Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Swampfox10mm]

Just a note.....

If you have experience teaching high school in the USA and a state teaching certification, then you should try for international school jobs.

[ajuma]

I agree with all the advice that's been posted, but have another suggestion. Since you already know of a Korean university that you think would be a good fit for you, find a professor in a department where you're interested in studying and write to him/her. Get a dialogue going. Tell the prof that you're interested in studying at the school. If you get a positive response, mention that you'd really love to come there to study, but you can't really afford to live off your savings. See what the prof will suggest. Even if s/he doesn't suggest something right away, keep the communication going. It may be your foot in the door in the future!

[Sector7G]

[PatrickGHBusan]

OP,

First I am glad to see you are so enthusiastic about your move to Korea and I hope it works out well.

I agree with a lot of what has been said here and you got some good advice, I hope you follow some of it.

You can indeed settle down in Korea and become a University Professor. You can even get tenure-track positions if you are qualified, well published and do some basic networking.

Since you have a teaching certificate, I would say do not overlook International schools as those can offer good packages too AND give you the time to acclimate to Korea. As was said by someone else theory rarely survives contact with reality unscathed or if you will, you do not quite know how you will react to living in Korea as opposed to what you think it will be like now.

Give yourself time to adjust.

Being in country will greatly increase your chances of landing a godo University position as you can then attend interviews in person.

Ajuma provided you with some of the bext advice here: network! That will open doors.

Best of luck.

[LeaforKorea]

Zackback - single. Does that make me more or less employable?

actionjackson - I learned that when I moved to Ireland when I was 21 and my dreams where deflated by the weather and high cost of living. But I do appreciate the advice.

War Eagle - I am more than happy to accept any kind of teaching gig at a university that I am interested in. As long as it pays my bills and allows me to take classes, I'm a happy camper. And if I happen to pick up a doctorate and a tenure track position along the way, the more the merrier.

Who's Your Daddy and davemon - It was a drama about a queen who lived and reigned over 1,300 years ago. I can promise you that I am not expecting life in Korea will be anywhere near the same.
It was the drama that originally sparked my interest in Korean history and left me with a desire to spend my foreseeable future studying that history.

Swampfox10mm - Thanks but I am DONE teaching children. My stint as a high school teacher left me with an overwhelming desire to have a hysterectomy.

ajuma - Yes! Thank you, that's what I've been thinking. That's how I chose and got into my graduate program.

Sector7G - Thank you, I hope so too. Besides, I've spent too many years learning how all the nasty patterns of human behavior are found in every race and culture on this planet to romanticize about life in any country.

Thank you everyone so much for your responses!

It looks like the best plan of action for me is to do my time in the trenches teaching split shifts at an adult ed. hagwon while I scout the universities and network.

Again, I really do appreciate all the feedback.

[cdninkorea]

[LeaforKorea]

[OneWayTraffic]

Just going out on a limb here, but you may find that teaching kids in an international school in Korea nothing like teaching kids back home. Just don't rule it out. Having said that, positions are pretty competitive.

[Harpeau]

I agree with all of the advice that has been stated, so far. Maybe it's just me, but this really looks like a slow train-wreck waiting to happen. Please, hear me out. I work in a university and have been in Korea for 16 years. In that time, I've met 2 or so foreigners who were tenured. (One Russian Prof. Lankoff who is a North Korean specialist. The other has left for Vietnam.)

Most university contracts are a year or two at most, require the Instructor to maintain a high student eval. score, stay in the box making the admin. happy and as a foreigner have little in human rights whatsoever. If you wish to teach English Literature, well, I'm sorry but those jobs are taken by the Koreans with Ph.D's. (I teach language in an English Language and Literature Department.)

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but as a foreigner we are second-class citizens and you might want to seriouly consider going to a different culture...at least you will have a chance of attaining your dreams. Others can correct me if I'm wrong.

I wish you the best!

[Otherside]

I've got to support the OP here.

While it's pretty easy for some cynical old timers to laugh at her very lofty ideals, her reasons for coming to Korea are far better than the 100s of people who come over because they can't get a job back home, not because they have any interest in teaching or in Korea.

So the OP may be in for a serious surprise, however, there are a good number of Korea-philes who love Korea and everything about it.

Best of luck OP, I hope Korean experience is everything you hope it will be.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Harpeau, that will surely help the OP.

Doesn't Pragic (poster here) have a tenure track position at a K-university?

When I worked in a Busan University (for a few years) I met a few foreigners who had tenure track positions in Korean Universities, many more who held guest lecturer / researcher positions as well. These were mostly in non TEFL / English Litt fields however. All were well published and had solid qualifications and experience.

Over the years, K-unis have strived to attract more foreign professors and do offer tenure track positions in certain fields but I assume those are competitive and require what most tenure track positions require: a completed PhD, a solid list of publications that show an ability to attract funding to the University and a strong research background (goes with the publications).

I think the OP may be a bit on the dreaming side but she may reach her goal if she puts in the time and the energy and has the qualifications.

[sirius black]

OP, my take is this. You have an MA in English. You will easily get a university job, especially because of the new requirements. Most require a face to face interview but because of the new requirements some are now recruiting overseas and doing skype interviews (Woosong in Daejeon for example). The quality of the university varies just like in the U.S. Cal State LA v. UCLA qulity but if you're not concerned about that as well as the post about being called an instructor or professor (and as I understand it, a MA makes you an associate professor) but so what? Its a label?

You may come to Korea and love it....or hate it...or anywhere inbetween. Thousands of people come here tihnking it will be a great adventure and hate it and visa versa. You seem bent on it so take the plunge. Its only a year and although its bad form, if its just too crazy you just do a runner and skip out. Its not a cool thing to do if you're treated fairly but if its that bad for you and some people just can't adjust do it. I personally think you will be fine. You seem open minded and adventuresome. There are far, far less open minded people who have flourished here.

This forum tends to be overly negative. Had I read this forum first, I wouldn't have come.

You're more than qualified for pretty much any uni job (I want to say all but pedants on here will fry red herrings about it).

Come, you'll be fine. PM me if you want and I'll tell you the REAL deal.

[edwardcatflap]

[cabeza]

[sirius black]

OP. As I said, pm if you want the real scoop or not.