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shruti
Joined: 03 Mar 2014
Location: United States
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 Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 3:49 pm Post subject: Newbie looking to teach in South Korea |
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| I have a bachelors degree in International Studies, a TESOL certificate, no teaching experience. I've been applying to schools in Turkey, Chile, and Costa Rica but I haven't been getting any responses. I want to teach in South Korea, but not through EPIK. I feel like their application process alone is a little too lengthy. Does anyone have any suggestions? |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd have guessed Turkey would generally require at least a CELTA but could be wrong. |
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le-paul
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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My advice, keep plugging away, consider Taiwan as an option, too.
Come here as a last resort. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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Problem is Korean market is oversaturated. You can try China too. If you want low hours, low pay, and free time, then try for a university position. If you want high money and to work many hours, try a language academy on the coast or in a bigger city. (Large established chains prob better than some local unknown no name entity.)
But, some of these countries you already applied to pay crap wages. So, I assume money is no object to you. A rural or semi rural university in China would allow you free time to explore the culture if thats what you're looking for.
Taiwan and Vietnam pay by the hour. So, if you don't want to work many hours, those might be the places for you. |
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Lucas
Joined: 11 Sep 2012
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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My advice, keep plugging away, consider Taiwan as an option, too.
Come here as a last resort. |
Why say that? Korea isn't all bad. |
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Smithington
Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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| le-paul wrote: |
My advice, keep plugging away, consider Taiwan as an option, too.
Come here as a last resort. |
You don't love the Kolea? |
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HanlSky
Joined: 30 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
Problem is Korean market is oversaturated. You can try China too. If you want low hours, low pay, and free time, then try for a university position. If you want high money and to work many hours, try a language academy on the coast or in a bigger city. (Large established chains prob better than some local unknown no name entity.)
But, some of these countries you already applied to pay crap wages. So, I assume money is no object to you. A rural or semi rural university in China would allow you free time to explore the culture if thats what you're looking for.
Taiwan and Vietnam pay by the hour. So, if you don't want to work many hours, those might be the places for you. |
How low is the low pay in China? Do you have any particular recommendations on which universities?
Is Vietnam even lower than China? |
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Chaparrastique
Joined: 01 Jan 2014
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Lucas wrote: |
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My advice, keep plugging away, consider Taiwan as an option, too.
Come here as a last resort. |
Why say that? Korea isn't all bad. |
Come off it...korea has seriously declined as an ESL option. The pay and conditions are dire now, especially for newbies.
unless you think that working 9am to 9pm, for 2.1, with virtually no time off, in a country with soaring inflation, and a sweltering shoebox for accomodation is a good deal.
Not to mention half the bosses are either out to abuse you, racist, or thiefing from you.
In past teachers could simply threaten to leave and the employer would cave to their demands. Nowadays they fire you in the blink of an eye and replace you with one of the millions of people out there looking for work, who are all so desperate that they accept any type of conditions.
China might not be that much better yet but at least its on the up and has a future.
Last edited by Chaparrastique on Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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matthagwon
Joined: 28 Sep 2013
Location: Japan lite
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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The korean esl system has failed. In 10 years esl will be all but dead here but China and other asian countries will be thriving. Try to land a job in China. Right now the job market in korea is okay if you have no experience because hagwon owners will destroy you and rip you off every way they can! In 11 months here I've worked at 3 hagwons and have seen numerous people breakdown and/or get fired.  |
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Lucas
Joined: 11 Sep 2012
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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unless you think that working 9am to 9pm, for 2.1, with virtually no time off, in a country with soaring inflation, and a sweltering shoebox for accomodation is a good deal.
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That leaves 12 hours free; rice is cheap, as are veggies in summer. The sweltering shoe box acts as a sauna, negating the need to go to a real one.
If you're careful you can save 1.5 a month, within 1-2 years that's enough for a deposit on a house, or buy 15 outright if you're from Detroit! |
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kingplaya4
Joined: 14 May 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:16 am Post subject: |
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| Ha! Did steelrails highjack a username? Good advice though. |
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Troglodyte
Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:29 am Post subject: Re: Newbie looking to teach in South Korea |
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| shruti wrote: |
| I have a bachelors degree in International Studies, a TESOL certificate, no teaching experience. I've been applying to schools in Turkey, Chile, and Costa Rica but I haven't been getting any responses. I want to teach in South Korea, but not through EPIK. I feel like their application process alone is a little too lengthy. Does anyone have any suggestions? |
I think that for most of Central and South America you need to either have a very attractive background - mainly, you need experience and internationally recognized certificates and diplomas. The CELTA is the most common for new teachers. Alternatively you need to be there to search for jobs in person. If you're there in person then many places will hire you (maybe without a work permit though) without experience or a recognized certification.
I think that a lot of place in Turkey want teachers to have the CELTA but you could probably find some who are desperate for teacher and would accept something similar in its place.
For Korea, you could apply for hogwon jobs. They come up all the time and the paperwork is minimal. A lot of them are small businesses so you really have to do your homework in advance and find out how stable the place is and whether it looks like it's currently profiting.
Beyond the places that you mentioned, there is a world of opportunities for teaching English. Most will want you to have the CELTA or to be there in person to job hunt. |
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Usurname
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 7:41 am Post subject: |
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| Are you serious they make you work from 9am to 9pm? I thought it was 30 hours a week (6 houurs a day not 12hours) |
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Aine1979
Joined: 20 Jan 2013
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:18 am Post subject: |
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| You've already asked the question about working hours and had it answered in detail, but just to remind you - 9am to 9pm is a bit of an exaggeration. But you won't be working 30 hours a week/6 hours a day. Teaching 30 hours a week/six hours a day, yes. But your actual working hours are likely to be more like 8/9 hours per day. Depends on the school. |
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wings
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I feel like their application process alone is a little too lengthy. |
Being a teacher involves a LOT of paperwork and lesson planning. Hours of it every week. If you feel that the application process for EPIK is too long you will most likely HATE teaching. |
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