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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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kona
Joined: 24 Jan 2012
Location: USA
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 Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:38 pm Post subject: Getting a Uni Job from abroad |
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Hi everyone,
New to the Korean forum, and I appreciate all the info you guys have contributed to the board as it really helps me see what things are like on the ground.
I'm going to be completing an MA TESOL here in the states this spring/summer, and I was hoping I could get a uni position in South Korea afterwards. It seems that the market in SK has gotten progressively more flooded allowing employers to get pickier and pickier with new teachers. Is it still possible to get a position for a uni job from overseas?
Also, I don't have much experience. Just one year as a teacher/program coordinator (with no teacher qual, I did it through a non-profit), one year as a counselor, and half a year as an ESL teacher in Mexico.
Any chance I can get a uni position? and if not, should I shoot for EPIK instead? (I'm a little hesitant to experiment with hagwons) |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:23 pm Post subject: Re: Getting a Uni Job from abroad |
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| kona wrote: |
Hi everyone,
New to the Korean forum, and I appreciate all the info you guys have contributed to the board as it really helps me see what things are like on the ground.
I'm going to be completing an MA TESOL here in the states this spring/summer, and I was hoping I could get a uni position in South Korea afterwards. It seems that the market in SK has gotten progressively more flooded allowing employers to get pickier and pickier with new teachers. Is it still possible to get a position for a uni job from overseas?
Also, I don't have much experience. Just one year as a teacher/program coordinator (with no teacher qual, I did it through a non-profit), one year as a counselor, and half a year as an ESL teacher in Mexico.
Any chance I can get a uni position? and if not, should I shoot for EPIK instead? (I'm a little hesitant to experiment with hagwons) |
Chances of getting a UNI position from abroad, with no appreciable experience in the classroom and none in Asia - VERY SLIM.
You are also very late (or very, very early) to even be looking (recruitment is usually Nov./Dec with the job starting in March.
Add in the time frame for getting paperwork done for an E2 application and you are almost too late for EPIK jobs this year.
If you are thinking about March 2013... maybe... it is a long way off and lots can change between now and then.
You may also want to take a hard look at China. School year starts in Sept and if you look around you can find jobs with salaries and benefits that approach Korea in terms of the NET SAVINGS at the end of the year.
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kona
Joined: 24 Jan 2012
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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well I was thinking Fall 2012. Thats what I was shooting for. Do most universities like to hire in the spring time? assuming I want to break into the south korea market, should i start prepping things for EPIK now so that I can start the Fall 2012 semester?
Also, I have definitely been considering China, but I haven't been too convinced its practical financially (can shoot me a pm to find out why or run a search on the china forum; don't think we can talk about that here) |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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| kona wrote: |
well I was thinking Fall 2012. Thats what I was shooting for. Do most universities like to hire in the spring time? assuming I want to break into the south korea market, should i start prepping things for EPIK now so that I can start the Fall 2012 semester?
Also, I have definitely been considering China, but I haven't been too convinced its practical financially (can shoot me a pm to find out why or run a search on the china forum; don't think we can talk about that here) |
From abroad you won't likely even find an ad for a fall 2012 uni-job (middle of the academic year).
If you want to try for EPIK for fall 2012 you better get going on your paperwork (you may already be too late if you haven't started getting your documentation in order already).
Applications will be starting in April 2012 and will likely close in May (new hires being in Korea / starting by late August) and it will take at least a couple months to get your FBI check and get an apostille on it (same with your degree copy).
AS to China. Been there, done that, got the photos and T-shirts.
It is do-able but it takes some wherewithal if you want to do better than Korea.
Take a LOT of what you read on the China forum with a grain of salt and take a look back here in the archives. A lot of the stuff you see dating from 2003 will be the same as what you see in the China forums now. (too bad the really old stuff (1998-2002) is long since gone - serious D�j� vu).
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jurassic82
Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Location: Somewhere!!!!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| kona wrote: |
well I was thinking Fall 2012. Thats what I was shooting for. Do most universities like to hire in the spring time? assuming I want to break into the south korea market, should i start prepping things for EPIK now so that I can start the Fall 2012 semester?
Also, I have definitely been considering China, but I haven't been too convinced its practical financially (can shoot me a pm to find out why or run a search on the china forum; don't think we can talk about that here) |
From abroad you won't likely even find an ad for a fall 2012 uni-job (middle of the academic year).
If you want to try for EPIK for fall 2012 you better get going on your paperwork (you may already be too late if you haven't started getting your documentation in order already).
Applications will be starting in April 2012 and will likely close in May (new hires being in Korea / starting by late August) and it will take at least a couple months to get your FBI check and get an apostille on it (same with your degree copy).
AS to China. Been there, done that, got the photos and T-shirts.
It is do-able but it takes some wherewithal if you want to do better than Korea.
Take a LOT of what you read on the China forum with a grain of salt and take a look back here in the archives. A lot of the stuff you see dating from 2003 will be the same as what you see in the China forums now. (too bad the really old stuff (1998-2002) is long since gone - serious D�j� vu).
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You are most definitley not too late for Fall 2012 for EPIK. Get your paper work in order NOW and you will be fine. 8 weeks for FBI CBC and depending on how you get it apostilled it will take anywhere from a week (if you get it expediated through a private company which is expensive) or a few weeks if you send it to D.C. I have seen EPIK jobs ads for this next March still posted up until recently. Of course it is better to apply as early as possible. As for uni jobs I have not known many people that got university jobs being outside of the country. The few that did had Phd's and had many years of experience teaching under their belt. I think it is best to spend a year here and then apply for university jobs once you are already in Korea. I am sure then you should be able to find one. You are right the market is flooded but if your are already here and aggressive about your search I am sure you can find a university job. Good Luck!!  |
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kona
Joined: 24 Jan 2012
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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| If I did get an EPIK job for fall 2012, would that make it difficult to get a uni job the following year? i.e. are there uni's that hire in the fall, or is it almost entirely in the spring time that they hire? if thats the case, i'll probably wait til spring 2013 to go to korea... |
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jackson7
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Location: Kim Jong Il's Future Fireball
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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As some of the previous posters have stated, it's quite difficult to get a uni job in Korea without experience, and without being here for the interviews. I know several who have done it, but I imagine they had stellar credentials (read: Ivy) or connections at the unis to which they applied.
I had an MA-TESOL as well as years of experience in Korean unis and unis in other countries and when I applied from outside the country, I got three phone interviews at good unis, but no offers. The following year I came back to Korea to be present for interviews, and got seven interviews and five offers (although I think I interview pretty well).
If you're sincere about trying only for a university position, save your pennies (hopefully by working part-time at a local community college or the like) for a 1.5-2 month stay in Korea during the interview process, and be here during late November/early December until mid January, when the weather is at its coldest, and spring interview season is at its hottest.
J7 |
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