Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TML1976]

Hey everybody,

I just got called for an interview at Myongji U. Yongin campus. Can anyone tell me a little about this school.

Also, for all those uni. teachers on the board can you give me some advice about the interview process and the type of questions I should expect.

Much appreciated.

[ajstew]

Oh.... that campus... oh.
For a moment I thought you might have had an interview for the campus in Seoul near Saejol station. That would probably have been a good position. But the Yongin one... I don't know much about that campus... although I know where it is, but the location isn't that great. Yongin... that far out in Yongin I mean, makes it difficult to get into Seoul, but if you don't care about that, you might like it.

[TML1976]

Yongin will actually be close to seoul for me, I currently live in Anseong. Yongin is in between seoul and anseong. I also have no problem not living in seoul.

[PRagic]

I used to work at the Seoul campus. I'll be frank and say that it was the worst university job that I've ever had in Korea. That was a few years ago, however, and I understand that the psycho boss that I had is no longer there. Also, the condemed housing is gone, and I hear that you can now live off campus with an allowance. Not a bad area, but a little far away from the subway. Buses run to HongDae, though, and there are a couple of decent places to go around there.

The biggest thing is to avoid the general affairs department. They are xenopobic pricks, and of no help. You'll probably be on an 18 hour schedule, and will have to partake in their half-baked English Cafe. I've heard, however, that class sizes have been drastically reduced.

The Yonin campus is WAY out, and is quite boring. You'll see what I mean during the interview. I only had to go out there to sign the contract, but everyone I knew that worked out there took the job only because it was what the could get when they could get it.

Let us know how it goes and what your impressions are. Things do change.

[TML1976]

thank you for the info, very useful and hopefully things have changed for the better.

I will keep you posted.

[flyfisherman]

This is a very old post but as an employee of Myongji University in Yongin I really wanted to share my experience. First let me explain that the earlier posts were from a time of power struggle between the Seoul and Yongin English departments. The coordinator of both programs was a professor in Yongin. When she tried to oversee the Seoul program there was a lot of hostility since they were under the impression that they coordinated their own program. It got ugly and many of the Seoul campus people left. I am guessing that that explains the earlier hostile post.

Today there are no such issues. I had the option of teaching at a university in Seoul or Yongin. I chose Yongin. The reason is that it's cleaner, quieter, and more stable here. There are many buses from the campus to Kangnam (travel time is 1 hour). There is also the bundang line about 15 minutes from campus. When I first moved here I lived in south bundang and drove back forth to work. It was no problem and bundang was great for me when I was single.

There is no 2 year cap at our campus. Five people have been here for around ten years. It's stable. There are annual raises, 13th month bonus at the end of the contract, and around 5 months of paid vacation. Like many universities you only have to work for 4 days a week and the hours are 9-3 or 11-5. Housing is available or a 400,000 allowance is provided. People are nice and the students are good spirited. Yongin campus is the Science campus, that means there is no English major or liberal art program. Students here major in engineering, fashion design, music, movie making, architecture, athletics and various other things.

It's a great place to live and work.

[edwardcatflap]

Salary? Overtime opportunities? Overtime rate?

[flyfisherman]

Salary is pretty standard, starts at 27 million won a year or 29 if you meet MOE requirements. Overtime rate is 35,000 an hour and there is typically overtime available.

[naturegirl321]

Salary is now 29 for 16 hours. They give 600 for housing. Severance and one mil for renewing. Looks good. The fact that they actually know how to block schedule is an added bonus.

[wonkavite62]

Just to let you know...Yongjin seems close to Seoul. In fact the whole of Gyeong-gi Do does to me. I live on the south coast very far away from any major city in Korea, and before I came to Korea I did not know how much I would long to escape at the weekends (not all small cities are the same). I did not know I'd feel so comfortable in Seoul. I have gone to Seoul more than expected, like twice a month, and I now have friends there. I know someone who teaches in a university about as far out as Nowon and if he comes to Itaewon for a night out, he has to decide whether to leave at 11 p.m. or party all night.

That's better than a 4 hour bus ride! I am looking for a job near Seoul right now.

[SeoulNate]

[I'm With You]

It's Seoul or bust.

Do not look for a job outside Seoul.

[wonkavite62]

Yeah, maybe I should make "SEOUL OR BUST" my motto. Years ago I went to Seoul looking for work and a tiny hagwon said "your accent's gonna cause us problems...and you're maybe not in the Church, and that's gonna cause us problems too."
The recruiters tried to stop me applying. But that was in 2004, when I had no experience, and no visa. I will apply for jobs in Seoul, and if I am determined I will get a job there. Do you know of any opportunities?

[naturegirl321]

It's all about what you want. I've lived in Suwon, I'm now in Seoul. For me, Seoul's overrated. THough I'm a single mom with a toddler, my idea of a night out is playing at the park and being home by 8pm.

As far as escaping goes, I'm a homebody. Escaping to me means staying at home, not going out.

Yeah, Myongji Uni is hiring. Another tip. . there's also a college: Myongji College, I've heard through the grapevine that they don't really advertise and it's through word of mouth. Benefits are the same. I know people who work both at the uni and the college.

[I'm With You]