Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poetryfoot]

Hi guys!
I read the thread about asking if 27 was too old, ....didn't look like it was. What about 31? I've been wanting to teach English overseas for sometime, but I wanted to get out of debt completely and save up some money first. I just have a BA in English, am taking a somewhat questionable TESOL certification online right now, but no classroom experience (I manage a bookstore right now, but I did study overseas in Finland in college). Will I be the old one among all the young crowd? I've been told that I look 22-27....maybe that would help? I guess honestly I am a little self-conscious about it, but I feel about 25 and I don't want to regret never taking the chance to go! Life goes too fast! I also see that a lot of comments say the market is flooded with people, will it be hard for me to get a somewhat decent job without teaching experience? Thanks!!!

[TheUrbanMyth]

[poetryfoot]

Well, actually, I am not bald, don't really drink beer, and am a woman, so I guess that comment doesn't apply to me. I'm interested in coming to travel, meet people, and learn new things.

TheUrbanMyth, the TESOL course is 150 hours online. It doesn't seem the most reputable from comments on here, but it was cheap and I figured it was a starting point...it seems informative so far. Thanks for the info! Do you recommend a specific course/school?

[Lucas]

[poetryfoot]

[/quote]

I'd mention that you're interested in teaching too [/quote]


Yes, of course! I never thought I would be....but I did some tutoring in high school, and I think that I would really enjoy it. I'm sure it is a lot of hard work and very challenging (and at times frustrating), but I also think it would be very rewarding, hopefully . I like to be hopeful but realistic at the same time. That's why all of this info and feedback is so helpful!

[mayorhaggar]

No, I'm in my early-30's. There's some teachers in my town in their 40's. You're only as old as you act and feel.

If you're like me and you were never able to gain much traction in America's crappy economy and never really made much of a career, Korea is a fine place to come for a year or two and have fun, save money, and reinvent yourself a bit. You don't have to be 22 and straight out of college. Also you don't have to be a trained teacher either, the most frustrated people I know here are trained teachers because they can't really deal with the fact that Korean schools aren't exactly like the Western schools they were trained to work in.

[Juregen]

www.kimchibytes.com

Plenty of examples

[Squire]

[Nolos]

ROFL at a 31 year old deciding to come to Korea to work with little kiddies playing with finger puppets acting out the ABCs making 24k a year.

[Times30]

Let people think what they want about age and teaching here. It's not your prerogative to give a **** what other people think. I started teaching here at 26 and I'll stay until I'm dead. If that makes me a loser, a scab, a western failure, then I'd gladly accept those labels to continue being happy at my job, making more than enough money to have a good time, and be surrounded by people who I consider generally nice (even if it's by virtue of me being foreign).

If you are happy here and don't feel that ever small cultural insignificance is a slight to your ego, then come at any age, and enjoy it. I've met a nice old lady who was 56 who had a family, was a licensed teacher, and basically in retirement. She loved it here and continued to stay.

Without sounding like an afterschool special, your life is literally your own. No label, thought, or prejudice should stop you from working here.

[poetryfoot]

[poetryfoot]

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice/encouragement! I'm not really experienced in "quoting" things, otherwise I would. I think it's great that anybody from pretty much any age can come to South Korea to teach. I like the advice that "your life is your own." It's true that the American economy is pretty crappy, but that's not really why I want to come. I've wanted to travel more for a long time, and I don't really care if I make tons of money while doing it (though that would be nice)....I just think there are so many things in the world to see and people to meet (while teaching English).

[Scorpion]

[I-am-me]

There are many over 50 teaching in Korea. Age is no problem.

[watergirl]

Hi
I actually think being a little older is better to many employers. But, also that you have an English major, and are female, actually make you more employable than many others. Just look at some of the want ads, and you'll see that many ask for female, N. american, and English major or teaching experience. You're 31 but you probably still look like you're in your 20s, and that's all they care about.
And, there are several really rude people, as noted by others, on here. You can tell just by their comments, maybe they're being so negative on purpose, for laughs. I really don't know why anyone would waste their time doing this, so just take these with a grain of salt.
Really, you are quite employable here, and will be refreshingly surprised at the welcome u get from employers and how much easier it is than back home!! (where, say, Starbucks, requires two interviews to get a job just to serve coffee.haha)
PS: Recruiters of the agents will tell youno you not to be picky and just take whatever, as you're inexperienced, but also be wary of what they say, and don't believe them. It is their job to place people in even the worst jobs, and really only the oversease people are often the only ones they can sell these jobs to. But, as I said, you're stats are on many employers' list actually (sorry, everyone, this is not fair ). And, once you have sy 1 year of experience or two, you will be able to get some of the best jobs, except, maybe for the univeristies which are becoming harder.
Yes, I know I have many, many, many typos (I'm sorry..grammar and spelling errors). I do know how to spell, but am in a hurry, and don't feel it's improtant (gasp) to correct my misspellings.