Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Alpha]

Hi everyone,

Well, I have spent a considerable time reading everyone's posts, and found them to be not only useful, but insightful as well. I am planning to go to Korea within a couple of weeks without being sponsored, and am planning to look for a job while I am in Seoul. My first question is, can anyone of you recommend any cheap place to stay in Seoul while I look for a job, and can you also recommend any reputable Hagwons (I know that some of you may believe that to be an oxymoron, but am asking anyway) that I can possibly interview with while I am there? Thanks.

[Saxiif]

There's yagwons pretty much literally everwhere, I stick to the Love Motels personally and they're equally common and quite nice and can be had for as little as 30,000 on weekdays, there's got to be yagwons for a good bit less than that all over the place.

Asking about reputable hagwons probably won't do you all that much good since there's HUGE variations of quality within the big chains/franchises. But some good things to watch out for:

-If they want you to teach kindy and elementary then you'll work a split shift. Split shifts are the vile spawn of Satan. Unless you're willing to work pure kindy, its probably wiser to steer clear completely.
-Bigger schools and schools where a couple of schools are owned by the same people (not just being part of the same francise) is generally good since that means that the hagwon is established enough that its less likely to grow broke or gratutiously *beep* with you.
-Being the only waygook working for a little school owned by a guy/girl who just owns just one school is often asking for trouble, I learned this the hard way.
-Even pretty good schools will blanantly lie to you during job interviews.
-Post any potential contract here and ask people to look for weasel-clauses, contracts don't mean that much here but generally evil contract = evil school.

If there's anything else you want to know, I'd be happy to help. I'm living in Seoul at the moment. Don't like any warnings about dodgy schools scare you, I got fucked around a bit but I'm at a pretty good school now and I consider coming to Korea one of the best decisions I've ever made...

[oneiros]

[Saxiif]

[Alpha]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am really looking forward to going to Korea.

[yakey]

I've got four years here now and would be happy to help out. e-mail me: [email protected].

[mog]

However, don't the little hogwans make all their money from the SINGLE white face in their employment? That will give you some bargaining power, anyway.

[Alpha]

Thanks Yakey for your email address. Just emailed you a question. Also, thanks Gollum for the letter that you sent me. I found it to be very helpful. It's good to know that there are people on this board that actually take the time to help people out instead of incessantly, and vehemently arguing with each other on such intelluctually stimulating subjects as, "Why Korean women like waygook," "Western women are overweight," "Korean men, and culture sucks," and "etc, etc, etc." I did find them to be quite amusing, however. It seems that some teachers are very busy patting themselves on the back, and stroking their fragile egos.

Mog, I am not white. I am Korean-American. I gues Koreans call people like me gyopo? At any rate, I unfortunately don't really speak Korean, except some basic phrases, and numbers. I am wondering just how many Koreans will look at me crazy for not being able to comminicate in Korean. It's going to be interesting to say the least.

[prosodic]

Were you born in Korea? If so, would it be possible to get a copy of your cancelled Family Registry? If you can, then you can get an F4 visa.

[Saxiif]

[Saxiif]

[Alpha]

Hi Prosodic,

I am an adoptee like yourself. I was adopted when I was thirteen along with my brother, and sister. I have pretty much forgotten how to speak Korean, and what I remember about the Korean way of life is no doubt biased due to my young age when I was adopted, and also due to the fact that culture itself changes as time progresses through a medium such as popular culture which is a very effective way to change the behavior, and perception of the people.

I was adopted by an American family in Colorado, and certain values, and beliefs that I have are similar as those who I grew up with (good old transfusion of ideas amongst people.) I spent five years in the Navy (two years in Italy,) which as you might have guessed had a tremendous influence on me. I still have relatives in Korea, and am planning on visiting them. My younger sister visited them a couple of years ago, and was able to give me their phone numbers, and addresses. I have no idea how that's going to turn out, but I am nonetheless excited about it. Anyways, if you have any other questions, let me know.

[Alpha]

Saxiif,

I almost forgot to mention that I am fluent in English, and considering that English is my only mode of communication, I had better be fluent in it, lol.

[ajuma]

[Saxiif]