Korean Job Discussion Forums

[EricCC]

I'm about 6-12 months away from leaving the States. I have a long teaching career in Minnesota and am interested in coming to Korea because there seems to be decent pay and standard of living. I'd much rather be in Thailand . . . but I have bills to pay off. Any, what do people think? Am I going to the right place?

Eric

[Imrahil]

Without knowing you personally it is kind of hard to say. If you are easy going and a little laid back, then I would say come here. If you like everything 'by the book' and can't stand being stared at, then I would say it is probably best you don't come. If you a certified teacher in Minnesota I would say you should try to get a job in an university or public school. Don't go to a hagwan, most likely you would hate it because in that job it is more important to keep children happy then teach them well. Also, where you move to in Korea will greatly effect if you like it here or not. Many foreigners like to be in Seoul because it is the most western place here and it is easier to find things, especially foods, that you like from back home.

[hugekebab]

[cdninkorea]

Take the "don't live in Seoul" advice with a grain of salt- this advice may work for Huge Kebap, but that doesn't mean it's true for everyone. For me and many others, Seoul is the place to be.

[nateium]

[wayfarer]

Is working at a school in South Korea teaching English to a group of children, often horrible, bratty children, "the place to be"? Only if you need the coin. If you come here with a preference for an interesting country, like you've indicated, it won't be anything special. Of all the people I've spoken to, even the ones with a high tolerance for this place, none have been overwhelmed by the coolness of teaching English in Korea. I'd like to be able to say "it's a great place aside from all the Koreans", but it isn't quite even that. The nightlife (if you care about that) is crap, the food is not particularly good, the natives are insular and frequently xenophobic, and the working environment is often downright hostile. If you can avoid working at a hogwan, then you will probably be paid on time, so yes, by all means come here and make some money, but only if you think that outweighs everything else.

[articulate_ink]

If you're a certified teacher with experience, you can do a lot better than Korea. The NET program in Hong Kong pays a great deal more than Korean salaries. There are also a lot of international schools that pay considerably more than you'd earn here.

In terms of quality of life, ask yourself these questions:

1. How do you feel about having unrestricted access to your own money?

2. How do you feel about autonomy and being able to get things done on your own in a language that you speak?

3. How do you feel about medical privacy?

4. How do you feel about being expected to work while you're sick?

5. How do you feel about living and working in a country whose economic indicators are pointing to very tough times ahead?

6. How do you feel about living and working in a country with a deeply-entrenched culture of drinking?

Just some thoughts.

[djsmnc]

Korea is the place to be if you are there because technically you can't really be anywhere else when you are already situated somewhere, depending on how you look at it of course.

[shifty]

It would help if your parents were entirely out of the loop, so that they never have an idea that their ideals for their baby were pipedreams.

[sadsac]

My wife and I have now left after 7 years in Korea and that was enough. The constant change regarding visas and what you need or don`t need and now all the new crap. Enough was enough, anywhere now but Korea. Also wages have been stagnat for the past 5 years and with exchange rates that are crap and the cost of living increasing, it offers very little advantage over oyher countries. Made some great friends and will stay in touch, but work there again, no thanks.

[Bibbitybop]

[Ronald]

How old are you and how much are you in debt? If you're not trying to pay off some debt then don't bother with this headache of a nation. Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, or even China will do you much better than Korea.

Don't worry about Money so much. YOu're not gonna get rich teaching anywhere.

What does vacation days really matter when you live near a beach in Thailand???

I'm counting my last days in the hole (kOREA) and I'll never be back if I can help it. Granted, the cuties are nice but they're also more headache than the quality of LIFE. I emphasize "life" because there simply is none here.

I hope this helps.

[SirFink]

[hugekebab]

[VanIslander]