Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nicholas_chiasson]

-So here is my question. You're a low GPA foreign language grad, who is teaching in Korea. You're teaching elementry/middle school/ and high school. Money isn't a problem because your debts are minimal as you attended local college. You have NOTHING to go back to in the US cause you're from an armpit state, and would have to relocate anyway.
-So what do you do? Do you save the cash so you can get a Master over here? Do you try to to switch into teaching adults, so you don't have to stress out over crazy 3rd grade middle schoolers? Do you try to get your hands on an F-2 'I got married to a korean and all I got was this lousy visa'? Do you try to relocate to Japan.
-Seriously what do you do to make ESL into a career, unless you know any other way to make being an expat with a useless degree into a bankable future.

[bbonthec]

1. Take the TEFL course. Get certified.

2. Stick it out until you have a few years under your belt. Experience is good.

I can't say I'm in the same situation as you, but I can empathize. My university is not well known, and I wasn't exactly an honors student, but my degree impresses my employers enough to get me the jobs I want. That, and experience. ESL employers look favorably on previous ESL experience (but not in all cases! I know at least one hagwon that prefers to hire their teachers fresh and 'untainted'...). However, many, many hagwons don't care WHAT your degree is, so long as you have one and speak English....

Of course, hagwon-work isn't much of an esl CAREER. But it will get you the experience you need to move up. Want a university job? Get your masters degree. Some universities let you work there while you are pursuing your master's degree--I know at least two teachers that taught at unis without a masters, but were granted the job because they were currently studying. The other option is going into private business, which you either need a Korean wife or business partner to do legally, or you'll need to move to a country where private work is legal for foreigners.

[moosehead]