Korean Job Discussion Forums

[big_fella1]

I am leaving a balmy Australian summer to come and teach in Korea ... and I don't ski. Now that we have established my mental stability, I am getting very bad vibrations from the Hogwon I will be working at. The foriegn teacher who responded to my email request for information on the school, spoke of the director as his best buddy, and although the grammer was good the thoughts expressed seemed strange, now I wonder if I was actually receiving a response from this former foriegn teacher who finished up to travel or from the director/crony.

In a fit of stupidity/enthusiasm I paid my own airfare, and have been asked to sign the contract when I arrive. If I phone the recruiter and school today and say no, what are my chances of finding a job upon arrival?

I have been trying on and off since August to secure a position missing out on 1 contract because I only had a letter of completion not the degree, and missing another because the recruiter sent it to me by mistake as the employer wanted a woman (strange from Australia especially as the employer was government).

I am almost 40 and don't want to play games, although this could be all just being scared of the big bad world, and watching another Wallaby season.

[canuckistan]

It'll turn out how it turns out, but one thing's for sure: teaching/living in Korea is always an adventure

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Can you get your airfaire reimbursed if need be?

If you have enough cash to stay afloat for about a month you might want to bring all your docs but hold off on signing until you have seen the place first-hand. It might be perfectly fine. Whatever you do, make sure you have copies of your transcripts. You may also wish to get a number of copies of your degree notarised at the consulate in Aus before you come over.

Best of luck - it's always a crapshoot, and you could be headed for the best year of your life or utter disaster.

[big_fella1]

Thanks for the advice Yu. I guess I have the negotiating power here in that if it all turns pear shaped I am up defacation stream minus a propulsion implement.

I guess my next battle will be with immigration as I have an MBA, but did not do an undergraduate degree. Are there any Aussies here in the same boat?

One final thing for the Aussies. If your director wants you to be North American there is a book put out by Bruce G Shapiro called "Speaking American" It's on Amazon for US$22.39.

"I have the book however if its the last thing I do I'm gunna learn the peoples to talk proper eh!!!!!"

[Homer]

How can you have a MBA without having an undergraduate degree?

Just curious...

Good luck out here fella!

[big_fella1]

Homer yeah apparently the US doesn't do it but in Aust if you have the requisite work experience they will let you enrol in a graduate certificate then providing you keep your GPA they let you progress through to masters. Its the same tough Masters course its just the University gets to charge you full fees that they couldn't for undergraduate degrees.

[Homer]

Thanks fella!

That explains it.

Anyway..if you do not have an undergraduate degree you might have a problem getting your work visa (E-2) unless you have somesort of documentation that shows equivalency.

[runaway]

I can appreciate the fact that you're doubting your sanity. I too am about to leave the beautifully warm Sunshine Coast in Aus and head for Korea. I too am nearly 40, but I figure, hey if I don't do it now i'll regret it later.
But I am taking the chicken's way out and testing the waters with a couple of short term winter contracts first.
From the research I've done, i'd be waiting till you check the place out and then decide if you want to sign or try somewhere else.

[Homer]

[big_fella1]

Runaway thanks mate! We're practically neighbours as I am in Brisbane sitting under the fan contemplating that humidity will not be a problem next weekend. Thanks too Homer.

I am going to go and see the school then make my decision. I am thinking that if the school isn't up to scratch I should be able to get camp work until I find a good school/uni/company.

I am also interested, are cross-cultural management and negotiation classes available to help Koreans buy more of our ore (just to turn it into a super ship in 6 weeks)?

[Roch]

[big_fella1]

Roch no sorry, was just trying to type a really broad Australian accent, its not easy to type!

[runaway]

Well fella you'll beat me by a couple of weeks. I leave on Dec 30. You really should check out the winter camp thing - I had heaps of offers, but i'm female and currently teach at a uni here - so I don't know if that helped.

I just think it will be a good way to LEGALLY test the waters and then you never know...

Hey good luck - maybe we'll bump into each other!

[Auswan]

Hi guys welcome to Korea, Aussi here in Daejeon--where are you both heading--Seoul or another place? I have been here 5years and married to a Korean so if I can assist in any way please pm me or email me at [email protected].
Cheers.

[Songbird1979]

Runaway OMG what a small world- I'm from the Sunny Coast as well (hope you weren't near the Noosa landslide!) and off to Changwon to teach late January next year!

Hope ta see ya somewhere arouund Korea