Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tiger Beer]

[Keepongoing]

In 2000 I went back to the States after being out of the country for 15 years where I worked as a volunteer for a charity doing things not real relevant to the real world. I did non-profit accounting, but was not, in any way, educated for accounting. Anyway, I was in the Silicon Valley and in less than a week landed a fulltime accounting position at $25.00 an hour. I decided to go to graduate school so I lost that job and in less than a week found another accounting job at 20.00 an hour and they allowed me to change my schdeule every semester. There I got a raise and they paid for over $2000.00 in dental work as well as paying into a 401K. I stayed there 2 years and then came here. At that time I was 47.
By the way, I got the second position about a month before the crash and 40% of the Dot.com/IT workforce were laid off. i was working in a high teach company in Sunnyvale.

I suggest that you use this time to learn a new skill/trade. Get certified, or learn something marketble. I am 51 now and if i went back and was in the same situation, I would use the money I saved and take a year or two to learn something new and thus be more marketable.

I love Asia and I love teaching so I made my choice based on that. I loved graduate school, it was not really necessary, but it was a nice transition for me.

Anyway, dream! Seriously, what are your dreams? Get excited and go for it. Make a plan. Obviously it is not the best time to find reasonable employment, so go learn something that will movwe you closer to what you really want.

I would not do the intensive computer course unless you truly loved that type of work. I know a Canadian who did that course and got the free laptop etc. I can get him in contact with you if you want.

good luck

[Yaya]

I wonder how many people over 45 are in Korea. It seems after age 40, one should stay where they are if they have a good livelihood. Forty seems to be the magical age when one won't be hired for anything new.

[djbackdoor]

[Daechidong Waygookin]

[Eazy_E]

I feel your pain *insert Bill Clinton-esque chin-curled-up expression*. I've been back since August 2004 and I'm doing two things that I swore I would never do again: work in a dead-end job and live with my parents. I'm in my early.... ok, mid-twenties (I'm 24).

I chose a career that involves a waiting game, law enforcement. I've applied to the RCMP and some municipal forces but there are so many hoops to jump through that you need to have something to do in the meantime while they leave you twisting in the wind. I'm volunteering with the RCMP and I like it, but it's taken every ounce of strength I have not to run back to Korea again.

Just choose something that you know has a future and hang in there. Restarting your life "back home" doesn't happen overnight.

[Yaya]

[Eazy_E]

Thanks dude. I appreciate the encouragement. Yaya, are you "back home" or settled in Korea now?

[Yaya]

I'm back in Korea after two mediocre years in Los Angeles. I could've stayed in the US but I probably would've moved to a better job market as SoCal is just job deficient (no reason to be there if you are not trying to break into Hollywood or real estate). But I kept thinking of Korea and well, I felt I wouldn't want to remain forever in the US even if I was making bank. So I just packed up and returned to Korea.

Dude, I first went to Korea at age 24 so you got a lot of chances left. Trust me. The trick is to just know what you want, keep at it, don't whine and complain and brave it out.

[Keepongoing]

[kalbi]

Moving Back or moving onward is made easier if you save up money in Korea before the move. You should have at least enough money to live in the new location without a job for 6-12 months.

K

[rush]

Hey, I havent been on here for quite a while so was very surprised to see my old post up here again so thought it was time for an update.

After a lot of begging and pleading, my Uni allowed me to finish the last
quarter of my bachelors degree that I had foolishly dropped out of some
10 years ago, so I basically busted my ass and got As and Bs and was
accepted into a one year post graduate Diploma of Education course. This enables
me to teach at Primary schools in Australia and most other countries.

So this has given me some peace of mind in that "if" I do continue to teach
ESL which I love, at least I know now I have a "safety net" (so to
speak) when I come back.

Anyway thanks for all the replies and encouragement, wishing those in
similiar situations all the best

[Yaya]