Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bruce W Sims]

[southernman]

Get a Tesol or the like. All you need is one with some actual class teaching and learning, i.e. not all online. MIne took 5 or 6 days and its worth its weight in gold

Also, make sure you scrub up well. If you're older and look way older than you are, things are going to be very difficult.

There's still places that like older teachers but really EPIK or such is probably your best bet. Plus with Tesol you start on a higher pay level.

I'm in my 40's, and thats what I've found anyway. Certainly show your experience working with young people but go the extra yard and get a teaching certificate (like Tesol).

As no doubt you're aware that dodgy Canadian pedophile was caught here about 3 years ago. Immigration requirements have gotten far more strict since then. Korean's see 40ish single western male with no teaching experience and no teaching cert as a danger signal.

My degree and experience is in social work. The same warning signals get flagged when older single men want to work with children and young people back home.

Get the teaching cert, clean up well show some real committment and theres no reason why you can't get a job here.

Good luck

[happiness]

Id say make sure you dress well, appearance is everything. 2nd is adaptability, maybe 3rd is age.

[Ramen]

[Bruce W Sims]

I also notice that in many of these threads the more urban and suburban plaements are discussed far more frequently. I'm having a bit of trouble getting a sense for how the positions away from the fun and bright lights of the city are. Is this worth starting another thread? I have not had much luck using the "search" function here. Comments? Thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[ontheway]

Hello Bruce,

Wear a nice shirt and tie in your picture. Be sure to be smiling. Show that you like kids and have some vitality. You can use more than one photo in your submissions to recruiters.

As for location, Korea is small, the size of an average US state, packed with 50 million people. You'll never really be too far from some city. Imagine Illinois with 50 million people and you're in a rural area. You're never very far from somewhere crowded.

But, your problem is getting a job. The best advice is to keep yourself open to all locations and then see what you get for offers. Check out the location after the offer comes in. Until then, don't worry about location.

You will be able to find a position and teach in Korea.

Look for a decent school with a good contract, with people who seem potentially good to work with. Check out the school and location when you get an offer, and if it seems OK, take the plunge.

You seem like the kind of guy who will adapt and make things work and wonder what all the fuss is from people reporting bad experiences - most of whom are the source of their own problems that they are blaming on good schools.

Just post your resume on Dave's and other sites. Sign up for several recruiters. You could even post a link to your resume and photo in a thread here for any advice people might have, or use a private message. Some posters here might have some connections as well.

[Julius]

[northway]

[Bruce W Sims]

You guys are great. Thanks for the encouragement.

My interest about rural sites isn't just about hiring availability. I think I would prefer a situation that was more about "immersion" than not. So far my teaching preparation assumes that I will have no support or resources and I purposely paint this dark picture for myself to force me to consider having to organize everything "from scrap", import all of my own resources and secure my own technology. Yes, I know......its not going to be anything like that, but it would help to have some idea of what available to a person in less-urban placements. I have my trusty lap-top and SKYPE account but will need the usual copier, computer printer and DVD. Are there books (IE Side-by-Side) that are favored? Does student measurable student progress vary quite a bit from urban settings?

I am also polishing my Korean so that in a pinch I have basic Educational communication skills. There is also a resource that I have that has a number of prepared notices for parents and school administrators (in HAN-GUL). I know people usually prep for situational language needs such as shopping and traveling. I have been working on more classroom appropriate directions and responses--- just to keep in my back-pocket, as it were. I have been looking at the various INTERNET resources for language but it is almost always geared towards the (in)frequent traveler rather than a specific profession. ( ) Thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Theme]

[litebear]

[Bruce W Sims]

Many thanks, Bear; it works much better.

I also found the website for ATEK (Assn. for Teachers of English in Korea) and downloaded a copy of their

English Teacher's Guide to Korea (2nd Ed.) as a .pdf file.

A little light reading...........

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Weigookin74]

Even if you're rural, you will most likely go through a honeymoon for a good part of your first year. Everything will be new and exciting. You may pick up more Korean because you're forced to use it in the community more. But it won't happen through osmosis; you will actually have to study it. I suggest learning to read the written language first even if you don't understand what the words mean. Then go from there. You prob have a book in America that can tell you what the characters mean. (For example: ㄴ = N sound/ ㄱ = G sound.)

After the first year, you may be able to move to a bigger town with more experience. Rural areas can have advantages and disadvantages. The country towns are not rustic like in the west and can have many old shabby buildings. Your apartment can either be really good as an incentive to work there or total crap. Some rural public school boards can be slack. (Extra days off, go home early, no much pressure teaching, etc) But be prepared for the worse case scenario. Try to have a US based credit card you can use from time to time. You will not get credit here. Finding western products is possible, but you will spend most of your first year trying to figure out where things are. There's a good website that can deliver to your school --> www.gmarket.com with an english section. Helps if you have a credit card.

Asides from that bring several sticks of underarm deodorant. Other things you can find here. Most importantly, bring an open mind.

[Weigookin74]

But in the countryside, you can buy a bicycle and go out into the countryside and take pictures. Nice scenery in fall.