Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PRagic]

@GJM

Yeah, a lot may have changed. Back in the 90s I was getting 10,000-20,000 won per test question writing and 300-500,000 for English editorial type pieces. And I was busy. Recording tests was paying 50-70,000 per 50 minute session, and PR material recording paid 300,000 a pop for 10 minutes of real time (in and out of the studio in under an hour). Throw in consistent editing work and there was always something to do.

You're spot on about it being a pretty closed market...definitely via personal contacts and network building....and the luck factor. When all was said and done, I always made more outside of my university gig than I did in house, usually at least double and quite often triple, especially over the summers and winters.

I've always admitted freely that ESL was very good to us. It was just a lot of running around and a lot of juggling, compounded by the hard truth that teaching English wasn't my forte. Doable when I was in my 20s and early 30s, but it wore thin. The longer I did it with unrelated degrees, and the better the jobs I got regardless, the more I met the really qualified and experienced teachers. They were the real deal and I simply wasn't. It came time for me to get back to my original discipline, to knock out that last degree, and to consolidate all work at a university on the tenure track. Glad I made the move when I did, and I've never looked back.

[edwardcatflap]

No offence but haven't we heard about Pragic 'knocking out' a PHD in the good ol days and getting university tenure even more often than Patrick Busan's (what happened to him?) consultancy business? How about for long term residents just posting 'been V successful in Korea, PM me for life story' from now on?

[PRagic]

Point taken, but different thread, different OP, and different question. And, hey, I've gotten a ton of PMs over the years asking about the non-TESOL doctoral program option and about life in academe. Always happy to help.

[Smithington]

[slothrop]

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[J Rock]

I have a little over 8 years here and I still dont know what I wanna be when I grow up. I'm almost 34, married with one kid. I should probably start thinking about what I wanna do with my life.

The problem is, i'm the least motivated person in the world (and the laziest). Thats how I got this job, it was 2006, I submitted my resume to a recuiter and BAM next thing I know I'm on a plane 1.5 months later working in Korea. I've been floating through life ever since then, my wife finds me good jobs through her connections. All I do is just show up at a place, since a song or two, walk around, and they pay me for it.

I'm making good money but It's not something I can do much longer and my wife wont be able to find me jobs outside of teaching.

I should probably start searching for new jobs back home now, but i'd rather watch a movie and drink some beer.

Go figure, my Mom was right all along, i'll never amount to anything!!!!

[creeper1]

[Roman Holiday]