[SoylaMBPolymath]

I am a biracial woman (half black and half Latina) and I am definitely not a white girl. My hair is kinky, wild, and natural. Every person I meet thinks it's a perm, and yes, when I am seen on the street I am stared out without fail. I work in a small town by Korean standards. It's about 370,000 people. But I have been treated with kindness and courtesy by almost everyone I have met here, including my director and coworkers. Also, I am the only NET.

When I initially sent the feelers out to see if a recruiter would be willing to work with me, only one flat out asked me, "And you were born in the United States, right?" It has worked to my benefit that I unlike my predecessor, my students enjoy my energy, they like my sense of humor, and yes, they like me. My director likes that fact I can spell words like definitely and pronunciation (as opposed to deffinately and pronounciation), and that I did not come to Korea expecting to be treated like royalty because I speak English. I came to do a job and to work toward the success of her hagwon.

Things have not been perfect, but they are better than I anticipated. The experience will be what your friends make of it. Don't take too much of what you read on these boards to heart. There is useful information here, but there is also much truth to the fact that no one experience is like another. I have kept an open mind and am finding that it is serving me very, very well.

[Bruce W Sims]

Apologies in advance for the forum necro but my first-time efforts for placement in Korea seem to be moving towards HAGWON-s rather than the Public Schools so I tend to focus on threads with this theme.

I have to tell you that from what I am reading here folks seem to be a little out of touch with the nature of hiring practices and the mentalities that can drive them. I have just turned 60 and it may be worthwhile to share some of the experiences I have had.

My earliest teaching experiences here in the US began with trying to locate a teaching position after graduating with my MA--- this is in 1979. The terrible recession of 1973 still had the country in its grip and the Recession of 1982 was just around the corner. Teaching jobs were advertised, but only because State law required it. In truth, individuals had already been identified to fill the places, and were usually friends or family members of people on the inside. Females, far and away, were given clear preference over males, and the more attractive females were preferred in that group. For people who are unfamiliar with this dynamic the common term is "YAVIS" (IE. "young, attractive, verbal, intelligent and sensual").

Nor is this unique to Education as I found that YAVIS females very often beat-out males in many Business positions as well, especially where image or appearance was of great concern (IE. Sales; Communication). Of course, we are talking about entry-level positions. Advancing to positions of responsibility was another story. For those positions, vacancies were typically filled by individuals who had attended the same Business School as the incumbant administrator.

Now lets look at my current situation.

Yes, I have my MA, and yes I have over 20 years experience as a professional Educator and Counselor. I'm pretty well grounded, have paid my dues, am an extraordinary teacher. And guess what? A young miss fresh out of University with a cute face and a pert bottom will probably beat me out for a position. Why? Because that is just the way things fall into place.

Personally, I really liked MS Polymath's post because it seems to support my own view.

When I was in school the view was that if one failed at anything else, "I can always Teach". For me that doesn't always hold. Being an Educator is not a "fall-back position" to me, so I know that with a chance to get my foot in the door I'll be teaching circles around folks who took an ESL job for a bit of post-graduation diversion or adventure. And I think this is where the matter of patience and dilligence comes in. Just because the playing field may not be level doesn't mean that the game "can't" be played or that its impossible for a champion to show their stuff, right?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Louis VI]

Mine has a Maori now, two years ago an African American, both women though.