|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Dalton
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
|
 Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:51 pm Post subject: Re: 34 and just got a good contract |
 |
|
| pmwhittier wrote: |
| I am 34 and just got a job teaching K-3rd graders. I look my age, maybe even older (balding). This is my first job, and I even turned down a few offers. Some of the recruiters kept trying to dump me off with CDI (I seriously think that they just dump people there when they aren't perfect candidates). But I worked with 6 recruiters, never told one about the other, applied at Hagwans only, and was flexible about location. I'm going to be in Daejeun, and that seems like a great place. If one door closes, open several others. It WILL happen for you. |
This mirrors my attitude pretty much. I would add that I avoid schools with a large staff of foreign teachers. Recently I've decided to avoid schools with foreign management.
Can you find a perfect job? Can you find a good opportunity to make a good job? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: 34 and just got a good contract |
|
|
| Dalton wrote: |
| pmwhittier wrote: |
| I am 34 and just got a job teaching K-3rd graders. I look my age, maybe even older (balding). This is my first job, and I even turned down a few offers. Some of the recruiters kept trying to dump me off with CDI (I seriously think that they just dump people there when they aren't perfect candidates). But I worked with 6 recruiters, never told one about the other, applied at Hagwans only, and was flexible about location. I'm going to be in Daejeun, and that seems like a great place. If one door closes, open several others. It WILL happen for you. |
This mirrors my attitude pretty much. I would add that I avoid schools with a large staff of foreign teachers. Recently I've decided to avoid schools with foreign management.
Can you find a perfect job? Can you find a good opportunity to make a good job? |
It's funny, because I worked for a school with some foreign management last year and expected it to be a lot better in terms of working conditions. I figured that ex-English teachers would defend English teachers and that they would fight for us when crap hit the fan.
Quite to the contrary, they become pitbulls for whoever is in charge as they want to hold on to their position. If they own the business, then they become obsessed with money and act equally as abusive as any hagwon owner could be. Korean bosses at hagwons aren't ridiculous because they're Korean, they're ridiculous because it is the nature of the business.
Foreigners become the same or worse as hagwon owners. I had friends who didn't get paid for months while working at a Canadian owned hagwon. Since the boss was a Westerner and far more adept at English than 99% of Korean hagwon owners, he was able to screw with and manipulate his lowly E2 visa employees more than a Korean hagwon owner would be able to. Many of them ended up pulling runners.
That and big groups of foreign teachers tend to be on the young side and break off into cliques. I've heard that in schools with mostly foreigners, the foreign staff fights more amongst themselves than with external sources.
No. Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Your age is a problem, but not unsurmountable. Being 50 and getting a job can be done. Heck my father was working until he was 65 here.
You age just will be one point or minus against you. But if it is balanced with something else like qualifications, degree, experience, looks, origin, etc.
Add in the market of late. Some places can be a bit more choosier of who they want. The ball is in hagwons corner now.
So push your positives and work on them. Also the more you are ready the more desirable you are. If you can walk into a job now. Some places will snap you up. Use Korean last minutue-ness your advantage.
Last edited by Skippy on Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
waseige1
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Came 3 years ago at the age of 47. Now 50 and just got a uni job.
Can age hurt? Sure.
Can age help? Ya I think so at some places.
I would not want to work for a manager that saw my age as a problem It would show an ignorance as to what I have to offer.
I had one Korean manager at a uni ask me, "What makes you think you can teach at your age?".
My reply was, "You decided to interview me. What makes you think I can teach?".
I immediately emailed after the interview and withdrew my application. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mix1
Joined: 08 May 2007
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:22 am Post subject: Re: 34 and just got a good contract |
|
|
| myenglishisno wrote: |
That and big groups of foreign teachers tend to be on the young side and break off into cliques. I've heard that in schools with mostly foreigners, the foreign staff fights more amongst themselves than with external sources.
No. Thanks. |
Totally. It gets cliquey fast. And then the MSN messenger battles begin. And the smack talking. And lunch at the same 3 restaurants all the time. And the beer party invitations every other day for the same bar. And the endless Facebook/Fail blog/Youtube chatter. Then throw in some angry gyopos into the mix to accuse everyone else (of all colors) of racism (while being highly racist themselves) for even neutral comments about Korea and you've got non-stop fun. Ended up mostly hanging with the Korean staff, especially for lunch.
The bigger the foreign staff, the more cliquey it gets. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 3:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Mix1 wrote: |
| myenglishisno wrote: |
That and big groups of foreign teachers tend to be on the young side and break off into cliques. I've heard that in schools with mostly foreigners, the foreign staff fights more amongst themselves than with external sources.
No. Thanks. |
Totally. It gets cliquey fast. And then the MSN messenger battles begin. And the smack talking. And lunch at the same 3 restaurants all the time. And the beer party invitations every other day for the same bar. And the endless Facebook/Fail blog/Youtube chatter. Then throw in some angry gyopos into the mix to accuse everyone else (of all colors) of racism (while being highly racist themselves) for even neutral comments about Korea and you've got non-stop fun. Ended up mostly hanging with the Korean staff, especially for lunch.
The bigger the foreign staff, the more cliquey it gets. |
Luckily the last group I worked with wasn't bad, they were just very different than me in that they wanted to drink more than three times a week where I'd be content with once a month. Not wanting to drink ostracised me but I've never gotten on with groups to begin with.
Of the last group I worked with, I heard horror stories about other groups and they sounded just like the description you gave. After hearing about it I decided to NEVER work with large groups of foreigners, especially UNDER foreigners. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mix1
Joined: 08 May 2007
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| myenglishisno wrote: |
| Mix1 wrote: |
| myenglishisno wrote: |
That and big groups of foreign teachers tend to be on the young side and break off into cliques. I've heard that in schools with mostly foreigners, the foreign staff fights more amongst themselves than with external sources.
No. Thanks. |
Totally. It gets cliquey fast. And then the MSN messenger battles begin. And the smack talking. And lunch at the same 3 restaurants all the time. And the beer party invitations every other day for the same bar. And the endless Facebook/Fail blog/Youtube chatter. Then throw in some angry gyopos into the mix to accuse everyone else (of all colors) of racism (while being highly racist themselves) for even neutral comments about Korea and you've got non-stop fun. Ended up mostly hanging with the Korean staff, especially for lunch.
The bigger the foreign staff, the more cliquey it gets. |
Luckily the last group I worked with wasn't bad, they were just very different than me in that they wanted to drink more than three times a week where I'd be content with once a month. Not wanting to drink ostracised me but I've never gotten on with groups to begin with.
Of the last group I worked with, I heard horror stories about other groups and they sounded just like the description you gave. After hearing about it I decided to NEVER work with large groups of foreigners, especially UNDER foreigners. |
Yeah, there were some good individuals, but also some toxic ones with no manners or common sense and that ruined the whole group dynamic. They were either arguing with each other or bitching about Korean stuff. Couldn't deal with it all the time.
Imagine punk kids who mouth off for no reason but suddenly they are adults yet their behavior doesn't change. They didn't seem to get that work life isn't a Southpark episode where you can just insult everyone with no consequences.
Not many professional options there other than ignore them totally. (I thought about 'non-professional' options briefly but decided it might lead me down a road of other problems). Sorry but some of them really were THAT bad.
Korea attracts some serious anti-social misfits and also just regular people that just want to work, but Korean managers usually can't tell the difference until it's too late. That's what happens when a resume photo and age are two of the main considerations in hiring (and in this case, I still don't know how some of them were hired based on that). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cheezsteakwit
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Location: There & back again.
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:17 am Post subject: Age |
|
|
I'm 40, MA in Education , 2 years teaching experience (dual cert. in History/ Biology) & just found out I didn't get placed with EPIK.
I passed the interview process but didn't get placed. I don't know if I was just tool old ?? too expensive ?? (Would have been Level 1 ) too ugly ?? (naah, THAT couldn't have been it ! ha ha ) ... I hope! - got all my hair & teeth , blond hair, blue eyes .. not TOO bad looking, I'd say.
I also wasn't getting good vibes from my recruiter thoughout the whole process. (Shoulda applied direct !!!! )
Anyways, the plan WAS to do a year in EPIK, apply for a Uni job from within for next year & also look at international school options. A CELTA YL could also be in the cards w/in a year, as well. We'll see.
The plan has been modified a bit - I got a line on a NON-EPIK PS job (seems promising) , & I'm looking at hagwons & international schools. It seems like the hagwons my recruiter has been advertising are all 2.1 salary & are looking for mostly females. - So , gotta expand the net and look at many more recruiters.
I have all my docs in hand & I'd like to be in country by March 1st, but I'm gonna take my time & be careful.
Traveling / living abroad has always been something I've wanted to do & once I go, I don't see me coming back to the USA for a while. It's a big world & I wanna see some of it before it's too late.
Things here in the US aren't looking too good. I'm a substitute teacher at an inner city school , working 2 jobs to make ends meet , both jobs obtained through a temp agency, & neither offering health care. I've scoured the on-line job boards & it seems like that's all that are advertised here - temp jobs, no health care.
Korea seems like a good place to start living abroad for the first time ... so I'm sticking with Korea & hope to be there soon.
So anyway, that's my story - thanks for reading. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:22 am Post subject: Re: Age |
|
|
| cheezsteakwit wrote: |
I'm 40, MA in Education , 2 years teaching experience (dual cert. in History/ Biology) & just found out I didn't get placed with EPIK.
I passed the interview process but didn't get placed. I don't know if I was just tool old ?? too expensive ?? (Would have been Level 1 ) too ugly ?? (naah, THAT couldn't have been it ! ha ha ) ... I hope! - got all my hair & teeth , blond hair, blue eyes .. not TOO bad looking, I'd say.
I also wasn't getting good vibes from my recruiter thoughout the whole process. (Shoulda applied direct !!!! )
Anyways, the plan WAS to do a year in EPIK, apply for a Uni job from within for next year & also look at international school options. A CELTA YL could also be in the cards w/in a year, as well. We'll see.
The plan has been modified a bit - I got a line on a NON-EPIK PS job (seems promising) , & I'm looking at hagwons & international schools. It seems like the hagwons my recruiter has been advertising are all 2.1 salary & are looking for mostly females. - So , gotta expand the net and look at many more recruiters.
I have all my docs in hand & I'd like to be in country by March 1st, but I'm gonna take my time & be careful.
Traveling / living abroad has always been something I've wanted to do & once I go, I don't see me coming back to the USA for a while. It's a big world & I wanna see some of it before it's too late.
Things here in the US aren't looking too good. I'm a substitute teacher at an inner city school , working 2 jobs to make ends meet , both jobs obtained through a temp agency, & neither offering health care. I've scoured the on-line job boards & it seems like that's all that are advertised here - temp jobs, no health care.
Korea seems like a good place to start living abroad for the first time ... so I'm sticking with Korea & hope to be there soon.
So anyway, that's my story - thanks for reading. |
You'll find something. If they won't hire someone as experienced and certified as yourself, then they aren't worth working for.
Remember to not limit yourself to one recruiter. Keep applying. Try Hagwons as a last resort (but be very picky). You should be able to get something good with a background like yours and if you can't then that's a very, very bad sign indeed. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rach123
Joined: 21 Oct 2010
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| It's been inspiring to read all the posts from "older" teachers. I have two offers from private schools that I'm deciding on! And the school I'm probably going with just had a 70 year old foreigner teaching there. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Udo
Joined: 22 May 2011
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| You can get work here fairly easily. You just need to have some startup capital, your degree stamped, some contacts (i.e. the supermarket ajuma) if they say you're not a dick, you will be O.K. People on this board put way too much into their special job finding theory... If you don't have any money when you get here, yes, you will be stressing. Bring a decent amount of money and you'll be O.K. Dont listen to some of the "special needs" retards on this board. People can tell when you're stressing, just eliminate that factor and bring enough money to take care of your needs. If I had to do it all over again, I would have not done the E-2. Bring $5000 USD and you'll be in high cotton. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
LindaYee
Joined: 15 Dec 2011
Location: Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I have just turned 55 and am teaching kindy in the mornings, elementary in the afternoons. It's taken two months of a huge learning curve but now I love the kids and the job. Finding a way that works to communicate with them was the main issue. But a sense of humour, relaxing a bit with not too tight an agenda makes the day a lot of fun for us all. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Winterkalte
Joined: 13 May 2009
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I know this is gonna sound like a sweeping generalization, but I think you won't have a problem if you find a place further South or the smaller towns. I worked in a somewhat small town South of Gyeonggi province and there were a ton of old and overweight teachers there. It seems like up north around Seoul you usually get the Jersey Shore crowd of teachers. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Winterkalte wrote: |
| I know this is gonna sound like a sweeping generalization, but I think you won't have a problem if you find a place further South or the smaller towns. I worked in a somewhat small town South of Gyeonggi province and there were a ton of old and overweight teachers there. It seems like up north around Seoul you usually get the Jersey Shore crowd of teachers. |
Yep, the more you are willing to work out side the zone of Seoul and other cities, the easier things will be, well with finding a job. Schools themselves can still suck or cheat.
Still it is not impossible to even get a job in Seoul being older.
An aspect to be aware of is a being older - there is certain expectations - so expect to be asked about marriage, children and personal life. Hell if you where older and married and wife was with you. I think many places would take you because of the image.
As commented before, sell yourself. Your older yes, so sell the image of you are mature and responsible an d less likely to come in drunk or hungover like those 20 somethings. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Winterkalte wrote: |
| It seems like up north around Seoul you usually get the Jersey Shore crowd of teachers. |
"Jersey Shore" is such an apt description for some of the group I taught with recently. Most were heavy into night clubbing, emulating Jersey Shore and being born-again Christian/Republicans. Arguing with them was not fun so I bit my tongue for the better part of the year, which is why I complain about them so often on here. They weren't bad people... it's just that I couldn't relate to them on even the most simplest of levels (neither could they to me).
Also, why are 90% of the American teachers I meet Republican Bible thumpers? If I go to a common interest group they're normal but the ones I end up working with (when I don't get to chose) all end up being fundamentalists or close.
/rant |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
