Korean Job Discussion Forums

[quackzilla]

I'm trying to get my first teaching position in Korea and have gotten a flood of requests directly from Hagwons and placement agencies working for Hagwons.

I've found out about half of them are scammy/terrible from google searches, but what about the rest?

I'm looking at Hans Lang in Anyang now, anyone here heard of them?

The job is in Anyang (Kyunggi). It pays 2-2.1 Mil, they say 6hrs/day teaching starting at 9:30am, no later than 7:30. Studio apartment, 15 min walking distance. Small classes of 10-15, 5 foreign teachers, and 300 total students.

It seems really nice, and it is close to Seoul so I can visit my friend when he gets leave (he's in the military). I'm thinking about just going for it an accepting if the interview goes well, but I want to make sure I'm not making a mistake.

I'm really excited about teaching and I'm not much into the bar scene/drinking or partying. I just want to meet people, hang out, eat some Korean food, and have fun teaching for a year! I want a job that doesn't keep me working 12 hours a day so I can't experience the culture.

Here is the ad: http://www.eslworld.ca/developer/m_job_board/school_users_view.asp?idx=142&PageNo=1

I couldn't find anything about them on google. I found one mention of them on eslcafe, it said that the after hours manager is a dick and they are bad about honoring hours, but it was an otherwise "a blast!" But I'm wary of basing my decision on a one sentence review either way, and I'm not allowed to send that user a private message. His post is here:
forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=199970

Thanks!

[quackzilla]

Here is the ad for the job:

http://www.eslworld.ca/developer/m_job_board/school_users_view.asp?idx=142&PageNo=1

[Skippy]

I was going to respond but I have done this like a hundred times.

Sigh.....

OK - OP some hints and help

1. Learn to refine your searches. For example use google to search eslcafe.com. Try other engines - here is a big hint - Korea likes Korean websites. Of course you will have to learn Korean to understand most of it.

2. Do not believe everything you read on the Internet. If so my *beep* would be bigger. Many of those stories become HE SAID/HE SAID stories. It might be true it might not be.

3. Things change.... That story or post your read was true 5 years ago but is much different now why time-new owners, different school same name, and school is gone and on and on.

4. For the love of GOD and all that is holy - give specifics. If I see I one more time "Can I know more about ECC" I will scream. Which ECC? There is almost a hundred ECC schools spread around Korea if not more. Which city, which community aka dong. Try also some job details like pay and hours. We might not know the school but we can give you some pointers of what looks wrong.

5. ESLcafe is not facebook ..... you can type more.... Also simple questions get simple answers or worse smart-ass answers.

6. I do not want to do your work for you as do many other people here too. BUT if you show that you put some effort in people will be more likely to help you. Show people what you have or what you have done and they will maybe decided to help a little bit further. Still in the end most people here are going to look and move on. They just see posts like yours as too much work.

7. The ESL community is a small community but not that small. I do not know the names of all the schools in Korea - there are thousands of them. The names of the ones I do know - most are gone as they change.

8. Numbers. This is a numbers game. Of all the teachers in Korea I would say maybe 1 out of 10 have heard of Dave's. 1 out of 100 will have posted or read something here once or twice in the last year. 1 out of 1000 will actually be regulars. 5 years ago it would have been better - more people here. Most people just do not care or have gone to Daves for Dummies called some facebook group or other.

9. No job will be perfect. Something will always be wrong or off. You need to find that job that is the least evil.

10. Recruiters are not your friend. They are business people. Use many of them as you need, but be wary and picky.

11. Read the FAQ forum. Try the contract thread for details and what to look for.

12. A key point in life is "What is in it for ME!" I read your post and nothing in it makes my life better or more interesting - it's all about you. You know what would make the post better - give juicy details, tell a story, get me a reader to be interested and relate to it. If I relate to it I will more likely respond. What about the school is not LEGIT. I do want to know!

[quackzilla]

Thanks for the reply, sorry I'm clueless! I edit the original post to be more specific.

The job is in Anyang (Kyunggi). It pays 2-2.1 Mil, they say 6hrs/day teaching starting at 9:30am, no later than 7:30. Studio apartment, 15 min walking distance. Small classes of 10-15, 5 foreign teachers, and 300 total students.

It seems really nice, and it is close to Seoul so I can visit my friend when he gets leave (he's in the military). I'm thinking about just going for it an accepting if the interview goes well, but I want to make sure I'm not making a mistake.

I'm really excited about teaching and I'm not much into the bar scene/drinking or partying. I just want to meet people, hang out, eat some Korean food, and have fun teaching for a year! I want a job that doesn't keep me working 12 hours a day so I can't experience the culture.

Here is the ad: http://www.eslworld.ca/developer/m_job_board/school_users_view.asp?idx=142&PageNo=1

I couldn't find anything about them on google. I found one mention of them on eslcafe, it said that the after hours manager is a dick and they are bad about honoring hours, but it was an otherwise "a blast!" But I'm wary of basing my decision on a one sentence review either way, and I'm not allowed to send that user a private message. His post is here:
forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=199970

[Modernist]

[dodge]

I can't comment too much on your job apart from to say the hours and pay seem reasonable. but I'd check on holiday too. and yeah if you can get in touch with a current teacher there, that would be the best way to check how good the job is

But i can vouch for Anyang being a nice enough place, I've been here for nearly a year and may stay here another year too. There are not a lot of english teachers here considering how big a city it is, but there is a small foreigner community you can tap into here. it doesn't bother me too much anyway.

It is close to Seoul too - 35 mins to the centre of Seoul by subway, or quicker if you take the regular train (cos Anyang is connected to the regular train network too).

and there are other places in Gyeonggi-Do, easily accessible from Anyang, which are worth exploring without the hassle of Seoul. I quite like Ansan and Suwon, and there are plenty of mountains and parks round here too.

hope that helps. all the best

[Skippy]

Thanks for the details. I never been or taught in Anyang so as to how it is do not know. But always be careful with the terms "close". Yes Korea is a small country and has some pretty good public transport. But close does not mean easy or quickly. For example I am in Daejeon and I can get to Seoul quicker then a friend who lives in Uijongbu which is a bit North of Seoul. Thru likely my cost would be higher. Even living in Seoul can still mean an hour or more commute to get to popular places. It is a pretty big city. So remember that with your military friend. It might not be that easy to come and visit. Use google maps to get an idea.

As to the job. It looks okay but not perfect. Pay should be a bit more in my opinion as it is Kindergarten/Morning Classes. If it was an afternoon classes I would say ok pay but in my opinion if someone is going be at a school from 9:30 to 7:30 pay it should be more. The 5 foreign teachers is a little bonus as you can get some help with living and working in Korea. They can be ready made friends at times. As commented above talk to them before your make your choice. If the school or recruiter will not give you any details skip the job.

Another hint to searching is you can be amazed at all the names for a school. Let's give an example Maple. Maple what? Maple Academy, Maple English Academy, Maple English School, Maple English, Maple Institute, Maple Hagwon(korean word). Maple English hagwon, and so on. There can be many variations. Also consider using www.searcheslcafe.com That place is okay for searching many Korean related sites at once. The search on Dave's here can be buggy.

[Maxboss]

I have been in many places in Korea and Anyang is one of my least favourite. A bit of a dump really.

[ssuprnova]

9.30am to 7.30pm every single day for 2.0? Keep looking. My school does intensives twice a year but even then the schedule is better (9-11am and 2pm-last class, 8pm at the very latest).

[Robert23]

I don�t know anything about that hakwon in particular, but I can tell you the location is great. That area of Anyang is relatively clean, quiet, and has a ton of nice recreational facilties. Nightlife isn't bad either.

However, hakwons in that area are struggling as public schools expand their (less expensive) after-school programs. Ask the foreigners at the school if they think the business is going to fold before your contract will be up.

[carleverson]

Hogwon jobs are all pretty much the same - all horrible. Location becomes the deciding factor.

[MayorGoonberg]