Korean Job Discussion Forums

Lolita89 · Joined: 10 Jun 2014 Location: Glasgow

Hi everyone,

Hope all is well!

I am in the middle of receiving job offers for October roles. I have received one from an agency and I was hoping for some opinions!

The role is based in Tongyeong-si and the agency guy says its a ''new school'' but very reliable.....should this worry me?

It is from 'Reach to Teach' who I believed were quite good.

Otherwise, can anyone recommend an agency who I might be able to get an October start with? I would have preferred Busan, but I appreciate everyone is looking for there, so am happy to be flexible!

ANY advice welcome!

Lauren

Stain · Joined: 08 Jan 2014

Blanca · Joined: 19 Apr 2012

Have you seen Tongyeong on the map? I've never been there myself but it looks very out-of-the-way and small. I presume, since you mentioned Busan, that you want to be in a large-ish city, and Tongyeong most definitely ain't it.

It's a standard recruiter thing - they'll disregard everything you say you want so they can fill a crap job in the arse-end of nowhere. Be firm, tell them you want a position in a proper city (if indeed you do) and deflect anything else they offer (unless you really do want to be in Tongyeong).

I'd be a little more careful with a new school - it might not be possible to speak with current teachers (since you'd be the first one) and there's no way of knowing how stable it is. I'd want an extra 100,000 per month to mitigate this risk.

As to the recruiter, they are all good and they are all bad. Make sure you use as many as possible. Some are absolute dogsh!t - pushy, don't listen to you, try to tell you illegal stuff is legal, and some are genuinely good and will do their best to suit your needs. Just use a lot of them and don't believe a word they say - do your due diligence on any school they suggest.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

A couple of comments:

1) The recruiter is NOT the agency. While the agency may have a decent reputation the recruiter is trying to fill a quota, earn his pay and not working in your best interests. They work for the schools..

2) A new teacher, new to teaching with no knowledge of pedagogy or TEFL, in a new school is a recipe for disaster. It becomes very much a case of the blind leading the deaf and when things begin to fail it is you who will shoulder the blame.

Caveat Emptor.

My personal advice is to find an established school, with multiple teachers, in one of the (7) metropolitan cities, and enjoy your year in Korea.

.

ontheway · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 6:47 am Post subject:

How new is this new school?

If the school is just starting, they need someone who knows how to run a business, to manage financial accounts, government rules and regulations, mothers etc and someone who already knows how to teach English, someone to create a program, choose books, create materials, set up levels, test incoming students etc? The school needs a business plan and adequate capital to run the business at a loss for a year or maybe longer - part of which can be sweat equity from the owner(s).

For a native English speaker with a great deal of experience to have the chance to set up a program from scratch, with the authority as well as the responsibility to run the academic side of the school would be a great opportunity.

If the school, the owner, management and you are all ready for such an opportunity, then you may want to jump at this job for the excitement, challenge and experience.

If you are new to teaching ESL/EFL then you should find a school that's been around a few years, with several foreign English teachers, an established program and training.