Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Soldier]

Good day,

I was wondering....is there reverse discrimination...hiring freeze for white males teaching in Korea? I applied to many places, sent my resume and photo; and so far got no response.

I am begining to think this is the case; to mirror Europe and NA workforce.

Would someone please comment on what is the problem? I had no problem securing employment in Korea for several years, a few years back. I came home to work. Now I am interested in teaching again in Korea. Would someone please shed some light on what is going on?

Sincerely,

Soldier

[ttompatz]

A tightening market (8000 E2 positions have been shed over the last 4 years) and an excess of newly graduated economic refugees from the States applying for anything they can find are all adding to the slowdown in hiring.

That said, there will still be an estimated 22,000 E2 positions over the next year and the turnover rate is still over 50% so your choices are:

a) patience and perseverance - you will find something but it is an employer's market.

b) pick a new country (China is looking for some 60,000 new teachers this year and remuneration packages have risen to the point where they are competitive (in terms of savings) with Korea.

Thailand will hire some 20,000 (beyond the illegal backpackers), Indonesia is looking at 5000, Vietnam 5000, Cambodia, 3000, etc.

.

[Soldier]

Ok ttompatz, I see, thank you.

Now does that mean that the directors can fire anyone at the snap of a finger, if you mess up? In otherwords, you could possibly loose the job within 3 days or less, if you don't 'perform' to the school owner's level; seeing it's an employer's market?

On top of preparation, should I focus more on making people laugh, be a stand up comedian as a means to impress the job interview, and retain a teaching job? I still wish to teach in SK. Perhaps I better take up the guitar, and grow my hair super long. I'll try to learn how to play and sing: "United Breaks Guitars."

[Dodge7]

Basically you are looking at an overload of foreign white males coming over here and abusing the culture and stealing their women at an accelerated pace and too many higher up Korean males are getting sick of it and want to cut it off at the source and you feeling the effects of it now. They are phasing us out and bringing more females in who pose no threat to their women and educating their own teaching staff to do the jobs that we are doing.

[ttompatz]

[Soldier]

Seriously ttompatz? So if I don't measure up, I could get tossed in a few days after arrival? Should I fucus on making the students laugh most of the time?

Back 10 years, when I taught in SK, I seldom heard of anyone getting the boot under a few months into the contract; if so, it was b/c they broke the law or ran away.

Dodge 7; would you please show me the EE law that requires a freeze in hiring males?

Cheers

[ttompatz]

[Soldier]

Ok ttompatz, I got it. It is a matter of standing out.

There is no question of doing the job; rather it's a question of discerning what kind of school requires actual teaching vs mere entertaining, something I can determine early enough. There is no guarantee that working hard ensures job retention. Many of those Hakwans used to be entertainment centres. The more you make the kids (and sometimes adults) laugh, the more 'popular' you were.

In many cases, I felt that I had to learn how to do stand up comedy as a means of teaching English; a very sad thing. I was a serious person, so my job was so much more difficult. It was not entirely about hard work, or just doing your job, although that was important; but being a funny guy. Delivery counted for about 85%.

I have no issue in writing out my lesson plans, and changing them mid course if they go 'south.' It's easy to add and subtract activities.

So tell me, if I do this, would I need to still worry about someone funnier trying to 'steal' my job?

[Soldier]

Perhaps I am worrying about this too much; so I figure that hard work will increase my chances in retaining the job and to re sign more contracts.

[YTMND]

[Soldier]

Would someone please educate me....when did women ever become chattel? Yeah, I didn't think so, last I checked they had free will.

IE, they freely choose whether or not to date you, and if they liked you enough, they stayed and married you. There are many of their fathers and brothers that approved.

Anyway, I don't see this as stealing seeing now many Korean men dating western women. Not every couple has to be like in race. Remember, a lot of Korean women now are engineers, lawyers, doctors and scientists.

I'd say, any Korean woman that chooses you must screen out many men to choose you. Likewise for Korean men, many Korean women get passed over for a western woman. Interracial couples and multi racial people are not new. Once you get beyond the skin color, life is great for everyone involved.

Anyway, there is nothing wrong with dating and marrying a women of a different race. There never was. YTMND, enjoy your time with your woman, whom freely choose to date you.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Soldier, focus on what Ttom said and ignore what Dodge is saying.

One is providing balanced and factual advice, the other is blowing smoke out of his rear end and trolling.

Now, as Ttom said Korea is an employer's market now, which means they can pick and choose. This also means that more foreign teachers stand a chance of being fired than before. However, if a school pays to fly you over and pays a recruiter to find you, they will not fire you after 3 days. Also, you will not be fired because of one bad day. You can get fired for being incompetent or for being an idiot in class and not doing your job. 10 years ago, you would not have gotten fired for those things.

Still, as Ttom said, you have to be a bit more patient than 10 years ago if you apply for work in Korea. If those conditions worry you too much, as he said, China is a good option but in many ways it seems to be what Korea was 10-12 years ago as far as support for foreign teachers.

[Soldier]

Thanks Patrick, I've been in the west too long. I've seen people come to an employer one afternoon, for example, and not come back again; despite liking the job.

I get being more patient, yes, I can see things have changed, and probably standards may increase even more. I'm sure I will get interviews, having a TESOL, and prior experience teaching in Korea.

I see more jobs call for higher academic qualifications: MA's, TESOL's, BEd's, more than before. If there are than many people with BEd's; who know's, that may become the law with Korean immigration.

Like anywhere in NA, if you can't do the job, you're history, I see that is the case in SK. At least I hear that if you are going off in the wrong direction in your teaching; hopefully someone will talk you back, rather than fire you. All jobs have a learning curve.

As I mentioned, I am not afraid of hard work, research, and lesson preparation. Folks tell me that I have a good voice, with some humor.

I trust Ttom's advice, and later determined the other poster is trolling me.

Have a great night.

Cheers


Thanks for your tip as well.

[Weigookin74]