Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Voyager2]

Thanks Ippy, I'll pm you in regards this conversation anyway. Appreciative of your advice. Rgds

[ippy]

oi, v2 pm me your email. I have a position im about to turn down, ill at least offer them your name and see if they get in contact (they contacted me, so theyre probably looking for someone urgently).

[ippy]

Voyager, i wouldnt give up quite yet.

Lets look at this logically:

At the end of university, new graduates are going to be looking about for something to do. Someone will say "hey! take a gap year in asia!" and itll sound cool. Theyll get everything ready and come August september will be well up for it.

Recruiters will keep them motivated with offers. Most of those who really want a job will get one. Those that sort of want a job will be starting to drop out of the pool of applicants.

If you think of it like this: Priority list was cleared in August. Then waiting list 1 was cleared soon after. Waiting list two will have been cleared in September.
Come october the numbers on the waiting list will have dropped, but most crucially they wont be getting replaced, except by people like you, me and serious korea-philes.

So we're now moving up the waiting list. It WAS a sellers market, but logically those supply numbers are in waves. We are between waves and hitting the right point in time where companies are starting to face demand for applicants outstripping supply of applicants. Its just a case of time. So long as you beat the next wave, you should be in.

Throw in that around now youll start to get the runners taking off once they realise they hate life in korea or are missing their life back home, or just hate teaching, and the market is coming back to bite the ass of recruiters and schools who look exclusively for youth over experience (and patience/flexibility/adaptability).

Theres big pictures to consider and unintended consequences at play. Just be patient if you can be. I can feel its turning

[Voyager2]

Fluctuations in supply and demand make sense Ip. But I've also age, gender and nationality a bit too actually I think (I'm noticing a lot of ads set age limits / want females & [not really surprisingly] North Americans) all hindering the boat's upstream progress I think.

Anyway I've four agencies looking (the three who've replied, and one I visited), and have responded to many advertised positions all over. All without reply, thus this Dave's thread.

Let's see anyway. I think I'll give being here 2 months. Half way through that already, and if there's still nil apparent into November, as you say, recognize the clock ticking, as is the need for a job and a place to live. And at least I can say I did my best and tried. But your optimism is well received mate thanks.

[ippy]

Dun' give up dude! Check your profile pic on your resume. Is it cheerful and cute. Are you looking about ten years younger than you do? Are you looking smart and professional if you cant play the young and cute card? Are you hiding your birth-date a little elsewhere in your resume as suggested (ill be honest, ive just pulled it straight out, had plenty of replies since doing so and been asked by exactly one recruiter since for my DOB).

This is a bit of a game. If theyre dismissing you out of hand, then you need to throw on a spot of makeup (well, metaphorical - have you met my friend photoshop?). In a market that is unashamedly image driven, you have the right to be a bit of a dick back and waste people's time as well. Put the nice shiny peaches at the top of the box and leave the slightly duff ones well out of sight. If people are more concerned about looks than taste, then let them have those rock hard, tasteless peaches.

You do what youve got to do to get that foot in the door and start the conversation. And you should feel neither apologetic nor ashamed in doing so. If "photo A" doesnt work, get back to photoshop and knock a few more wrinkles off (or just pick another photo, touch it up, and whap it on instead). And if you hit that interview stage, just go Beverley Crusher and smear some vaseline on the camera for your skype interview (or just have a deliberately awful camera screen on your cheap phone with pixels that make you look like a Super Nintendo character). FIGHT BACK DAMMIT!!!

[mike in brasil]

Voyager,

I'm curious to know about why you went to Indonesia and how you liked it there.

Did you know that the salaries were so low before you went?

How were you getting by on $700/mo.?

[Voyager2]

Mike hi and thanks. I dont want to upset the administrators as this is the Korea work section, so I'll just reply to your post as - being in Indonesia was mentioned by me earlier on in context in this thread about Korea.



OK, that done, I went to Indonesia eyes open Mike, having signed an intention to join beforehand (Had had some surgery, recovery and it was an immediately available contract so I jumped in). It was with a large global language mill. $700 base salary enables a middle class life almost. Nice place to live, inexpensive meals, lovely people and beautiful mornings. If you're disciplined and only had the occasional luxuries (ie: stay away from tourist areas) then you can even save a few thousand through the year. I miss a lot about being there, but I didnt want to renew with that job. Mike if I can give you any more specifics please pm me. Hope this helps, Rgds

[mike in brasil]

To keep Korea in the conversation, I'd be curious to know how you compare Indonesians to Koreans, working at a language mill in Indo compared to one in the Korea, comapring living situations, food, love, etc of both countries.

I've always wondered what it'd be like to take the plunge down there. My trip to Bali and Lombok didn't exactly entice me to really want to leave Korea to work there.

I guess the ease and structured-ness of Korea was what brought you back?

[Voyager2]

Mike I'd love to answer your question but I'm unqualified to. I started this thread as I'm in Seoul seeking work and it's proving difficult. In context, all I can say is that Denpasar, Bali is still part of Indonesia of course with all the challenges that living in a developing country brings. But the people were very nice on the whole and there's a lot to like about being there.

I guess it wasn't what bought me 'back' but what bought me 'to' the Korean peninsula... A chance to use my degree major and earn a few dollars over the next decade. Korea also represented a percieved compromise between the pollution of China (despite the apparent demand) and the high cost of living in Japan with the recent consumption tax rise.

All that said Mike, I'm probably the least knowledgable person in regards Korea on this entire DESLC forum, best to ask others who are experienced here on the forum in all things Korean. As all I'm doing is sitting in a suburb of Seoul struggling to find a position that's all.

[watergirl]

Hi Voyager.2...
I also am looking for a job now. I usually apply in August or february, and this is the WORST time I've ever had.
Just crap jobs on craigs list, and frankly the same jobs over and over again.
.
I've heard about this or other teachers' complaining, well, actually, for the last few years about finding work getting much more difficult in Korea, but it really is the worst I've seen it.

Now, there will be a freak or random good job appear in this time, but there are much more better jobs during the times I usually apply.
Although, yes, age and gender are a bit of a barrier. Albeit, I really think it's more the s@## recruiters who do this than the employers.
By the way, Public schools, are much less biased I find (maybe other could differ or have other opinions than mine) than academies i find.

Now, I (lol) never even thought of photoshop, but definatley, you need to lie about your age to recruiters. They really will just dismiss you as actually it's kinda nasty for them as well. They work on commission, and it's a desperate game..the academy owner can be sending out their job to many recruiters, and that recruiter will lose money if they don't get someone to sign fast.

I forget if you're experienced, but colleges, after schools, and public schools tend to have older people than academies, and I think, it's also about who the other foreigners you work with are (i.e.: their age, looks) which influences if you'll get hired.

Adult work, also, i think, will have older people working there.. Maybe others want to give some feedback on this.

[watergirl]

And, by the way, I think the places that sponsor p/t time positions (but give an E2) will also not really regulate their teachers so much. So, in the interview, you just lie about your age, and, offer to go to immigration yourself (really easy nowadays..they all speak English), and he might not even notice your age at all.
Now, I work for Afterschools, where they have tons of different teachers in various public schools, and so, they really do not regulate or know that much about their teachers, so I might be wrong on this (as to academies)

There are lots of older people here, but they tend to not be in the academy, esp., kindergarten jobs.

[watergirl]

And, by the way, also they prefer NA because of the accent. But, I think this is a buyers market so they can be picky now bc there just aren't as many jobs due to the time of year.
And, possibly, the better jobs are getting loads of resumes. Now, there are some academies that had a great Australian teacher, and so they PREFER Australian teachers.

[Majeh]

In response to Chaparraastique's comments, a recruiter was willing to take a chance on me when I learned that my GEPIK employer was not going to renew my contract. An elementary school in Gimpo was looking for a native English teacher and I was in the area. To make a long story short, I got hired!

[Voyager2]

Watergirl thank you ~~<~@ really, for all your thinking there (i might pm you if thats ok) and Majeh well done.

[ippy]

How goes it, dude? Any new developments? Been hitting the pavement yet?