Korean Job Discussion Forums

[OBwannabe]

A search will quickly bring up loads of posts of ESL teachers who claim to make 4, 5, 6+ million won/mth. And so often they don't hesitate to let the rest of us know that we are wasting our time if we settle for 2.3 mill/mth, or whatever the going rate is these days.

In my 5 years I met, in person, no more than 4 or 5 guys who admited to making such great wages on consistent basis while teaching in and around Seoul. But here on Dave's there seems to be all sorts of esl cowboys making the big bling.

The handful of fellas I knew who were doing so well worked tons, often including Saturdays....and were all very young and full of the unbridled enthusiasm that comes with youth.

Anyone out there 35+ doing so well. Is there any legal way of making so much money? Is having two part-time jobs the only way of achieving this?
Yes...I want my piece of the pie! ha ha.

Thoughts? I'd love to hear your feedback.

[rowdie3]

I'm 32 and I'm doing it. Two part time jobs. One is 4.5 hours a day. The other is 3. Both legal. 37.5 teaching hours a week. One Saturday a month. It's possible. Look into Wall Street Institute if you have the experience background that they are looking for.

[edwardcatflap]

Made 10 mil this month from a combination of 27 hours teaching, examining and some online work. Pm me if you want the details

[ttompatz]

[PRagic]

45. My 'base' is well over 70M a year plus whatever I do on the side consulting. Well, plus whatever the wife pulls in.

When I was teaching English in the 90s at university here, my rule was to at least double my school salary via my outside work (had the F5 so it was legal, too). Never made less than 2.6 at university, so the math should shed some light on what I was pulling in monthly. And, again, that was back in the 90s - 5-7 million a month on ave. Very doable then and very doable now. I completely agree with ttompatz in that connections and the strength of your credentials go a very long way.

I like my new job and career track, though. No running around the city chasing work. No multiple class days or teaching the same thing hour after hour. I can research what I want when I want, I only teach two courses a semester (1 undergrad, 1 grad), and for the most part I only participate on committees I feel strongly about. I'm also an equally participating tenure track faculty member, so I'm not subject the the whims of the admin or faculty. They ask me what I'll be teaching and when I'd like to teach, and, man, let me tell you just how enlightening THAT experience is after having taught in English programs for a while LOL! Fully paid summer/winter vacations, but that was also the case when I taught English.

Over the past few years, money hasn't seemed as important as job and professional satisfaction. That might be because I'm getting older, because the better half and I could (financially, at least) retire whenever we want, or because I just like what I do now and I never did 'then'. Might be a combination of things. Having enough to be able to just walk away, especially at this age, is empowering to be sure, and I highly recommend making it happen if at all possible. Life just seems a little simpler and a lot more fulfilling at this point.

[Paddycakes]

Age 33:

2.1 per month from Wonderland
9.5 per month from the Host bar

Total: 11.6 per month.


Seriously, take everything you read on Dave's regarding "income" with a total grain of salt.

[T-J]

[edwardcatflap]

[Paddycakes]

I once met a guy who openly bragged about how much income he made... the guy worked at a uni and guess got extra money that month for doing camps during the break...

He's blurts out to everyone (and he's not drunk): "Last month I made 4.3 million Won".

And I'm like, WTF, do you have no sense of basic social skill?

Rule #1 in life is never talk about income (at least for westerners unless you're super close friends and you have comparable incomes).

And besides 4.3 is nothing.

[tigershark]

DO you guys have any tips for making more money? I have a BA, a B.Ed and currently working on a M.Ed although I know no one important, unless they are hiding it from me.

[god of English]

[god of English]

[ttompatz]

[jlb]

Most people at my uni make at least 3 mill a month, many make 4 mill plus and some even make more than that. Base salary is 2.5 but OT is plentiful

[edwardcatflap]