Korean Job Discussion Forums

[World Traveler]

I can't get interviews, and I'm not sure why. I emailed 16 different recruiters (recruiters who deal with public schools) expressing interest in a public school position.

Most ignored me and didn't respond in any way. Some wrote back offering nine hour a day hagwon jobs in the sticks for 2.1 million, saying, "Sorry, the market is bad right now. You will have to be less choosy and take a private institute position if you want to find work."

A small handful of recruiters talked to me at greater length on the phone, but said, "About those job positions we posted in our ads, they are very picky about who they will accept. They want to hire females and they want to hire people who are already in country."

I can't believe I'm getting rejected. I have a Masters of Education and CELTA. I sure didn't anticipate this happening.

Maybe it is not possible for me to get a public school position. GEPIK had such severe budget cuts that the only public schools hiring in Gyeonggi-do are those that are paying for the foreign teacher out of their own budget. There are not many of these schools. Apparently, they are snatching up people in country who got laid off from the other GEPIK jobs (and in some cases have years of experience.)

Here's my plan: tell me if it is a good one. I am going to apply for a D4 visa and fly to Korea on my own dime to study Korean at a university language institute. This way I will be in country during the prime university hiring season. I will try my hardest to network during this time also. Is this my best option?

Any and all advice is welcome.

[marsavalanche]

are you asian? black? not north american?

those answers affect your chances at getting a job like mine brah

[FastForward]

Why not take a Hagwon position to get in the country, then start to look for public school jobs? I have contacted six recruiters with 4 getting back to me. I'm assuming my resume/photo are acceptable, but it has been slow to get any jobs public or private.

[Gorf]

Are you fat? Non-white? Slovenly looking in your picture? Basically, that's what will keep you from getting interviews.

[Malislamusrex]

Have you got experience? If not 2.1 is the no experience starting point.

[minos]

Public school hiring starts 3-4 months in advance. Semester starts in September.

Next Semester starts in March. So of course they won't hire you because they can't.

Sadly, MOST of the good jobs that hire experienced/credentialed candidates want in person interviews.

If you have a master with celta, you'll have every job begging you to join but they want to meet in person.

These days, usually the entry level positions(ie: those hagwon jobs they're throwing you) are the ones that hire from abroad. Before, they were desperate as hell so it wasn't as much of a factor to be hired for elite positions without an interview.

If you never worked here before, you'll need an interview at the embassy in your home country to get your visa. Otherwise, I'd suggest you fly down here yourself and try to get a college job.

[northway]

[Tarztastic]

[Swampfox10mm]

[northway]

[Bruce W Sims]

Dear W-T:

Pull-lease do not take this stuff personally!! Like the line from the movie classic "The God-Father" the same thig holds true here.

"It's not personally, Sonny; its just business."

As many people have told me ---here and elsewhere--- this entire endeavor is about business and not about Education. If you start taking it personal that people do not return your calls/emails don't be surprised if you burn-out in about a month.

BTW: Just a side thought. Consider that your BC is only good for 6 months. If its over four months since your last BC, it would be good to make another applications as you will need about a month-and-a-half to get your BC + apostille. Just a thought.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[fugitive chicken]

you sound over qualified for what they want. I helped my previous school last year find my replacement and they chose not to look at a woman with her masters in ESL because they didn't want to pay her 2.4 mil instead of 2.1

Also, several schools are getting a huge cut in their English budget. At least two schools I know are losing their foreign teacher, including my previous one.

Korea is really a "starter" country, and most public schools don't want to pay for good teachers. Some hogwans would, but they wouldn't be easy to find. So many are looking for the cheapest way to hire foreigners.

I don't have much advice because I haven't found the great paying jobs that some people on this board have because they are qualified and have years and years of experience of teaching in Korea under their belt...but I think this is what is happening with you...Sorry. I suggest not to leave your search to just Korea. You may have more luck elsewhere.

[ssuprnova]

^^ Agreed. With your qualifications I'd look into Taiwan.

If you're bent on Korea then you should accept the first crapwon job you're offered and promptly quit after the 6 month mark. Just choose a place not too far from Seoul and preferably an afternoon position (starting at 2-3pm) so that you're able to attend interviews in the mornings. Will you be wasting time? Maybe. But the job offers you get while you're actually in the country are a lot better than anything you'll be able to land from abroad.

[Malislamusrex]

EPIK public school pay with Masters degree in education = 2.1 with no teaching experience.

[northway]