Korean Job Discussion Forums

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

It too bad immigration or the Ministry of Labor will not enforce regulations for compensation for relevant experience. Foreign instructors do not usually have teaching experience recognized or rewarded like their Korean colleagues.

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:33 am Post subject:

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 2:05 am Post subject:

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 3:25 am Post subject:

I agree that that is why many people get hired. Hagwons and Unis are businesses that make money from student enrollment. I was hired by the district office in my gu, and placed into an elementary school. The school had nothing to do with hiring me and Im sure that Gagnam District Office isnt sweating how much money they make off me. They dont make ANY money off me, its a public school. And even if they did, they have more money than they know what to do with. Now, I am sure that image did play some part in my being hired. I was sure to project the image of professionalism through and through. That included how I looked, dressed and how prepared I was for the interview and how engaging I was during the interview.

ThePoet · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 4:06 am Post subject:

I really have to say this because it is not all one-sided in my recent experience. I understand you can show a few pesonal anecdotes about a few people who are into the perfect looks. I won't dispute them, but I will also say that when I first put up my resume a year and a half ago to come to Korea, I got 40 responses within 6 hours and all totalled, I had almost 100 by the time I had made my choice to come here.

This year, I applied to 15 university positions. I had 4 interviews on the cold resumes I sent out (I had no "in's" to these places), and I have 3 more interviews upcoming which I've consequently had to send my regrets to.

That's 7 interviews off 15 resumes. thats close to 50%. I can tell you that when I worked in Alberta as a teacher, I averaged around 20% for resumes sent out.

I can also tell you that every one of these interviews were given to me because of experience, references, and qualifications. I know for a fact that they were not based on my looks. I am 6'3" and 290 lbs...quite big. and I have a face, well, quite frankly, you could put my face into a bowl of dough and make gorilla cookies with it. I know it, my friends know it, and so does the gorilla cookie industry. So, while having good looks may get your foot in the door here, as it does everywhere to some extent, it doesn't always happen here, and those who are hiring that have intelligence, always look for the best qualified, not the best looking.

Poet

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 4:12 am Post subject:

Good looks play a part everywhere, not only Korea. Jerry Seinfeld said that there are no handsome homeless people. And it probably does play a part in bottom of the barrel schools. But I dont think that good looks are a priority in better schools. The higher the quality of the job, the less looks matter. Image will always play a role in first impressions, and it goes in tandem with your qualifications, references, etc. That is why building strong relationships with employesr matters for those who wish to stay here for a longer time and make it out of the hagwon industry.

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

Jeju Rocks · Joined: 23 Aug 2004

Daechidong waygook reminds me a lot of Alex Buffa

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 1:04 am Post subject:

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

chronicpride wrote,
"...on the larger scope of things, this is no ideal market for being rewarded for hardwork/experience/references."

Exactly.

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:21 am Post subject:

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Daechidong Waygook,
I teach at a "good" university. The experience of the foreign professors has never been included in the determination of the salary and benefits.