Korean Job Discussion Forums

[marc-junior]

[SeoulNate]

Have lots of black friends working in and around Seoul.

I would worry more about your spelling

[World Traveler]

“For getting any job in Korea, being black is a setback. I look pretty good on paper; I have teaching and text and grammar editing experience. But employers prefer white candidates with no experience.”

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2014/02/135_151088.html

“I cannot believe that in Korea it is required to submit a photo with a resume,” An African-American job seeker said. “They focus on providing an aesthetically pleasing learning experience, and let other qualifications, like teaching experience and TESOL certification, become secondary.”

“I think they realize Korean parents will pay for a program with smiling blonde-haired, blue-eyed teachers on the brochure because they associate that whiteness with intelligence, power and English-speaking ability.”

[andrewchon]

A lot better than US of A I'd say.

[Zalithian]

Getting a job as a black person is not difficult (at least via EPIK).

[tardisrider]

If I were you, I'd focus more on getting a job being a teacher or something like that.

[PatrickBateman]

Not bad, but Quincy Black didn't do us any favours.

[World Traveler]

http://groovekorea.com/article/koreas-black-racism-epidemic-0

One Korean recruiter, who asked not to be named, says "over 80 percent" of academies that he works with - especially in Gangnam and central Seoul and at well-known franchises - prefer white applicants over black.

"I am still getting many resumes from African-American teachers, but it's hard to find positions for them. I feel sorry for them. I found only two positions for them (in 2013)," he says, adding that the teachers - two of the more than 30 black applicants he worked with last year - were placed in rural Gyeonggi Province, not Seoul.

"Last year (2012) was six, I think. It's getting worse."

While some academies shy away from black teachers because of hearsay and personal prejudices, he says, others also face pressure from the parents. And with the hagwon industry tightening and more and more academies fighting uphill against closure, they are even more reluctant to take any potential risks, the recruiter says.

"They (the directors) say that if they hire them (black candidates), they would be worried about losing kids. It does not look good to parents and may (give the academy) a bad reputation and lose in competition against other hagwons with white teachers," he says.

"Some hagwons have gotten a lot of complaints from parents and actually lost kids. Gossip grows quickly and sometimes it's unstoppable, like (with criticism from employing) black teachers."

An American recruiter, who also asked to remain anonymous, says schools will "usually" request white teachers only. "Nine out of 10 schools who don't request this up front will not choose to interview any teachers other than Caucasians," he says. "We've worked with about 100 schools in Korea, and only five to 10 of them have even considered our non-Caucasian teachers, even though they had equal qualifications."

[creeper1]

I agree with the previous poster that it's a dawm site easier to get a job in Korea as a black person than in the good old u.s. of a.

There is a bias for white teachers. It sucks but that's just something you have to deal with.

However it must be said that with the public school programs such as GEPIK and EPIK there are loads of black teachers (I know this from experience having attended GEPIK conferences)

I am pretty sure you will eventually land a job.

There is a lot of crap spewed on these forums.

You are very unlikely to encounter any racism in Korea once you get to know them and become familiar with them.

A more typical experience will probably be like the one shown here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5hycsP002g

Good luck and keep looking to land that job.

[Hokie21]

From last weeks KBS show "Gag Concert"

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2014/02/201_150883.html

A huge lol @ unlikely to experience any racism after they get to know you.

[andrewchon]

Which proves my point: much less racism than US

What? Just because Korea isn't the Utopia so OP should give up a chance to be treated like a human being for a change?

[Hokie21]

[World Traveler]

What are you talking about, man? The U.S. has never had a black president. You must be thinking of the enlightened progressive states Canada and the United Kingdom. They are not racist and backwards like the United States. Look at the skin color of their leaders. The proof is right there before our eyes.

[Hokie21]

[marc-junior]

Sorry Dude(SeoulNate),was a typing error.
Thanks though for your reply.
What are your black friends in Korea into?
if i may ask !!!!!