Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shifty]

I'm thinking the OP should try and return to Korea, if only to allay any stirring home-sickness on his wife's part. She would be less apprehensive about work etc, being on a turf she knows.

Even better if she could study full time for a degree, whilst OP brings home the bacon. Imagine how such a beckoning horison would lift spirits and maintain morale in the face of strained relations with family and friends. It would allow space to heal these divisions.

The problems I see are with how to present the situation to a new employer. They'll get quite a shock at the airport to discover a Korean wife in tow, if it hasn't been divulged. Maybe best for her to arrive a few days later.

Also since cash is at a premium, potentially forking out two air fares upfront, even if one of these is reimbursed. In a new job with unknown pitfalls..

[Troglodyte]

From the F visa holders that i've met, it seems that there are also downsides to getting a job on an F2 than on an E2. I think with an F2, you have a lot less stress about being shafted by an employer because you can easily just walk away. But a lot of the F2 teachers that I met did not work a single full time job. Most (of the ones that I've met) were working a series of part time jobs. In the end they were making more money, but only because they were not limited by the number of jobs they could take. Some employers don't want to hire an F visa teacher for a full time job because they aren't sure if they can rely on the teacher. Some feel more security in knowing that the teacher is stuck with that one school. If you consider in the free rent and the fact that you get the same salary even if the school doesn't give you the full work load each week, and the job security of having a full time contract, you might find that an E2 isn't totally without it's advantages.

You're best bet is probably to just apply like any other foreigner, don't tell the recruiters that you're married to a Korean (some employers don't want someone who has or may soon have an F2 visa) and come here on an E2. After you're settled in, apply for the F2. As soon as you arrive, you're accommodation and job are already set up. No need to look for either.

As far as having pulled a runner, don't worry about it. You might get rejected from a few schools, but there is no shortage of jobs. Just tell recruiters that you weren't being paid and since you don't speak Korean you weren't able to do anything about it - so you left. It happens. Just remember, the recruiter is getting pay for providing teachers to schools. It's in their best interest to say good things about you and get you a job. Unless they have way more applicants than schools, they'll present your resume to someone. If they don't then they might lose out to another recruiter. In fact, if you have all your documents ready to go, that's worth a lot more to a recruiter than whether or not you ran from your last job. I think that a lot of applicants don't have their papers ready and this causes a delay which the school doesn't like, which in turn can cost the recruiter his commission when the school hires someone else.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[mgafunnell]

why go back to a disaster area? try china. maybe i could help you