Korean Job Discussion Forums

swinewho · Joined: 17 Aug 2009

EVERY talk person I�ve ever know has been forced to do home stay!

Although my area only gets 4-5 TALK people a year - they always stay with the same people.

NO option of single apt - they did however get their own ROOM in the family�s house! Razz

I guess, if like EPIK you will have no idea of where you will be going until AFTER the orientation - which is around 1 month for TALK people I believe?

The pay is much worse than EPIK, but to do get a lot more hol time!

So to answer your question as to wheather you'll be made to do 'house stay,' is like many things in Korea - up in the air! Laughing

valium kilmer · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

Where were/are you?

As a TaLK scholar I knew a few hundred, and only met a few who did a homestay - and they did it by choice.

Personally, the government thing is misleading - with either TaLK or EPIK, working for the government doesn't actually provide any guarantees - you could get a bad school, in the same way you could get a bad Hagwon (or good ones - luck of the draw.)

The difference is, the OP said he doesn't have the qualifications for a Hagwon, so won't have the qualifications for EPIK either - and EPIK doesn't really pay that well, unless you have experience or a Celta etc. If it came to a toss up between EPIK and a Hagwon I'd take the latter.

enj0i · Joined: 07 Sep 2011 Location: SXM w/o a passport

Ok, so my skype interview was at 1:30kst, I jumped on at 2:30est, I knew the time zone difference was 13hours and like a retard I calculated it all at being 2:30 here when it would be 1:30 there, obviously it should of been 12:30. Anyway, I hop on, the person I was supposed to interview with had tried to call at 12:30 then sent a couple of messages letting me know they were ready, I get on 2 hours later like wtf???? So I send a message saying I thought it would be 2:30 my time and they sent a message back saying they were with another candidate and that we'd have to reschedule. I replied apologizing for the confusion and if we could reschedule now, about 10 mins later they signed off of skype with no reply. So.........WTF is all I can process right now. Stupid mistake I know, but I guess in tightening job markets around the world that's all it takes to shoot yourself in the foot. Should I mark an X through TaLk now?

valium kilmer · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

I wouldn't worry about it too much - give them a day or so to get back to you and then try again.

In the most positive way I can put this - this is Korea you're applying to work in - throw all your standard job/work expectations out the door! Wink

enj0i · Joined: 07 Sep 2011 Location: SXM w/o a passport

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

northway · Joined: 05 Jul 2010

Weigookin74 · Joined: 26 Oct 2009

DaHu · Joined: 09 Feb 2011

valium kilmer · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

As far as I can tell I'm the only TaLK scholar in this thread, but everyone has 'facts' telling me I'm wrong...

It's true that you can't work in Seoul.

With regards to the homestays - I would never have applied if there was a chance I would end up doing a homestay - you get to choose on the application. I know a few people who actually did choose this option, and it didn't work out, and fairly quickly they were assigned their own place.

Also, the schools are usually out in the country. I was in Cheongju, and most of the other Chungbuk scholars I was with were based in the city and travelled out to their schools daily. The people I knew in Jeju had more rural homes, but after 6 months they decided to move into the city and make the commute. I also moved, but from one part of the city to another to be closer to friends.

With regards to the hours - this does seem to be a bit luck of the draw, though not unlike EPIK in the same respect. With TaLK you 'work' 15 hours a week. On top of this you have preparation, which is a nightmare when there is no book or curriculum. Some people I knew were lucky and had these hours arranged as 1-4 every afternoon. Some others were required to be at the school 9-5 with their lessons scattered throughout the day. When I started I had this schedule, but I emailed TaLK and after that my school allowed me to come and go only for my lessons.

However, this still left me with lessons fairly scattered throughout the day (though one of my conditions upon resigning was that I only work afternoons - which although they said because of the size of the school they couldn't manage, they tightened up my teaching hours.)

So with regards to the part time thing - with the classes and the preparation it knocks it to about 20 hours per week, and with travel on top, my week came in around 30 hours per week - most of the hagwon workers i knew were working around 25 hours per week, with no travel, so the part time thing is slightly misleading - there is certainly a chance you won't be able to use your 'spare' time any more than a regular full time worker.

I know people who have ended up at schools they hated - but that is by no means restricted to TaLK.

As I say, I do have issues with TaLK - the pay is not great for the actual hours involved, no severance, no raise in the last 3 years of the salary, if you stay longer than a year you can have money for a mid contract flight home (providing it falls within the dates they set - i needed a flight home slightly later but was refused) OR 500,000w (what a kick in the balls...). I think they capitalize on the fact that the applicants have no other choice if they want to be in Korea. However, that's precisely why I was using TaLK - it gave me a chance to be in Korea while I prepared and applied to Uni - and for that I'm grateful. I love Korea and I love being in Korea - so a few financial drawbacks weren't a hindrance. Which was my point to the OP - if he wants to go to Korea and get away from whats going on back home I would strongly recommend TaLK!

enj0i · Joined: 07 Sep 2011 Location: SXM w/o a passport

enj0i · Joined: 07 Sep 2011 Location: SXM w/o a passport

valium kilmer · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

Hey - I hope I'm not too late again!

I'd just play up the 'I want to experience Korean culture/I enjoy working with kids' angle.

Say something about understanding that Korea has a strong focus on learning English, and what draws you to the TaLK program is that you will be able to help kids in rural areas with less opportunities to improve their English... and as a result, their chances of Uni placements/jobs etc.

Then you could... lie - say you've always been fascinated with the east or Korea or you're very keen to learn another language or something...

In terms of what to ask - not sure really. Ask questions raised in this thread - will I have a choice of homestay/my own apartment (I can promise you what I said above is true by the way)... I'm really not sure what to suggest actually. Because, whatever he/she promises will probably have no bearing on things anyway.

Honestly, I think they're really looking to expand the program, so you really should have a problem - just speak clearly in the interview (massively important) and you should be fine - just appear keen!

Good luck!

enj0i · Joined: 07 Sep 2011 Location: SXM w/o a passport

Hey bro, thanks it actually went pretty good. I just gotta get my documents out to em now and I think she said they'll email me letting me know if I'm accepted or not by november 3rd.

enj0i · Joined: 07 Sep 2011 Location: SXM w/o a passport

Hey Valium I can't PM people yet but do you have a simple yet effective lesson plan you could maybe email me? I have to include one with my application and would like to have one to refer too? I'd really appreciate it, thanks.