Korean Job Discussion Forums

[NY expat]

I have a ton of questions regarding the confusing public school application process to get into Seoul. I am currently a public school teacher in Busan via EPIK and want to get one in Seoul for next February. I haven't been able to find that much regarding PS schools in Seoul. It seems that you have to apply with EPIK to get a Seoul PS job now. I'm not sure if that is true. Should I use a recruiter? If so what one? I didn't use a recruiter to apply to EPIK, I applied directly so I'm not even sure where to being with that. Also if you have to apply to EPIK this begs the question since I am already in Korea with an E-2 do I have to re-collect all of the documents for this process again to apply for a Seoul Public School Job?

[jeanie_n]

[amoonbot]

Former 3-year SMOE teacher here. I just left a month ago. School was great. I just didn't re-sign because I wanted to step into the corporate world, which I did.

Anyways, not sure if you heard about the major cuts in the SMOE program. It's been going on for awhile now and they finally started implementing in full force in March 2012 and August 2012. With the exception of a few and I mean a very few elite or language schools, SMOE will no longer have high school or middle school NETs. Currently, SMOE only funds the elementary school program. And most of those positions are filled by renewed/transferred SMOE NETs.

This doesn't mean that there won't be any positions, but there will be a very small amount. With the high demand of Seoul plus the unstable nature of the ESL market here, a lot of the current Seoul NETs will renew, which means less positions for newcomers. Seoul plans on phasing out their elementary program by 2014, so I wouldn't really put any hopes on this program.

If you really want to do SMOE, keep checking the direct website: etis.sen.go.kr OR check the EPIK website.

[mcloo7]

Is it still worth even applying to SMOE, in the hopes that you might get lucky? Can you apply to EPIK and GEPIK through one recruiter, and than to SMOE through another recruiter, if the first recruiter doesn't offer SMOE?

[jurassic82]

I would say give it a shot. A previous response said that they were planning on phasing out all NET in SMOE by 2014. I am not really sure about this. As far as I have been told by people at SMOE and other people at my school there is little to no talk about this anymore. It was mentioned that it might happened and it most certainly did with High School and Middle School but as far as elemtary school everything is still okay. When I look at jobs outside of Seoul they too seem to be just public school jobs in elementary but little or none available in middle school or high school. I think if you are interested in teaching elementary school for SMOE you shouldn't have a problem getting a job. Just get those documents ready and apply as soon as possible. Good Luck and I wish you the best!!!

[mcloo7]

[jeanie_n]

[mcloo7]