|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
|
 Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 4:41 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| Quote: |
For a society that supposedly respects age and elders, South Korea is a very ageist country when it comes to hiring practices. Life expectancy is continuing to increase yet the mentality regarding age is inflexible to that fact.
It's sad that experience is looked down upon here. I guess the idea is if they actually learn and improve, they won't need to go to their school anymore as they will have learned the language. But if they provide the illusion of teaching but don't actually teach them, then they will continue to feel the need to pay the school every month.
|
As well as the cynical reasons, like the one you mentioned and the idea that younger teachers can be taken advantage of more easily, there is also the physical aspect. If you ask Korean adults to think back to their childhood and remember why they liked their favorite teacher, as I have done occasionally on training sessions, the vast majority will say they it was because they were
handsome or pretty.
Go a step further and ask them to list the most desirable qualities for a teacher and they will mostly list things like smiling and loving the students. Things like being able to design and set up activities properly or keep students on task don't usually get a look in. Of course older people can have touchy feely ''qualities' too but let's face it, your seasoned NET in Korea is much less likely to go around smiling at work all day and hugging the students.
Your younger NET is likely to have more energy in the class room too and this is a key for them when teaching young kids. Here I think they have a point as it is important.
On top of this your experienced NET is less likely to go around enthusing about how awesome everything is in Korea, which will more than makeup for any shortcomings they have in the class room. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
|
| Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 6:00 am Post subject: Re: Oh |
|
|
| wonkavite62 wrote: |
| I deserve better. |
Deserve's got nothing to do with it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
aq8knyus
Joined: 28 Jul 2010
Location: London
|
| Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 7:02 am Post subject: Re: Why Am I Not Getting Jobs? |
|
|
| wonkavite62 wrote: |
I recently completed a contract at a public school in Jeollanamdo on Korea's south coast. I have been looking for work for 3 months-I started well before my contract finished, and I still don't have a job. I am in Korea and my visa will expire soon.
Shortly before the job ended, I did a Skype call with Paju English Village, and they were keen to take me on. But suddenly communication ceased. I sent phone calls and e-mails. The reply-a week later- was that due to the Sewol ferry disaster, the English Village was in major trouble, and parents were pulling their kids out.
I have applied to lots of other jobs since but I am being ignored, it seems. I apply to hagwons, kindergarten jobs and so on but no replies. I even applied to Chungdahm Learning but was ignored too. Why?
A lot of the jobs advertised now start in July or August, anyway.
I am a slightly older teacher-although I don't mention it unless asked. I am from the U.K. (i.e. not Uncle Sam), and I have quite a lot of experience: 2 years in China, a year in Korea, a year in Japan, and more. I missed the boat for GEPIK this year-but I would probably be hired by them. I applied for adult hagwon jobs but was ignored too, although I thought my age-45-would not be a problem there. What is happening? Are we entering a slightly quiet time of year?
I could apply for university jobs too. |
If you want to stay in Korea for at least two years, try doing an MA here.
On a D2 visa whatever negatives to do with age will be far outweighed by your ability to work far more flexibly and cheaply than the vast majority of foreigners in Korea.
As a foreign student you will get really generous scholarships and the classes are a walk in the park. Plus the uni will likely give you work as there are hardly any native speakers at most second/third tier unis.
Of course you will have to be really pro-active in finding work, but as long as put the effort in, you will able to find enough work to make it more lucrative than most basic hagwon jobs nowadays.
At the end of it if you want to leave you would have lost nothing and if you want to stay it will give you another 34 pts towards an F visa. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
|
| Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 11:05 pm Post subject: Re: Why Am I Not Getting Jobs? |
|
|
| wonkavite62 wrote: |
2 years in China, a year in Korea, a year in Japan, and more.
age-45
|
| Speck7 wrote: |
| go back home to find a real job |
Life is about experiences. I am envious of your time living in different countries, but I think Speck's advice is the best. You have already experienced a lot, and I don't think staying in Korea another year will add much to your experience. At age 45 I think you're probably missing more experiences in the UK that you are going to get here. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
|
| Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 11:40 pm Post subject: Re: Why Am I Not Getting Jobs? |
|
|
| aq8knyus wrote: |
As a foreign student you will get really generous scholarships and the classes are a walk in the park. Plus the uni will likely give you work as there are hardly any native speakers at most second/third tier unis.
Of course you will have to be really pro-active in finding work, but as long as put the effort in, you will able to find enough work to make it more lucrative than most basic hagwon jobs nowadays. |
Interesting advice. Have you heard about this?:
Korean Universities' Rankings Plummet Due to Insularity
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/05/14/2014051401890.html
Maybe it will result in increased scholarship money for foreign students (in an effort to boost foreign enrollment, thus boosting international rankings). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
|
| Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 9:27 am Post subject: Re: Oh |
|
|
| isitts wrote: |
| wonkavite62 wrote: |
| I deserve better. |
Deserve's got nothing to do with it. |
Well said Mr Eastwood. That movie's old, but a classic and a goodie. It's right up there with "Shawshank Redmption". Think they were both from the same year too. 1992 or 1993? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
