Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SpedMaestro]

I'm in a unique situation. I'm a 'Brit' that has lived in Florida since I was 7. My accent is 100% American but I never pursued U.S citizenship for a number of reasons.

Going through the application process, I've had recruiter after recruiter tell me schools want North American teachers. Of course, I've tried to explain to them that my accent is American but my passport is a like a millstone around my neck. God save the Queen!

What is the source of this blatant bigotry?

Why do so many schools not hire English teachers from ENGLAND? Have lager louts invaded the Korean peninsula and given us all a bad name?

I look forward to your tales...

[edwardcatflap]

Koreans are used to having Americans around - they've had a big military presence here since the Korean War
US culture predominates here - Baseball, Basketball, Hip Hop music etc..
Koreans think the US accent is easier to follow, probably due to the above.
The US/Canada has much larger Korean immigrant populations and more Koreans want to emigrate/study there
Koreans generally favor US English proficiency tests
Koreans do more business with US companies.
As World Traveler would no doubt say, the US is the richest most powerful country there has ever been in the history of the world.
As opposed to other places like Europe and the Middle East, there isn't as much anti-US bias here
Korean mums want their kids to have US teachers, due to all of the above.

Many people claim recruiters like to exaggerate this kind of bias so they can persuade non US candidates to accept less desirable positions.

[Deja]

[ed4444]

Its just the hierarchical structure that Koreans use for ranking things and people. Actually, Brits don't have it that bad. It usually goes as follows:

1. U.S
2. Canada
3. U.K / Australia (slightly odd accents from a Korean perspective)
4. NZ / Ireland (even more odd accents from a Korean perspective)
5. South Africa (the country has the word Africa in the title. Therefore they must be poor and uncivilised based on the Korean worldview)

[nicwr2002]

I live in the southern part of the States and I had a recruiter tell me that my accent was too strong and that the people he was working for may not like my accent. I really couldn't understand that when I first applied to go to Korea. I contacted a second recruiter and that person didn't say a word about my accent.

[le-paul]

You think its bad being disregarded because you're a Brit, I saw this pasted on the wall of facebook this morning;

Dongdaemun st M W F 330-710pm 1.3_1.8mil Asap

White teacher only

[Scorpion]

OP, didn't you know that the English language comes from the United States?

[Lucas]

[young_clinton]

It makes up for the pro-British bias that you find in S.E. Asia.

[Lucas]

[le-paul]

And Edison was the only inventor ever. He was from USA.
However, he only invented the light bulb.

Korea seems to be getting worse for the 'North American' preference thing, however, it seems to coincide with requests for females.
That being said, I think its more of 'a token thing'. It is still possible to get the same jobs if you apply, only rarely does someone specifically need an American (eg they are planning to move to the usa).

Heres what Ive noticed;

Koreans seem to be very faddish and believe whatever is the current trend for thinking.
This however, seems to contradict popular feeling. If anything, Id say Americans get worse popular press (if anything we Brits are seen as gentlemen as a stereotype).

I think a lot of koreans believe that if they speak to any other English speaker other than an American, they wont understand a word they are saying (other 'cultures' are also guilty of having this pre-set idea when they meet us...). They will already have decided they cant understand you. They will then after a few minutes say, actually, I do understand you and then go on to say you sound either like Hagrid or Harry.
It is also strange because they can understand other Koreans etc. speaking English.
As another poster said, I think some american English is easier in some respects. The words are sometimes rounded off and (I dont know which is the correct grammatical adjective, so Ill just say 'slurred' ) slurred. For example 'amgonna' which requires less effort to say, and not having as clear a distinction between endings of words that end in 'ed'. (I was always baffled by this though becasue american English and Korean are phonetically very different so I couldn't understand the appeal - Philippines yes, here - not really).

Then theres the other stuff which, no matter how you want to argue it, has been forced down their throats (Im talking about culture - ie burgers and baseball, pop music style, movies etc.) for a long time now, being absorbed by their own culture to the point of it becoming normal. This means they can relate to american-isms/culture etc. easier.

Theres more and I know Ive oversimplified it but hey, when the infamous 'Daves rebuttal' comes, Ill pad it out.

[radish kimchi]

[Numpty]

[andrewchon]

OP: you might think you don't have accent but, since Florida is the home of swamp people who, despite being born and bred in US, need sub-titles when they speak on camera, therefore a question. Do you say:

1. f-LO-rida or
2. flo-RI-da ?

[wonkavite62]

I am appalled by your situation. I wonder if you could have somehow arranged to talk to the recruiter before they got to know your nationality? It sometimes helps. Or you could have just said "I live in the U.S." until after the interview. But it depends on the recruiter. I suppose seeing more recruiters will help.

Here is my problem. I am from the U.K. too. I have a Scottish accent. People have told me that my accent is clear and easy to understand, and that's fine. But recruiters in the past-not recently-pounced on my accent, and that was why I thought I'd never ever get a job in Seoul.
Last year I got a job in a quiet provincial area of Korea where the locals keep away from foreigners, and the foreigners are mostly cliquey or unsociable. I hate that.In Itaewon, by contrast, I have good friends. I was there last Saturday, and this Korean guy went on and on and on about how British accents were bad and American accents were good. I just pointed at him and said "PREJUDICE, PREJUDICE, PREJUDICE!" over and over again. But he had understood all I had said.

I have been told that if I want to live in Korea at all, I need to settle for rural places. That's not good enough. I have lived successfully in Tokyo and Beijing. Why not Seoul,(or Daegu or Busan)? Or Gyeonggi Do?

Where I live 90% of teachers are from U.S.A or Canada. I have met more U.K. or Australian teachers in Seoul, so I do have a chance. If you don't mind living in a rural province try Canadian Connection who hired me.. People Recruit is maybe also okay.