Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Milwaukiedave]

Non-teaching jobs can include positions where you are still working for a company that runs schools, but instead work as a researcher (which is the case with me).

I don't think most are as bad as one person described. I work 10 hours with an hour lunch, 5 days a week. It's semi-formal, a tie isn't required. I wear a polo shirt with slacks and tennis shoes. We can wear casual on Fridays.

The job is project based with deadlines, so we have the flexiblity if we need to do something during the day (a perfect example is that I have to goto the US embassy on Friday) we can take time off and don't have to make it up as long as we are on target to meet the deadlines. You pretty much take breaks when you want and just have to get your work done.

Maybe I'm just lucky...

[Homer]

I teach but also work as a consultant.

This did require Korean language proficiency however. Most or perhaps just many non-ESL jobs require that plus a degree (or equivalent professional experience) in the field of work.

Btw..why the eye-roll?

[ChristyMum]

tzechuk,
Yes, I am holding F2.
The photo is your daughter? I am from Hong Kong. Where are you from?


JongnoGuru,
Thank you for your advice.

[ChristyMum]

[Milwaukiedave]

Christy,

F2's are nice, certainly it gives you a lot of latitude in terms of the type of job you want.

Working research and development is definately much diffrent from teaching, but still tied directly to English institutes.

[ChristyMum]

[Homer]

Where did you graduate from Christy?

[ChristyMum]

[Homer]

Just curious.

Thanks for answering.

[Milwaukiedave]

What I meant by latitude is that you can work in many diffrent fields with an F-2 visa.

[ChristyMum]

Homer,
you are welcome. haha...

[simone]

Worked in ESL here for six years. Got to the top - great uni gig, did a TV show for two years, paid off my loans and saved a ton.

I was bored as hell. Because I taught the same damnned 2-hour lesson ten times a week at the uni, it was a personal challenge to see how hungover I could be on Friday, and still teach as well as I had on Tuesday. You could guarantee the best place to find me was on a barstool somewhere in Itaewon, on any Thursday night, with the boyfriend beside me.

We saved our money, got married, went back to Canada and both got MBAs. Didn��t like the prospect of being a brand manager for L��Oreal, or Procter & Gamble, so came back to Korea.

One thing you must know, it is HARD to find a decent E-7 job. Even then, most will have more of an ESL angle than you��d like. The places that really NEED you can��t hire you, because they��re too small, or not in an industry that allows it. I��m lucky that I��m in a company that really wants me here, gives me the resources to do this job, and treats me well, even though I��m the only foreigner. It was a roller-coaster ride getting here, and I really had to fight for the job I have now.

The brilliant boyfriend-now-husband (with more of a finance angle to his MBA) has also had a roller coaster ride, and in the end, in order to do what he is really interested in here, has to create his own company. It��s tough putting together the cash for an investor visa, (namely asking for help from parents, after refusing to do so all through grad school) but it��s the only option, really.

In the end, is it worth it? Yes. I come home talking about my day with a bright smiling face, full of ideas to discuss with the hubby, and in general happy to be using my mind. But at my last non-teaching job in Korea I was utterly miserable. It��s a coin toss, really. Not all jobs are alike.

Salarywise, most certainly not. If people hustle from teaching job to teaching job, or even just have a few select classes, they can make MUCH more money, in overall fewer hours, with much more flexibility. It depresses me, but I know I might have to consider going back to teaching for a while after we have kids, because most companies aren��t quite ��family friendly��.

If it��s all about the money, stay in ESL. If you can��t really consider ESL a real ��life��, try it. But don��t burn all your old teaching materials.

[ChristyMum]

simone,
Thank you for your sharing and I am curious to ask what kind of business does your brilliant hubby run? And what kind of non-teaching job do you have in Korea?

[simone]