Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chachomanopapa]

... Teachers For the better part of the past month or so I�ve spent a considerable amount of time and effort applying, given an advanced degree and a decade of classroom teaching experience, mostly to institutions of higher learning in Korea. The lukewarm degree of responses I�ve received has given me pause.

Being a great admirer of eastern philosophies, particularly their reverential attitudes toward learning and teaching, I was already aware of what I�ve come to regard as the �Confucian effect�. In essence, the high regard afforded elders in these societies backlashes against older applicants such as myself as administrators are often uncomfortable contracting educators older than themselves.

Thus, while I am yet somewhat confident of securing a position as March draws nearer and administrators become more anxious to fill vacancies, I�m curious as to the take of western teachers already teaching in Korea, both young and less young (lol) regarding this phenomenon. In the meantime I�ll just grin (but not be photographed while grinning) and bear it and redouble my efforts. Your thoughts?

[Tobias]

Perceptions are everything here, so maybe they don't like your 'pruneface'. Just kidding.

When a white person comes to Korea to work, he is expected to transform into a Korean. He must take his place in the hiearchy and stay there until further notice. Younger people tend to allow themsevles to undergo this transformation, or at least pretend. Older people aren't as quick to play along. Older white folk here are viewed by the natives as 'complainers', which is nothing more than a euphemism for 'they stand up for themselves'. If these older people have impressive experience and credentials, they definitely will not allow themselves to be ruled. The natives know this and tippy-toe around these people. A Korean PhD in charge of an English department will avoid being placed in a position where he is bossing a white person who is also a holder of a PhD. A PhD that could be in English.

Imagine a Korean DOS in an English department who possesses a mere master's degree and a broken command of English trying to boss the same white PhD holder. It would go nowhere and everyone knows it.

They're doing you a favor by bypassing you.

[chachomanopapa]

... good insight for me. Too bad that "Older white folk here are viewed by the natives as 'complainers'," and that they're doing me a favor by bypassing me.

I'm wondering whether it might be wise to diplomatically address this issue in my covering letters or leave well enough alone. After all, it appears to me that if I don't somehow allay this type of concern, I may not be offered employment at all. BUMMER

[Tobias]

Well, not all Koreans view us as whiners who do nothing but bitch.

And those who are bypassing you are probably doing YOU the biggest favor. Talk about causing somebody to lose massive amounts of face....hire on as a teacher in an English department and know more about running the show than your Korean bosses. If you kept your trap shut when you ran into laughable ideas that wouldn't work and didn't question anything, you'd be fine. But would you be able to?

See if you can get a job at one of the big universities, such as SNU. If you went to work for one of those, I think you'd be fine.

Good luck.

[michaelambling]

[Tobias]

[chachomanopapa]

THANKS AGAIN TOBIAS AND TO YOU TOO MICHAELAMBLING

Well, not all Koreans view us as whiners who do nothing but bitch. [NO DOUBT; AS IN ALL CULTURES, THERE ARE RULES AND EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE]

And those who are bypassing you are probably doing YOU the biggest favor [UNDERSTOOD]. Talk about causing somebody to lose massive amounts of face....hire on as a teacher in an English department and know more about running the show than your Korean bosses. If you kept your trap shut when you ran into laughable ideas that wouldn't work and didn't question anything, you'd be fine. But would you be able to? [NO HARD AND FAST ANSWER TO THIS ONE]

See if you can get a job at one of the big universities, such as SNU. If you went to work for one of those, I think you'd be fine [OK; SHALL RENEW MY EFFORTS TOMORROW ARMED WITH MY NEWEST INSIGHTS].

Good luck. [THANK YOU]

michaelambling

Joined: 31 Dec 2008

Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:45 pm Post subject: Re: Thanks Tobias ...

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chachomanopapa wrote:
... good insight for me. Too bad that "Older white folk here are viewed by the natives as 'complainers'," and that they're doing me a favor by bypassing me.

I'm wondering whether it might be wise to diplomatically address this issue in my covering letters or leave well enough alone. After all, it appears to me that if I don't somehow allay this type of concern, I may not be offered employment at all. BUMMER

You can find work with a PhD; I did. Just set your sights a bit higher--go to universities and look for ads requesting PhD holders.

Also, don't take less than 3 million.

Tobias

Joined: 02 Jun 2008

Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: Thanks Tobias ...

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michaelambling wrote:

You can find work with a PhD; I did. Just set your sights a bit higher--go to universities and look for ads requesting PhD holders.

Also, don't take less than 3 million.

3.2 million...at least. If you have a working command of Korean, bump it to 3.5. [LOL; MAYBE NEXT YEAR]

[STILL] wondering whether it might be wise to diplomatically address this issue in my covering letters or leave well enough alone. After all, it appears to me that if I don't somehow allay this type of concern, I may not be offered employment at all.

[michaelambling]

[chachomanopapa]

[sojusucks]

I've noticed that schools are looking for younger, more gullible teachers that they can fleece as the economy is getting worse. It is as if the economy is justifying the increasing amount of corruption that I have heard about recently from other teachers.

ESL is a huge profit-making industry in Korea where the educational quality is relatively low. Is it any wonder that this is happening here. No surprise for the veterans in Korea.

[chachomanopapa]

for your sobering input (lol).

[wylies99]

[Draz]

[chachomanopapa]