Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Triban]

I am planning on going back home soon and just wanted to see if anyone had some ideas on how to make my stint in Korea look good on a resume?

I have 2 years experience teaching at a Korean University and

2 years experience teaching at a Korean Public Elementary School.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

[r122925]

You left out the most important piece of information. What do you want to do back home?

[zappadelta]

Focus on the parts of the jobs here that will help you get the job you are looking for.

[transmogrifier]

Um, depends what you are applying for.

But generally, under each one, list the specific tasks/roles/accomplishments you had that are relevant to the job you are applying for.

Developed resources?
Wrote a curriculum?
Prepared students for a particular test?
Did editing for any on-campus organizations?

etc.

Be as specific as you can, otherwise it looks like smoke and mirrors, and numbers/statistics are always impressive.

[Triban]

I am applying for several different positions ranging from Sales Assitant, Agent Assistant, Marketing (fashion), writer, and Public Relations positions.
Thanks for the tips, I pretty much know what I need to highlight but was hoping someone older and wiser would be able to share some of their infiniteknowledge

[Dodge7]

And this is a classic example of what happens to people who aren't teachers by trade that come to work here. They live it up for 3-5 years then go back and are like, gee, maybe that wasn't the smartest career move I could've made--how do I explain what I just did for the last 5 years.
Good luck trying to spin your time here into anything a business savvy employer wouldn't mock and scoff at and see right through. I'm sure they'd take a fresh grad with the graduate material still stuck in their head than a "drifter."
People just put themselves really far behind the 8-ball teaching here for more than 2-3 years, really (if their major isn't Education) imo. Not saying getting a job can't be done, I'm sure it happens all the time. But you do put yourself at a greater disadvantage.

[bbud656]

I think a lot of people are in that boat where they have to decide to stay here or in the industry forever, or jump ship and try to get a non teaching career going back home. You can work at improving your skillset like learning a language, doing some online stuff, etc. but its a hard sell. Hopefully, if you are lucky, you will have friends that are high enough up in their careers to get you your foot in the door somewhere.

[northway]

[Dodge7]

Also OP, what you do in Korea may translate to what you do back home in some capacity, but to the employer it looks to him as if you were not serious about your career, because if you were, you would have stayed home and sought a job out instead of going to Korea to teach English which has nothing to do with your degree. It just makes you (and others in your boat) appear lazy, unmotivated and wishy-washy about your field considering you left it behind for 3 YEARS to do something unrelated in another country. That would raise question marks to any prospective employer. It would me if I were doing the hiring.
I'm just looking at it from their prospective.

[NilesQ]

I drifted through jobs in Korea for the better part of 6 years. I now work in a senior position for the corporate head office of one of the largest retailers in Canada. In general, people outside of the education field find my experience very interesting. It created great conversations during interviews. It wont get you a job, but it will look good if you have the other qualifications they're looking for.

I went home and did a 2 yr diploma at a college to get functional knowledge of a specific industry. If I were going back now, I'd do that again. Take a skilled trade or technical course. It is the marriage of industry specific knowledge/skills and university education+life experience that makes a person very employable.

From the range of positions you're applying for, it appears as though you're just looking for a job. People look at you differently when you have a focus and are preparing for a career in a certain industry or profession. Take a sales class if you want to be a sales professional. Look into procurement professional designations. Employers want to see someone who is invested in the career not just a job seeker.

[northway]

[Dodge7]

LOL I love how you guys claim "international experience" in your resumes and interviews as if you spent your time collaborating with diplomats and high ranking officials in Korea. You guys had snot nosed 7-year olds clinging to your ankles and giving you ddong chims all day while having them not understand a word you're saying and using charades to get the lady at Homeplus to direct you to the milk and cheese. GREAT experience! If you call that international experience that will help you with your next job you are sadly fooling yourself. But hey, what else can you really say to positively spin your time in Korea, because after all we all know this profession is a joke and an extended paid vacation.

[transmogrifier]

[cdninkorea]

[MetaFitX]