Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dailj2]

Hi everyone,
I hope this is the right place to post this.
I've been researching teaching english on my own but would like some advice/opinions from anyone here. I just graduated with a B.A. in Geosciences and have no teaching experience. I've been reading some posts up here about teachers getting fired, having a difficult time controlling kids, etc. It's made me start to wonder if I would be an effective teacher. I'm hoping that it would get easier as I gained experience.

I was originally looking at EPIK. I've also heard about recruiting agencies like Korvia. Any opinions on Korvia or others, or should I just go directly through EPIK? I'm going to apply to one of them soon. I think I would be applying for the spring semester which is March 2013 I think.


I think recently the EPIK rules have changed and I would have to have a certification and 100+ hours of experience. Is this a lost cause now?

My plan was if I liked teaching, after my year contract was up, to go get the Celta certification at ILA in Vietnam. I've been speaking with someone who has been teaching for a while and she vouched for that program. I have many more questions but I'll leave it at this for now. Thanks for any help!

[Troglodyte]

All you need to get a job is your univ degree, transcripts and a clean criminal record check. Leave the ELT certificate until you have tried teaching and know that you like the job.

Some people have problems with their students or employers. Some don't. Sometimes it's because the teacher isn't suited to teaching or living abroad. Sometimes they just drew the short straw and ended up with a bad job. It's a coin toss.

Most schools won't hire until a month or two before the job is to start. Some look for a teacher a couple weeks before the job starts. Some are looking for a teacher to start yesterday. Don't bother getting your documents together now if you're planning on coming over in March, in particular the CRC because it can't be more than 6 months old when you apply for the visa.

Here's a BIG piece of advice. Don't limit yourself to only one recruiter. Contact as many as you can find and send all of them a copy of your resume and photo. Make sure that you have all your documents ready in advance or none of the will be interested in you. Keep in mind that recruiters don't work for you. They are hired by the schools, but at the end of the day they work for themselves. They will do what's in the best interests of themselves and the school, not you. They are notorious for being dishonest (to teachers and schools). Use them for what they are - an introduction to the employers. Until one of them has sent you a contract and the school has agreed to hire you and you've sent in your documents, keep looking for other possibilities. When you get the visa issuance number (that's what you take to the embassy to get the actual visa) THEN you stop job hunting. Schools and recruiters will often cancel on you if they haven't submitted your documents yet. Don't close your other doors until you know you've got a job. Just because you hear about one person who had a good experience with a particular recruiter, it doesn't mean that all the teachers they were in contact with had a good experience.

[sojusucks]

A lot of people like the OP come here for international experience or something new. There is nothing wrong with that. Asia is generally a place where new teachers come for experience -- and some stay while others go elsewhere. As Troglodyte said, "it's a coin toss." There is more open dishonesty in South Korea.

Be aware that most schools want "edutainers" and not real educators.

Good luck.