Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jaganath69]

Just reading Shawner's post on China got me thinking. Given the way the Chinese economy is expanding and the neccessity of knowing English in a global market, how long will it be before the Chinese are offering ESL'ers salaries commensurate with what we earn here in Korea? I'm hoping this will be the case as I would find living there to be much more interesting than Korea, not that I dislike it here though. Keen to hear your thoughts.

[rapier]

I still think it'll be another 10 years or so before China offers a similar wage to Korea.
Korea has had years to improve its working conditions for foreign teachers- they've failed.
If China starts offering an average wage of about $1200US a month, I see far fewer teachers bothering with the tribulations of Korea.

[ulsanchris]

I doubt that the working conditions would be much better in china. They would have many of the same problems that korea has. I think people would be more likely to go there since china is more well known and seemingly more interesting.

[paperbag princess]

i have friends who are making serious cash in china, like the equivillant to 3200$CAN. i've thought about making the switch, but haven't yet.

[ed4444]

I wouldn't work there until they ban those open crotch baby shorts that allow children to let loose anywhere. How long do you think that will take?

[jlb]

I've have four friends, who over the past few years have worked in China. 2 did not have university degrees and got stuck at crap jobs, similar to some nasty hogwan in Korea. However, they only made $500 a month or even less than that, making it suck all the more.

2 of my friends had university degrees and got good university jobs. However, the pay was nothing in comparison with Korea or Japan.

Still a crapshoot is my unimformed opinion!

[rapier]

Can you do privates there and significantly boost your income, is the question to be asking.

[gmat]

There is no rule of law in China. China is the "wild west". I would never work for a private "businessman" here in China. Working for a state school/uni is OK, the hours are good but the pay is crap.

The good (legal) jobs here are few and far between. There are some decent jobs with decent owners - my guess is that less than 5% of teachers are working with good pay/conditions and honest/non-corrupt owners.

Privates can be found. Outside of BJ and Shanghai, 100 RMB per hour is the standard. In BJ and Shanghai, 200 RMB per hour is more common (on average). Shenzhen/Guangzhou would be similar in pay to Shanghai, but these places are armpits and I would never work in such criminal-infested hellholes.

If you want some comparisons, PM the Great Wall of Whiner as he has significant experience in both places.

[mithridates]

How long-term are we thinking? I assume that by 2008 demand for English-language education will be well on its way down. Not that that would lower salaries though; quite the opposite I would assume.

[joe_doufu]

[Badmojo]

[Snowkr]

If you're really after a big paycheck... don't go to China. Then again, if you're after a big paycheck... why would you teach at all? Excuse my ignorance but do ANY teachers actually earn what they are worth? They sure don't in the U.S. Oh wait... I've never taught above high school. Perhaps working in universities might be the key to living large but with all the education required to teach at this level, one can expect to be paying off loans for an eternity.

Back to China...
It's an easy place to live well ($) whereas FT's in Korea are perhaps considered "middle income" earners.
If your heart is set on China like mine was, it's worth the low salary (low by our standards, not theirs). The same problems that exist in Korea must exist in other countries... China not excluded.

[jaganath69]

[billybrobby]

uh oh. here comes that chart about what languages are being used on the internet.

[JongnoGuru]