Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LeaforKorea]

Hi all.
I need some advice.

I am working on moving to Korea to teach English for the first time.
I'm a 36 year old woman, I have a B.A. and an M.A. in English and 2 years experience as a high school English teacher at the 11th and 12 grade levels.
My ultimate goal is to find a university position and settle down in Korea.

However, since it's my first time and I am going through the application process from the U.S., should I use a recruiter to get me a position at an adult Hagwon for my first year and then scout university positions on my own while I'm living in Korea, or should I try to find a job myself directly with a university?

I won't be able to leave for Korea until November. From what I've read, November is after the fall terms have already started and before the time the universities are hiring for spring terms, but I really don't want to wait until January to go to Korea.

Also, since I have just the few classes I taught for my graduate advisor as my only university level teaching experience, is it better to spend a year teaching adults before applying to a university or does that really matter?

Is it possible to find a 3-6 month position my first time that would allow me to be available to apply to a university for the Fall 2014 term?
All the recruiters I've look into ask for an initial 1 year commitment.
(So far Say Kimchi is my favorite out of all I looked at )

I would really appreciate any and all advice or comments that anyone can offer.

Cheers,
Lea

[War Eagle]

Most Unis, if not all, require you to be in Korea for a face-to-face interview, if you pass the first round of the hiring process. However, these positions are highly competitive and I wouldn't buy a plane ticket over just so I could do an interview.

If you come over and teach at a hagwon, most, if not all, will require a one year commitment. Does that mean you must stay with them for the whole year? Well, that depends. You could quit and wait until your visa expires and then go through the visa application process a second time for a university in early 2015 (the first semester you will be a available for a uni position after a 1 year visa) OR you could beg your boss for a letter of release to transfer your visa to the uni as early as Spring 2014 (but employers don't like doing favors for people who quit contracts, and this would be a big favor).

[edwardcatflap]

Are you planning to get a job teaching English as a foreign language or Eng Lit? Wouldn't a university require at least one qualification in TEFL/TESOL to employ someone to teach English as a foreign language?. Are there university jobs around teaching English Lit?

[liveinkorea316]

[cdninkorea]

I'd try to get a university job for the fall semester (September) from the US. If that's not possible, I'd get a job at an adult hagwon in November, stay there for 14-15 months but apply for a March start after 12 months. It requires patience, but you'd be in a great position to apply for the desirable jobs with your education and a little bit of work experience in-country. Also, there'd be no opportunity cost to applying like there would be if you flew all the way to Korea just to interview.

[edwardcatflap]

[LeaforKorea]

[Sector7G]

[LeaforKorea]