Korean Job Discussion Forums

[taobenli]

Hello-

I plan to go to Korea for fieldwork for my PhD within a few years, and stay for 1-2 years. My husband will be coming with me. He doesn't speak Korean (but is willing to learn some), has a liberal arts B.A., and one year teaching experience in a hagwon equivalent (as well as a gig at a community center) in Japan with me (but sadly probably no recommendation letter from this since it was a while ago and none of the people in the town we were in use e-mail!).

His current job and career trajectory has nothing to do with teaching or with Korea. He would just be doing the time and trying to enjoy himself and make some money. He doesn't really like teaching kids, and I figure that lining up a university job makes more sense (better pay for less hours, good time off).

I am so far considering living in Jeonju, Jinju or Suncheon. What would the university job situation be like in these cities, or similar smaller-sized cities? Would he be better off if he got some kind of TESL certification in the meantime? (Since this is not his future career path, I figure anything more than some kind of certificate would be overkill).

Thanks for the advice!

[taobenli]

No one works for or knows about universities in Jinju, Jeonju, Suncheon, etc.?

I hate having to bump my own posts...

[PRagic]

You just have to look for jobs offered at universities in these areas. Plus, as your hubby only has his BA, he doesn't stand that great of a chance of getting hired even if there are openings. There are a ton of people already in Korea with more experience and only a BA who are looking to break into university teaching. Rural universities are their best shot.

Best of luck in your pursuits.

[Milwaukiedave]

I know that Kyeongsang National University is in Jinju because I was in a TESOL program there. They have a pretty big staff, so you should find out if they have any openings coming up.

PR has a point about your husbands teaching experience, but you really never know until you try. There are also private hagwons that cater to adults as well.

In terms of Jinju, it's a nice city and there is a beautiful castle there. I can't help you with the other cities though.

[ajuma]

I'd suggest that YOU come here with a job already offered to you. Bring your hubby over on an F-3 (spouse visa), THEN have him look for somthing that he would be comfortable with. It's much easier to find a job once you're here and have some kind of network and idea about what's available. A lot of small-town unis will hire with a BA, but only if you're in-country.

[jlb]

Yeah, ditto what everyone else said. Finding a job at a uni with only a BA, no Korea experience and being out of the country is almost unheard of.

There's a crap-load of hagwoners, in country that would give their left arm to get those jobs.

[taobenli]

I'm reviving my old post here...I've pretty much decided on Jeonju and will probably start my PhD field work in March 2009. I am going to work on milking some of my Korean connections to get my husband a decent job before he jumps in, but the spouse visa also sounds like a possibility.

So, my question is: if I'm a researcher with a dissertation research fellowship, what kind of visa would I have? And would my husband still be eligible for a spousal visa even if I wasn't working? Would he have to wait until after I arrived, or could he come with me? Also, under a spousal visa I assume he could only teach so many hours a month- so I guess he would change to a working visa once he found a job?

[PRagic]

Immigration Office: http://seoul.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM80/index.do

[taobenli]

Thanks for the link! (Too bad all of the links on the page to any useful information are dead- not that I'm blaming you for that...).

[PRagic]

Sorry bout that. Guess the point would be that it would be best to actually call immigration on this, or at least search around for their active (lol) weblinks.

[Ut videam]