Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Koreaboundandgagged]

Thanks everyone for the replies; I'll try to answer a few questions or provide more information for y'all. My wife will also be (eventually) working full-time, and we're hoping that she can find a decent hagwon or school that might welcome having our children attend with my wife since children much prefer to copy other children rather than us very un-cool, extremely naive adults! Or is this comparable to the actuality of starting my own hagwon?

Singapore or Hong Kong, huh? Why do you say that? I'm interested in hearing more regarding why this would be a better place. If it's just the money and not a better quality of life, I guess I'd prefer the latter due to the family. And believe me, if we both working in Korea (with our experience living on breadcrumbs these past few years) I don't think saving money will be a problem. However....WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT with my qualifications, and secondly, would it be opportunistic to take a "business trip" to Korea to scout prior to accepting a position? This may not be possible unless the trip was covered, however, and I don't forsee that happening. I would just hate to accept something that I'm overqualified for and wind up hating it. I really think working with publishing/editing would be great, but how in the hell do I scout for that while I sit here in northern Minnesota?? And yes, we are looking to ultimately leave in August-September as we own a home and are now seeking renters.

On the other hand, I realize that in order to become privy to these jobs that I might be qualified for, I'll probably have to BE THERE, like some of you mention, for face-to-face interviews, etc., and the only way for that to happen is to JUST GO. I just don't want to hate what I'm (we're) doing, and therefore have it trickle down to our children.

Thanks again.

[I_Am_Wrong]

You should look into international schools.

[Nick Adams]

International schools rarely hire people without teaching credentials, even if they have M.A. degrees.

Housing, pay and benefits can all be better, but you work more hours.

[Hotpants]

It sounds as if you really have no idea AT ALL about working in any Asian country - not a criticism, but an important comment.

If you can, you could perhaps take a month long trip around several Asian destinations - either by yourself or with your entire family - to suss out which location you like best, and what sort of jobs are going here. You can also directly get hold of costs for international schooling - you have to give your kids a decent education, you can't just have them following you to work in a hagwon; the hagwons are just supplementary cramming class institutes, not a substitute for full-time education.

If you think you would be 'sacrificing quality of life' by going to Singapore over Seoul, then you really don't any idea of the ESL Asia scene! Seoul is perhaps the least interesting of all the Asian capitals in my opinion. I don't know why so many people are keen to come here except for it being perhaps the easiest place to get a teaching job. You need to shop around a bit more before making such a big decision on behalf of your kids.

[Scott in Incheon]

I have two kids here in Korea and a wife (Korean) that works part time. You can live on a salary here but just don't expect to put much away. You will probably want to put end money down and get your own housing as I doubt any hagwon will get you an apartment big enough for your family.


I wouldn't recommend HK unless your wifes degree comes with a teaching certificate from you own country. The only jobs that would allow you to raise a family in HK are the international schools or the NET jobs. It is tough to get a NET (Native English Teacher...a government scheme to put teachers in public schools) with just an MA. They want certified teachers and ones that have some experience. It is worth applying as HK provides a good quality of life and if you both got NET position...a very comfortable salary...

About your kids education...depending on how long you plan to stay here...you won't do any serious harm to their educational lives if they attended Korea public school...as long as you home schooled them as well. All you really need out of primary education is literacy...language and math...and good attitude towards learning...I am sure that you could provide for that at home. Though socially they might have some problems....

Language wise they would probably pick up the language fairly quick...our older daughter picked up quite a bit of cantonese when we lived in HK...mostly she could understand what people were saying...she rarely spoke any cantonese...

[Koreaboundandgagged]

[tzechuk]

I am really not sure why everyone seems to be so negative about your success in finding a job here in Korea, OP.

With an MA in English, you will be selling like hot cakes. And you will be able to negotiate their top salary. Heck, I don't have an MA in English (got one in Business, though) but with some experience and I found myself quite a decent little job and got them to pay me their top salary.

I don't think you have any problem here.

What you will definitely want to look out for is when universities hiring - they normally hire in Feb. but they also hire in June or so, too. So just keep searching. You may want to specifically look at universities that train teachers to become... well.. teachers. There are a few of those around and I think they will best suit your needs.

As for having your children in class with your wife - I am told that a lot of them welcome it because they can advertise it to parents that they have children there, native children, to interact with their students - gimmicky, but useful.

Ody will be able to tell you more about local schools - she sends her children to local schools (or at least her son), albeit private but she says she doesn't pay very much (I think may be 2-300 dollars a month)? She thinks Korean schools are doing a great job teaching her children. You might want to PM her. Her id is ody.

This is all I can think of for now... if I think of other things, I will let you know.

In the meantime, btw, you may want to write to Cesillia Park, Korean-American who has an agency here. I know people warn against using an agent, but I really think she is a very nice lady, warm and sincere. They specialise in placements in universities and public schools, so she may be able to help. Her company name is Park English, you can find it in work n play (.co.kr).

Hope this helps.

[bellum99]

" Or is this comparable to the actuality of starting my own hagwon? "

This will never happen. It is very difficult to open a school (I have done it). It takes a lot of skill to actually open any business in Korea (even for Koreans) and the few people who do actually open and have success are special.
Doing business in Korea requires knowing Korean. I know of only one person with a business in Korea that is not a school (or similar to a school like a study room) and it is a bookstore, and he knows a lot of Korean.
The people who said that you don't know anything about Korea probably saw you post about opening a school. This is a very different place than you are used to and not many people are successful here. Most come a few years and then leave with a bit of money, but the really successful people can make a lot of money.
I would focus on getting maximum money with minimum hours (probably uni job) and tutor like there is no tomorrow. This is the truth, you will make a lot of money just with the tutoring, but you need a legal work visa to stay here and get good housing. Don't worry about making money because you will for sure make good money.

[Scott in Incheon]

[spliff]

[Koreaboundandgagged]

Thanks for the positive advice and comments, tzechuk.

So, in an ideal world, I would fly my cracker-ass to Korea (it's been a long winter up nort) and spend some time sifting around on a tourist visa, find employment I deem worthy of a year's commitment, get them to hire me to come back with a work visa, and have my wife set up shop either in our extremely cramped efficiency or in a hogwon with our children. The reality is, however, I need to cut out the tourist trip to Korea.

On the other hand.....my wife is actually being paid by her present employer to take a group of students to Japan for two weeks at the end of May-June. I know they will be visiting some schools and whatnot, and therefore she will probably make some contacts. However, we realize the cost of living and therefore the savings disadvantage compared with Korea. Any suggestions there?

Where is Park English School based? I guess I'm not absoultely against Seoul, so I don't want to ruffle any sensitive feathers there....I just have a probably-obtuse vision of brown smog filtering through developing lungs. Or is this a fallacy like my envisioning Korea being an amalgamation of Leave It To Beaver meets 80's MTV?

What do these "primo" jobs pay? What about editing/publishing? Any suggestions for places to contact ANYwhere? What if I get a work visa and my wife does not...would we get in trouble for having "guests" visit her homeschooling our daughters? Cough cough.

Please don't feel obligated to answer to my phallacies regarding Korea life.

Thanks.

[Pak Yu Man]

[quote="tzechuk"]
As for having your children in class with your wife - I am told that a lot of them welcome it because they can advertise it to parents that they have children there, native children, to interact with their students - gimmicky, but useful.

[quote]

I had a friend in Daegu that was in this situation. They passed out fliers with "study with foreign children" on it.

After his first year other schools in the area were offering him a lot more money to work there, as long as his kid went there.

Finding a place for your kids will be no problem. Go to a bunch of schools and they will be banging down your door to get your kids to go there. You might even want to charge a fee for your kids attendance...lol.

[Pak Yu Man]

[quote="tzechuk"]
As for having your children in class with your wife - I am told that a lot of them welcome it because they can advertise it to parents that they have children there, native children, to interact with their students - gimmicky, but useful.

[quote]

I had a friend in Daegu that was in this situation. They passed out fliers with "study with foreign children" on it.

After his first year other schools in the area were offering him a lot more money to work there, as long as his kid went there.

Finding a place for your kids will be no problem. Go to a bunch of schools and they will be banging down your door to get your kids to go there. You might even want to charge a fee for your kids attendance...lol.

[Koreaboundandgagged]

Okay, so here's an idea that might encompass a couple of suggestions y'all have made.

1. We have two daughters. If one of us works at a hagwon (preferably Jeju Island...anybody worked there?) and "sells" them on the fact we will always bring at least one daughter to class, would that give us bargaining power?

2. The other spouse would stay at home with the other daughter (them being on a rotating schedule between home school/hagwon) while "schooling" them along with a select few (dozen?) students with parents that think it's a super-cool situation? I mean, even IF we had a single studio since only one of us would be contracted. Does the "home schooler" need a work visa? How could this work? I know single studios are not large, but seriously, with two of us at the hagwon, two of us home, howe many kids could we jam into a session like this?

I have come to the realization that I probably will not be able to land one of these posh, high-paying-relatively-low-commitment jobs until I am there. With that said, location (near nature/mountains--away from burning jet fuel/smog) and a good hagwon are of utmost importance. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Koreabound-and feeling-less-gagged

[tzechuk]