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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Evanzinho
Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Location: California
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 Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Threequalseven wrote: |
| There seems to be a disproportionate number of engineers and finance guys on here. I met a lot of people teaching ESL in Korea, and very few had backgrounds in engineering or business. I'd be interested to see if there are any success stories outside these fields... like a history major who leaves Korea after two years to work as an editor for a major newspaper, or something like that. Or are big banks and big oil companies the only way to secure a "life after Korea"? |
I taught in Korea for a little over three years, came back to the States in the middle of 2012 and got a job working for a regional homebulder selling Real Estate. The pay isn't great starting out, it's salary plus commission. I'm averaging $50-60k, but some of the top agents make over $100k, the top agent at my company actually made around $400k last year, but that's not normal and she works 24 hours a day pretty much. I only have a liberal arts BA. I would recommend looking into the FIRE industries (Finance, Insurance & Real Estate) if you have any work ethic whatsoever and can pass some basic state licensing exams. I flirt with the idea of going back to Korea to teach ESL but my job here, overall, is a thousand times better than working at a Hagwon. I do miss the ability to travel throughout Asia in between contacts, though.
To the folks who work on oil rigs, 12 hour shifts and out in remote locations; isn't the reason why we graduated from college was so that we wouldn't have to do jobs like that? |
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radcon
Joined: 23 May 2011
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Evanzinho wrote: |
| Threequalseven wrote: |
| There seems to be a disproportionate number of engineers and finance guys on here. I met a lot of people teaching ESL in Korea, and very few had backgrounds in engineering or business. I'd be interested to see if there are any success stories outside these fields... like a history major who leaves Korea after two years to work as an editor for a major newspaper, or something like that. Or are big banks and big oil companies the only way to secure a "life after Korea"? |
I taught in Korea for a little over three years, came back to the States in the middle of 2012 and got a job working for a regional homebulder selling Real Estate. The pay isn't great starting out, it's salary plus commission. I'm averaging $50-60k, but some of the top agents make over $100k, the top agent at my company actually made around $400k last year, but that's not normal and she works 24 hours a day pretty much. I only have a liberal arts BA. I would recommend looking into the FIRE industries (Finance, Insurance & Real Estate) if you have any work ethic whatsoever and can pass some basic state licensing exams. I flirt with the idea of going back to Korea to teach ESL but my job here, overall, is a thousand times better than working at a Hagwon. I do miss the ability to travel throughout Asia in between contacts, though.
To the folks who work on oil rigs, 12 hour shifts and out in remote locations; isn't the reason why we graduated from college was so that we wouldn't have to do jobs like that? |
This shows that people are wired differently. I'd rather work in a crummy hogwan than be a salesman of any kind. To each his own. |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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krnpowr
Joined: 08 Dec 2011
Location: Midwest, USA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Threequalseven wrote: |
| There seems to be a disproportionate number of engineers and finance guys on here. I met a lot of people teaching ESL in Korea, and very few had backgrounds in engineering or business. I'd be interested to see if there are any success stories outside these fields... like a history major who leaves Korea after two years to work as an editor for a major newspaper, or something like that. Or are big banks and big oil companies the only way to secure a "life after Korea"? |
The engineers and financiers are the ones who not only had practical degrees, but they had the tangible skills in the first place to be able to avoid falling into that lifer ESL mode. Actually, most of these "analytical" ESL teachers in Korea are/were just there for a stopover or are merely taking a hiatus from the "real world" in the first place.
I worked in IT and the finance/investment fields and after leaving Korea in 2011 after being there a couple years, I was able to leverage my knowledge and skills in IT and finance, along with my MBA, to where I am now on pace to make over 6 digits this year.
What leverage would a young person with a history or sociology degree and experience teaching ESL have once leaving Korea? In a lot of cases, nothing. Maybe their calling is to teach ESL. Otherwise they might be doing nothing back home, but living with mom all depressed. |
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Ginormousaurus
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Evanzinho wrote: |
To the folks who work on oil rigs, 12 hour shifts and out in remote locations; isn't the reason why we graduated from college was so that we wouldn't have to do jobs like that? |
I don't think anyone in this thread works on an oil rig.
There are many educated people up here, though maybe not so many liberal arts majors. I'm surrounded by engineers who are doing what they went to school to do. |
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allovertheplace
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Ginormousaurus wrote: |
| allovertheplace wrote: |
I am a hypocrite for noticing the environmental damages of the Alberta Oil Sands? Or for traveling and paying carbon offsets to travel? Which one, not really sure.
If I worked for Monsanto, I would expect flack. If I worked for big oil, I would expect flack. If I travel very environmentally concious and try to work in a sustainable and reasonable field , well, I guess I don't expect flack.
Extractive industries have literally destroyed countless communties - I guess it's a good thing that nothern Alberta doesnt have much to destroy. |
You're a hypocrite for using oil daily while deriding the industry for satisfying your demands. Try to spin it however you like.
Anyway, this thread is about former expats finding success back home after esl. We can discuss oil elsewhere. |
I agree that we can discuss elsewhere. But your point is off, so I am a hypocrite for breathing air but attempting to champion industry that helps sustain clean air? Or drinking water but trying to preserve clean water?
I am more interested in the point why folks here are equating success with money and a high salary. Call it what you will, but coming on a forum and bragging about a salary is tacky. |
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Jarome_Turner
Joined: 10 Sep 2004
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| Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Evanzinho wrote: |
| To the folks who work on oil rigs, 12 hour shifts and out in remote locations; isn't the reason why we graduated from college was so that we wouldn't have to do jobs like that? |
The 12 hour shift results in a 7 day on, 7 day off cycle. This is a dream shift, which anybody who has ever worked it will tell you. Factor in 3 weeks vacation, and you only work 23 weeks a year.
The 'remote location' I live in is a bustling city of 100,000+. This city, and all the sites, are full of professionals of all levels - university grads, trades peoples, etc... |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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| Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Jarome_Turner wrote: |
| Evanzinho wrote: |
| To the folks who work on oil rigs, 12 hour shifts and out in remote locations; isn't the reason why we graduated from college was so that we wouldn't have to do jobs like that? |
The 12 hour shift results in a 7 day on, 7 day off cycle. This is a dream shift, which anybody who has ever worked it will tell you. Factor in 3 weeks vacation, and you only work 23 weeks a year.
The 'remote location' I live in is a bustling city of 100,000+. This city, and all the sites, are full of professionals of all levels - university grads, trades peoples, etc... |
How long does it take to recover from the seven days? Two or three days of lounging about, or are you fresh as a daisy after a single night of good sleep? |
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