Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jstubley80]

Evening all..

I wonder if I could trouble any of you seasoned Korea veterans for a little information regarding the kind of employment, pay, and conditions I should be shooting for when applying for jobs?

Yes, yes, "search is your friend" and all that, but I was hoping for the most up-to-date information available.

My circumstances are as follows..

A) Three year degree holder. Pointless media degree but, hey, who the hell knows what they want to do with the rest of their life when they're eighteen, eh?

B) Masters degree in English Literature. Slightly more relevant to a career in teaching, I hope.

C) Online and weekend TEFL certificates with a number of extra modules including but not limited to teaching young learners and grammar specialisation.

D) CELTA certification by the time I actually leave for Korea.

E) No actual classroom / teaching experience other than that of the weekend TEFL certificate and the examinable teaching component of the CELTA.

I'm looking to arrive in Korea at the start of April '09, so I assume that I'll miss out on the tasty public school jobs. Other than that, I haven't a scooby-doo what kind of jobs I should be applying for let alone the type of salary and conditions my qualifications and relative inexperience should provide.

Anyone care to point me in the right direction?

[Tony Blair]

Pick a good recruiter using my useful and informative thread that should be a sticky

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=135730

[Teelo]

[PRagic]

Since you have your MA and since the won is tanking, I'd suggest going straight for university gig. Supply may shrink a bit, and some long-termers may be looking to finally jump ship. Look for jobs at smaller schools or for jobs that don't specifically require any experience.

If it comes down to it, you could do a year at a public school and then try to angle for a university position.

[sojusucks]

You have an MA and a CELTA. You could probably teach in Europe. The Euro is doing well.

People usually come to Korea during the beginning of the ESL/EFL teaching career although there are exceptions. Most people move on withing 5 years (again, exceptions exist).

Besides, if you have those credentials, and if you add contact hours in Korea, then you could teach practically anywhere in the world.

Good luck finding a challenging job that will allow you to develop as a professional in Korea. I don't mean to sound so negative but this is a common complaint among "qualified" teachers in Korea. By qualified, I mean that they have at least a teaching certification or an MA in their home country. I've heard mixed opinions from those with only a TESOL teaching certificate or equivalent.

[withnail]

Apart from the lack of teaching experience, you have great qualifications in the CELTA and MA. They won't care much about the CELTA which to my mind is one of the best initial teacher training certs out there but that will help you professionally. The fact that you have an MA is the key. Get a Uni job and don't look back!!

Good luck.