Korean Job Discussion Forums

venus · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: Near Seoul

I mainly want to know out of interest and would also like to explore a commonly (sorry apologists, but it's one I've heard so many times) held belief of SOME Koreans that we were all losers or in bad times back home.

Here's my tale. I didn't go to uni until I was 23. Before that I worked for Nokia as a mobile phone base station builder. I also worked for Zurich Insurance selling car/household and travel insurance and was damn good at it. Also worked in consruction, hotels, offices - you name it I've probably done it. Never found anything I liked to do so went to uni. Studied Drama, Theatre and Film.

Graduated at 26 and knew I wouldn't be able to do the work in the industry in the way I wanted and also wanted to take time to develop other abilities before making a solid commitment (say an MA or going in on the bottom of the ladder) to that industry.

Could have got a decent graduate sales job / govt offices / marketing job etc, as the UK job market is in pretty good shape but felt that would be too much of a comedown after three years of making films, documentaries and acting. A friend was out here (who I was in love with at the time and we had dated for many months) and as well as that I saw it as a great opportunity for adventure and travel, broadening my horizons and it didn't hurt that the savings potential was about 6,000 pounds a year!

Had a break after one and a half years teaching in Seoul and returned to work first in media sales and then as a junior manager in a civil service postion in London City Hall. Great perks (business trips to Lisbon, Rome etc to meet forieng ministers; 5 weeks paid holiday; a pension plan you wouldn't believe...) I will admit I was fired from that job as I had no real interest in it after two months when the novelty of the view of St Paul's and the London Eye from my office window, wearing a nice suit etc had worn off... A few months after, my boss mentioned the same thing and to be a Civil Servant you really have to be career minded and want to stay there and be promoted etc, this coupled with the fact that I made a big mistake organsing a huge conference for teacher trainers - got me the chop.

That job was merely a job to me that I would have kept until I had saved enough to do what I'm going to next anyway.

I was constantly thinking of returning here anyway, as quite simply, the savings oportunity coupled with the relative easiness of the job and the fact that I don't have to sahre housing while I'm here makes it very comfortable while I plan the next stage of my life.

I'm currently saving a lot and making my next plan (career development based) realisable and things are all set for next sept. That said if the oportunity here wasn't available, I'd still be able to do it back home and get a decent paying job but would be working a lot harder and sharing accomodation for a couple of years utill could afford to rent my own...

So I'm not the Western waster who can't get a decent job back home; rather someone who had good jobs and oportunities before he ever came here and is here taking advantage of the oportunity to better himself. Hey I made the odd f'up back home, don't let me paint a saintly picture of myself by any means, but I did okay. And I'll add, I'm very grateful for the oportunity to do what I'm doing here in Korea at the moment.

Anyway - how about the rest of you...? Tell us your stories, please be frank....

Cool

renzobenzo1 · Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Location: Suji, Yongin

Graduated at 22-double degree.
Then worked for a finance company, became a courier then started my own shady taxi company.
No real success, or money-making or ambition there so thought f, it here's a contract that looks good I'll give it a shot.It was paying more than entry level jobs back home and my dream is to start and own my own businesses one day so I need to make and save money for that which has been possible to do in Korea so far and I have even thought about teaching in years to come as it is a rewarding and fulfilling job in my eyes. Sure I have bad days but something keeps me coming back.

JungMin · Joined: 18 May 2005

Have a degree in Civil Engineering. I worked for a consulting company doing pretty much everything. Designing buildings, bridges, roads, culverts, etc. Sometimes i'd go out and inspect old bridges to make sure they weren't going to fall down in the immediate future and then decide which ones needed to be fixed first. Other times I would go see how many things were done wrong at a construction site and decide if they needed to be redone or not.

Anyways, wasn't for me. Most of the time was spent at my desk designing things day after day, and it just about bored me to death. I tried my hardest to stick it out but couldn't. A lot of it probably had to do with the company and my co-workers....but ahh well. No regrets!!!

Thought about what else I would like to try, and this was it. So here I am, and I enjoy it MUCH more!!

venus · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: Near Seoul

xingyiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

I was a multi millionaire with a internationally famous model wife. I had 11 cars, 6 houses, and had just sold my 3rd startup buisiness for a healthy 10 figure profit. But I woke up one day and looked at all the emptiness that was my life. All the island hopping and the holidays in Maldives. Just wasn't what I thought it would be. So I decided to join all the loser, burger flippers who could only date ugly, fat chicks back in the West and teach English. Now I have an entirely new perspective on life. All we are is dust in the wind anyway dude. Laughing

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

The standard story - graduated from BA at 21, MBA at 22. Met my husband between 21 and 22. Decided to come to Korea to help him with this business after my MBA. Been here ever since.

colonel sanders · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:37 pm Post subject:

I was a field biologist for the US department of agriculture. If you thought your job was easy here, try working for the US government. Why did I leave that job behind???

Oh well, no regrets. Had to get out and see the world and I am making more here anyway.

Atavistic · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:42 pm Post subject:

Graduated from Uni at 21. Went to grad school. First year earned the teaching certificate, second year I was teaching full time and doing second year of M. Ed. full time. Earned my M. Ed. at 23, when most of my friends were graduating with their BAs. Taught for three years in the States before coming here.

venus · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: Near Seoul

Atavistic · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:11 pm Post subject:

Colorado · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:24 pm Post subject:

Boodleheimer · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:30 pm Post subject:

i own a string of condom factories across Latin America. you can see the Virgin Mary in model # DX3569.

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:36 pm Post subject:

nobbyken · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Location: Yongin ^^

Studied HNC at college, then a couple of years at uni before dropping out.
Many construction, fish farm jobs in Scotland before working as an office-based technician at the Govt. owned Scottish water board. Studied a four year correspondence BSc Hon. degree, company supported.
Met my wife at 32 years old, and came to Korea to marry and live at 34.
Still here at 35.

keysbottles · Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Location: AnJung

My wife and I earned a BSE edgree in our early 20's. My wife later earned a MSE degree. I taught middle school science for six years, starving, so I started a business. Sold the business a few years ago and retired. My wife retired from teaching science 27 years this spring.

Two of our children and their sposes teach in Korea, seeing the world and saving money. My wife and I came over in July this year to join them in their adventure. My wife teaches at the same school as my daughter and her husband. I do not work.

Next July, all of us plan to take the Trans-Siberian Railroad to Europe, spend some time there before going home to Arkansas.