Korean Job Discussion Forums

[creeper1]

Hi there

It seems to me that alot of the teachers working here are arts graduates or graduates of subjects that don't require much maths ability. Maybe they stuggled to get a job back home. I am just posting this to see if anyone came here with a good degree in Physics, Mathematics, Engineering or Chemisty and then decided to teach.
If you did, what was your motivation behind doing this?

[ttompatz]

[sojourner1]

Much statistics and calculus for finance studies. I didn't like the finance area due to having to do everything manually with numbers being larger than calculators can handle with mind boggling equations that take up a whole sheet of paper and sometimes 2 or 3 sheets just to solve one problem.

Finance was said to be the most difficult major my university has and I sure believe it as it is brutal. There is no need for this torture in the computer age unless you are trying to be a mathematician who comes up with the formulas in business applications.

Few people use calculus in real life due to the use of computer software, but it's good for mathematicians, scientists, and engineers to understand it. You can also use it make custom spread sheets and accounting systems tailored to a companies specific needs.


I was motivated to know my maths, because I wanted to become proficient in accounting, financial statements, asset and investment valuations, and related computer applications for a professional business career. I sought as many different types of skills sets in college and since I was a kid to be a, "jack of trades," as this is necessary to have the skills set for a business career.

The job market at home does not have anything to offer me, unless I had money to invest and create a career for myself in the form of starting a company or joining an investor group or venture project. Young adults should be warned that majoring in business does not offer any opportunity unless you have money or are a senior professional with many years of experience.

[OneWayTraffic]

Degree in maths. I found that it's a good major, but not suited to anything requiring a background in maths. You need post grad work or a complementary major to make the best of it.

You're going to get a biased sample here you know. Most people are here because they didn't get jobs back home. The major you choose doesn't always have that much to do with it.

[Intrepid]

I used to be numerate, and responded because of that word in the post.
Got into a decent US engineering school and then realized that I had peaked in HS with Calc BC, and that the true maths people were blowing me away in the freshman weed-out courses. Switched to English lit.
Still, I don't let my SAT students get away with the "Americans are bad at math" fallacy (I pulled a 720 on the SAT math--not great, but as Sandler would say "Not too shabby.")
Only obliquely related, but nor do I tolerate the "English has very few words for colors.." myth.

[creeper1]

My dergree is in Biochemistry. I did work in a laboratory for 5 years but didn't progress well with that company. Had a fall out with the boss, quit my job and then realised my job prospects weren't that good so found myself here.

Now I'm considering doing a masters course in Chemical Engineering. I really like the job i have here and the country has many good points. However I don't think that my salary is ever going to go much above 2.4 million per month working here. I also feel as though teaching English is like an insurance policy if other careers prove unsatisfying.

I still think i'm young enough to get a taste of what other careers are like.

[Atavistic]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[thiophene]

Majored in Chemistry and Pharmacology for my HBSc and Philosophy and Bioethics to fulfill my HBA. I came here to take a break, try something different, not necessarily to fulfill some deep desire to teach. Also as a Korean I wanted to learn Korean, but it's not progressing as I had hoped. Should go back to school in a couple of years to do a PhD in Public Health or Toxicology...that is if I do'nt change my mind for the 67th time and run off to join the circus, which is what I really would like to do. Sadly my limbs aren't as bendy as they used to be.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[WoBW]

1st class degree in physics, followed by 10 years working as a scientist / project manager for the MoD back in the UK.

Got tired with life there and decided to live in Asia.

[nomad-ish]

hon. BSc in biology from a top university in my country. i'm currently studying for my MSc in forensic science while teaching here