Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ballerina2012]

Try international and foreign schools too.

[Trevor]

I remember looking at international schools occasionally the last time I was in Korea. My impression was that they often had high hours, little vacation and marginal pay. Has anything changed?

[Swampfox10mm]

Man, there is a lot of crap information on Dave's!

Somebody telling people they can't get a job with a Ph.D here in Korea? Seriously, the idiots are running the asylum these days!

You'll see Ph.D jobs advertised from time-to-time on here, and on other sites, moreso craigslist these days (because it's free, and the schools just figure "why not").

My university hires foreign Ph.D's in English, Business, and Engineering. They teach 9 hours per week. Most stay about a year, to be honest, as it's sort of a stepping-stone job.

The people telling you you won't find a job with a Ph.D thinking with a BA perspective, and have only been looking at BA or MA jobs.

[Malislamusrex]

Times higher education and highereducation list jobs. You said you can teach other classes, if you have an MA in the specific subject, a PhD in English and are able to teach a subject there is a demand for you're in luck. If you can teach tax accounting, petroleum engineering or advanced Math you're in luck.

[PRagic]

Don't come unless you are officially ABD

Try to get a university teaching gig at one of the bigger universities in Seoul. The smaller universities can include 'other' job requirements like camps or cafes or other crap that will take away from the time you'll need to finish your dissertation.

The ABD is a BIG plus given your previous experience teaching here. Get in, do your teaching, and spend ALL your time finishing your dissertation. No degree means no option for tenure track jobs.

Unless you have a Korean wife, there's really no reason to leave your current program and move here. Finish up there, do you in-house teaching for the stipend, and look for a post-doc. Once here, you're out of the employment loop in N. American/Europe.

[ren546]

There is no "employment loop" back home, which is why so many PhDs and ABDs are coming here now. Stipends rarely break $20k/year, and now often require more teaching. At least that was the case for me. Here we can get five months off to write instead of having to scramble for summer employment in order to make ends meet.

I agree that being ABD is very important, though. And making sure you have advisors who will continue to work with you while you're abroad. And going home or to conferences during vacation to maintain contacts.

[PRagic]

We'll have to agree to disagree about that employment loop thing. Everyone I did my Ph.D. with has landed tenure track jobs in the U.S., and they did it by working their way up from smaller schools to larger R1 institutions. Depends on what you want and your dicipline, I guess.

[Trevor]

Thank you for the reflections. I last visited the United States in 2005, and left with a very bad taste in my mouth. I have not returned even for a visit. Although I occasionally miss New York, I don't think I could move back. For me, getting a tenured position in an American English department has all the appeal of licking an ashtray. My experience has been that most American English departments are filled with people who keep voodoo dolls in their purses. (Ouch! there they go again...)

I am getting my PhD in a commonwealth country. My degree program is 'research only' meaning no coursework required, so I am not sure ABD has the same connotation. Nevertheless, I do think a clean academic record will be helpful, along with an understanding that I will have the sheepskin (or acid-free, recycled paper) soon.

Korea, for all its frustrations, really was very kind to me when the U.S. wasn't. I hope I can return.

[PRagic]

By all means, then, go for it. I've had a fantastic career here to date and have been active internationally as well. I'm not in an English or language teaching related discipline, though, so I'll defer to others with that background to provide more insight on that career track here.[/list]

[steve902]

From these job boards, it seems like the university jobs pay about the same, or a little less, than the hagwons. The uni jobs seem to have fewer hours and more vacation, but it seems like those advantages are dropping substantially and airfare/ housing don't seem to be offered as often. So, if you pay for your own things, that's a trade off for having more days off, rather than a clear benefit. Am I wrong about this?

I have am ABD for my PhD and have an earned master's. I'm having a hard time seeing a clear benefit for teaching at a uni in Seoul. The money doesn't seem to be enough.

[ren546]

[No_hite_pls]

[edwardcatflap]

[Mozsmith]

[PRagic]

Yes. Keep your eye on the Chronicl's job board and the employment rags for your discipline such as the national association. Also a good idea to check the employment opportunity pages of major universities" sites.