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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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ZIFA
Joined: 23 Feb 2011
Location: Dici che il fiume..Trova la via al mare
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 Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| ajosshi wrote: |
| start with a new cbc, be flexible, and don't give up. |
Right.
This is where experience is a major help. Old korea hands cope with things way better. Even if you land at a difficult hogwon you'll be able to turn it around and come up trumps. Good luck. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 11:59 pm Post subject: Re: Going back to Korea for a 5th year...some issues... |
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| bcjinseoul wrote: |
7 years after college and almost a year after Korea, as well as ten billion resumes sent out over the internet in terms of the job search in the good ol' US of A, I've decided to throw in the towel and head back to the land of the Morning Calm for what will be my 5th year in Korea, stockpile tons of money of the next several years once there, apply to grad/professional schools or consider something online, etc. Beats working in a call center...
Just a few things I'd like some feedback with:
1) I just turned 30. Will this really hurt my chances of getting a good job in Seoul? I'm d-o-n-e DONE with "regular" public schools, namely EPIK/GEPIK/SMOE and the slightly more time off they give than most hogwons these days, large classes, co-teachers, orientations, workshops, etc. I know I don't stand a chance with any college gig unless it's in the middle of nowhere, and forget adult hogwons and kindies.
2)I've got my heart set on after school programs and afternoon hogwons 6-7 hrs long, tops, in Seoul. Would I be better off just flying to Korea with the docs in hand and going for it once I'm there? Is Seoul REALLY that saturated?
3) Lastly, August of 2010 I began the FBI background check process, which was finished in October and Apostilled in November; something of a fall back plan I guess. Would it be possible to fly to Korea with slightly expired docs in hand, sign some kind of agreement, and just do the FBI check again? I've already started the process again, just to be safe.
Thanks. |
Like others said, the CBC is the big one. Sounds like you're on top of that.
Being 30 doesn't matter. I was 32 when I came here.
I came here via recruiter in July 2009. I'd sent in my documents to the recruiter the previous April. But it took four months probably because I specifically wanted a public school near Seoul. But no complaints as I ended up in a good school.
If I'd been open to hagwons, I'm sure I would have been picked up more quickly. If time isn't too much of an issue, I say it's better to line up a job from there than fly over here with no job. But that's just me.
I think I'd be more comfortable looking for an after-school job while being currently employed in Korea. Just get a full time job lined up for your first year here and then you can transition into one of your preferred jobs your second year.
If you don't like the long vacations at the public schools, you could apply for CDI (or CDL).  Think they only give 5 days a year. Though they are currently involved in a lawsuit over that point.
Anyway, you have experience working in Korea. That should help. Make light of that in your resume and cover letter.
I think you'll do fine. I was in a similar boat. Couldn't find a job for two years back in the states after teaching overseas, so tried out Korea. Happy I did it! Good luck! |
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qcat79
Joined: 18 Aug 2006
Location: ROK
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 4:57 am Post subject: |
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remember bcj, beggars can't be choosers. you're definitely a beggar. we all know you don't have "connections", so you can stop talking that game. you'd be better off in some provincial place like choongchungbuk-do or choongchunnam-do, than seoul. and you'd rather work 30 hours a week while at the same time risking having your job cut at a wonjeongnim's whim than having the security of a public school? pppfffff..... whatever.
from the sounds of it, you're going to be here (in east asia) for quite sometime. you've already blew it with your "career" back home. the best you can hope for now is to get your @$$ in gear and start saving money again and working on building "real" connections out here. it looks like you'll never be able to go back to america and fulfill all those dreams of being a pharmacist, b2b businessperson, comedian, writer, actor, musician, computer programmer, etc, etc. seriously, you need to stop jumping around like a damn flea and settle on one thing. you're too old to be acting like this. |
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ZIFA
Joined: 23 Feb 2011
Location: Dici che il fiume..Trova la via al mare
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| oxfordstu wrote: |
| he's never happy where he is and has no interest in staying at one place for more than a year. |
And then there's you, who takes a month off every summer to go to patpong and a further 5 months after every year-long contract to visit your "girlfriend" in Pattaya.
Who's resume looks the most impressive again?   |
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qcat79
Joined: 18 Aug 2006
Location: ROK
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 7:11 am Post subject: |
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bcj,
i wonder how long you'll live in korea? nothing wrong with it if you spend the rest of your life here. just get the language down and you'll be fine. |
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creeper1
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: Going back to Korea for a 5th year...some issues... |
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| bcjinseoul wrote: |
ten billion resumes sent out over the internet in terms of the job search in the good ol' US of A, I've decided to throw in the towel and head back to the land of the morning calm.
1) I just turned 30. I'm d-o-n-e DONE with "regular" public schools, namely EPIK/GEPIK/SMOE and the slightly more time off they give than most hogwons these days, large classes, co-teachers, orientations, workshops, etc.
Thanks. |
Number 1 - no-one NO-ONE in the US gets a job online these days. It is done through connections.
Back to the subject of your question.
If you are done with PS then you are pretty much done with Korea since PS is one of the best gigs here.
I can tell you hate teaching here yet you want to come back.
You have some real issues.
Your career aspirations are over. I want to make it clear to you. You are flying a big white flag by coming back to Korea.
I love it when people like you come crawling back "on your belly" as you put it. That suits you.
I had the misfortune to read waygooks boasting about how big they were going to make it in their home countries in the "official so long suckers thread." Maybe you were even on it.
Let me say it again for anyone interested. USA, Ireland and the UK are economically finished.
In addition native speakers have nothing to offer an employer in their home country.
It is time for you to eat humble pie. |
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qcat79
Joined: 18 Aug 2006
Location: ROK
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 7:56 pm Post subject: Re: Going back to Korea for a 5th year...some issues... |
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| creeper1 wrote: |
| bcjinseoul wrote: |
ten billion resumes sent out over the internet in terms of the job search in the good ol' US of A, I've decided to throw in the towel and head back to the land of the morning calm.
1) I just turned 30. I'm d-o-n-e DONE with "regular" public schools, namely EPIK/GEPIK/SMOE and the slightly more time off they give than most hogwons these days, large classes, co-teachers, orientations, workshops, etc.
Thanks. |
Number 1 - no-one NO-ONE in the US gets a job online these days. It is done through connections.
Back to the subject of your question.
If you are done with PS then you are pretty much done with Korea since PS is one of the best gigs here.
I can tell you hate teaching here yet you want to come back.
You have some real issues.
Your career aspirations are over. I want to make it clear to you. You are flying a big white flag by coming back to Korea.
I love it when people like you come crawling back "on your belly" as you put it. That suits you.
I had the misfortune to read waygooks boasting about how big they were going to make it in their home countries in the "official so long suckers thread." Maybe you were even on it.
Let me say it again for anyone interested. USA, Ireland and the UK are economically finished.
In addition native speakers have nothing to offer an employer in their home country.
It is time for you to eat humble pie. |
creeper, you couldn't have said it any better. all these @$$holes that think they're going home to "make something" of their lives, are sadly mistaken.
the u.s. dollar index now stands at 76 and is expected to go down to 60. gold is already hovering around 1515ish per ounce. the u.s. IS bankrupt. the only way for the u.s. to survive is to resign its currency and start over again. it is mathematically impossible for the u.s. to get out of this one.
let me put this to rest. beggars can't be choosers. i've told this dummy many times over that if you can't get a university, a public school is your best option. this guy thinks he's going to come here and make it at a hagwon. yeah right.
where's the like button here? |
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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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| The won is quite dependent on the US dollar. Be careful what you wish for. |
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myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Why does everyone assume that all hagwons are crap? I've worked at hagwons and public schools. The one thing a PS job has over a hagwon job is consistency: you know what you're going to get whereas hagwons run the gamut of terrible to awesome.
Public schools are rarely more than barely acceptable, especially these days with all the vacation getting replaced with deskwarming. |
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whitestboyalive
Joined: 09 Dec 2010
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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To the OP. I hear you man.
Korea giveth, and Korea taketh. Yes, we can make some money here, but the years it takes away from our job prospects back home may not be worth it. Those of us who have stayed 3 years, 4, 5... Korea starts becoming so very normal. Maybe too normal. So much so that we will always come crawling back.
Not to say that it is wrong to do so. If you are comfortable with it, then go ahead. Nothing wrong with teaching ESL in Korea.
That said, just see where you want to be in 10 years from now, and see if another 2-5 years in Korea equates to that. |
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oxfordstu
Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Location: Bangkok
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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| ZIFA wrote: |
| oxfordstu wrote: |
| he's never happy where he is and has no interest in staying at one place for more than a year. |
And then there's you, who takes a month off every summer to go to patpong and a further 5 months after every year-long contract to visit your "girlfriend" in Pattaya.
Who's resume looks the most impressive again? |
Do you know me? Do you know where I work and what I've done with my career these past 5 years? I don't think so, so STFU. I haven't even worked in Korea for the past 4 years, loser.
Also, I know for a fact that my resume looks better. Just ask qcat --- he's seen it. |
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brickabrack
Joined: 17 May 2010
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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"In addition native speakers have nothing to offer an employer in their home country. "
What about all those native speakers that have tons to offer their current employers in their home countries?
I, for one, am here because of the great travel opps around Asia and the oodles of time off to see said places. I haven't had a desire to look for a job in the U.S. in over 3 years. Yet, I am confident that I am highly employable everywhere I go. In your defense, I am quite the special individual. 
Only been in K for a year, and I know that the 'won' is 100% dependent on the almighty U.S. dollar. Don't ever think otherwise. |
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West Coast Tatterdemalion
Joined: 31 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 8:40 am Post subject: |
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| A couple of you guys are complete whacked out trolls. You know zero about this guy, but you say he is a loser for wanting to get a job back home. Maybe he doesn't want to be like you guys: bitter lifers who will probably be teaching the Englishee to the day that you die here in Korea. Just because you can't make it any other place than Korea doesn't mean that others can't. Oh, and there are jobs back home. Maybe not the easiest, but there is work. A lot of you are just lazy. You like teaching Let's Go 1 because it is easy and you don't have to put a lot of effort into it. Maybe staying the rest of your life in Korea is cool for you, but most other people want to, you know, move on to the next level and not stay in Korea forever. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Actually I'm willing to bet it's a bunch of old coworkers sitting around taking potshots at someone they didn't like very much. Pretty lame in my opinion. |
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soupsandwich
Joined: 20 May 2011
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| Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 9:56 am Post subject:
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For the half you who were supportive or gave decent advice or their own 2 cents or perhaps constructive criticism, thanks guys.
Some bashing from the usual suspects, as well...
Nice. (Suffice to say I'll be changing my screen name ASAP...)
If I have to wear my heart on my sleeve in front of 1,000 strangers in Korea and the rest of the world reading this, so be it. Fact is I have some connections, I plan on using them as well as recruiters to get the right job...WHEN I have the docs in hand. Patience, patience. Nothing wrong with being just a little picky. An after school program in Seoul is at the top of my list, NOT a professorial position at SNU that requires an MA in something.
I've certainly had some bad luck in the home front, and honestly, if I could do my time in K-land all over again, it would have been 4 years non-stop, some side work, save tons of money, walk out of there a winner. Pretty much crawling back on my belly as a dead last resort, folks. I've got a dead end job, couch surfing at place much to the land lords dismay, a shaky old car that worries me, diminished savings, bad luck with the job search, rejected from a school I applied to earlier, and clearly no connections around the metro area I'm at right now. I've learned from the past, and if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. I know I'd rather be back in Korea than waiting tables, working at call centers, working for min wage, making only 10-12 an hr as an admin assist or a million other things that only pay 10-12 an hour (which is like NOTHING compared to 5-7 years ago). I'm pretty much going back for the money, not a life-long-MA -in-TESOL-inducing career in ESL in East Asia. Money is the biggest obstacle to all of our dreams. I wouldn't be going back if I had tons of money laying around.
Any 22 year old in Korea reading this right now: save your butt off till you have over $100,000 in your name, especially if from the States. You owe it to yourself....and don't exit without an exit strategy.
And I'm DONE. |
Wow....get out of my head. I could say the exact same thing. |
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