Korean Job Discussion Forums

[some waygug-in]

[cedarseoul]

This has (generally speaking) been my approach as well, and it's been similarly beneficial for me.

The problem is that, in general (not without exception), the ESL industry has a very low glass ceiling. If you're not Korean or--at least--married to a Korean and fervently studying Korean--the chances of really excelling vocationally seem slim. Straight-up E2s will always be viewed as dispensable and foreign, and the higher echelons of management at any given school are inherently skeptical of appointing such people to top positions.

So you could, theoretically, approach your job as a vocation and pour your heart and soul into it, and still get a random complaint or two (b/c they can be unpredictable) and end up, in your boss's eyes, on the same level as the bum who just got off the plane at Incheon. I've seen this happen.

Bottom line: a pleasant attitude and a good work ethic might get you promoted to, I don't know, head teacher or supervisor or something. But to really climb the ranks? That's going to be a very tough sell.

I have attended managerial-level training sessions and workshops for my company before, and I'd say the general mix is 90% Korean - 10% foreign...and a lot of times the foreigners who show up to these things aren't actually in management positions at all.

Seems like a risky game to play. If one is looking for a serious, long-term career, one might want to look elsewhere (or, at a minimum, obtain an F-series visa, obtain a university position, learn Korean, etc.).

Edit: Maybe things are different in PS. I'm mainly thinking about hagwon, though I suspect many PS teachers find upward mobility similarly frustrating, esp. with the recent cutbacks...?

[plchron]