Korean Job Discussion Forums

[procrastinatrix]

I'm 21, a girl, graduating college in a month, getting my B.A in Linguistics and Italian (kinda random, I know). I'm considering getting my masters in TESOL in the future, but I wanted to take a year off to save some money and/or make sure this is what I wanted before I dived into grad school.

I was hoping to find a job in NY where I live, but there are no real jobs, you know the story. I don't want to move back in with my parents and work some dead-end job just for money. I want to help them out financially, even a little bit, since they paid for my undergrad education. I don't party too much and I think I could save at least half my salary each month.

Is it too late to be looking for jobs in Korea for this fall? I wouldn't want to work for a hagwon because of the horror stories I've heard. My Korean professor told me to look for SMOE jobs. I tutored kids in SAT and SSAT prep for a summer job, was a T.A. for an Italian class and an ESL class in college. I don't know if experience will make a difference though..?

My parents are from Korea but I was born here and I don't identify that well with Korean culture because I grew up in a really Caucasian town and don't have any Korean friends who aren't whitewashed (bleached, really). I have intermediate speaking proficiency, I've been to Korea one summer for study abroad and survived, and I have a few relatives there. I've been considering going to Korea after graduation for a long time, but now I'm finally actually really truly considering it and a bit nervous...also wondering if maybe I missed the boat? In terms of recruiters, I was looking at Aclipse and ReachtoTeach. I got too overwhelmed when I looked at job listings myself.

my reasons for going: want teaching experience and work experience, learning Korean, new experiences, independence, want to send some money home, maybe even save some money for grad school

my reasons against going: my boyfriend, my dog, not sure if I can deal with Korean culture for a whole year, not sure if I am ready to handle being a real teacher!

If anyone has any advice or opinions regarding anything, please let me hear it! I am really uncertain about my future right now and maybe some fresh perspectives will help. TIA

[toadhjo]

I've only been doing heavy research for a few days, so somebody else should confirm this, but I'm pretty sure you're definitely not too late. In fact, you're probably still early.

If you wanted to go to Japan by early fall, you'd probably be too late, but Korea is a different story, as far as I can tell.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Tobias]

If you really want to teach, and don't mind teaching younger learners, you'll have no trouble finding a job in Korea. If you do a search of the jobs listed on this site, you'll find the vast majority are for positions at pres-schools, kindergartens, and elementary schools.

If you want to teach at a uni or college, you will have trouble finding a job. Teaching kids means job security, but, obviously, most TESOLers don't want to teach kids (or those jobs teaching young learners wouldn't be so common and so easy to get). Only you know if you have the patience to endure the discipline problems that accompany young learners.

First thing to do, if you really want to teach in Korea, is to read the sticky posts here. Become knowledgeable with all the requirements for landing a job in Korea and the common problems TESOLers face. After doing this homework, decide which age group you want to teach. Finally, settle in and start looking for jobs.

You'll be smart to go ahead and get your documents together, such as diploma copies, transcripts, health check cert, and a copy of your criminal background check. You will need all these for a job in Korea.

[Rory_Calhoun27]

Plenty of time! In fact, you can replace me at my public elementary with GEPIK, if you dont mind competing with the other resumes from Korean-American/Canadians/etc. my coteacher is already looking through.

My guess is you would be just what they are lookinng for- when i wasnt offered a renewed contract, it was because I was a man, and didnt speak the language! but otherwise, I was golden....

that being said, if you know the language, and have the background, there will be schools salivating for you..... probably work something out for your BF too...

[waynehead]

If you start emailing recruiters now they'll either ignore you or try to put you in a job that starts in 4-6 weeks.

Koreans generally don't plan ahead much.

Since you're ethnically Korean, you'll likely face a somewhat different set of circumstances living and teaching here. I haven't seen too much posted on Dave's about it, but a search for 'gyopo' might help. Good luck.

[procrastinatrix]

Whew, glad to hear that I'm still OK time-wise.
No, I'm not really expecting to land a uni/college job. Aren't those positions usually reserved for more experienced teachers or people with higher degrees than just a BA?
I guess middle or high school in/near Seoul would be ideal. Possibly Daejeon, too, but I already know parts of Seoul so it'd be easier there.
I could teach elementary if I had to, but I'm not really good at the whole sing and dance routine that generally seems to be required to entertain the younger kids.
Is it harder to find middle/high vs. elementary? I definitely don't want preschool or kindergarten...not willing to chase kiddies/wipe butts/repeat myself 5,000 times a day.

Unfortunately BF will be staying in NY...starting a great job with an engineering firm in a couple months. He is "whiter than wonderbread" and would have a hard time in Korea, if he even wanted to come for some reason. Dog will probably be staying with him or my parents as I wouldn't want to subject her to a trans-continental flight and then Seoul for an entire year...

[nuthatch]

procrastinatrix,

good luck ...it is never too late in SK...

and the first thing to do is to stop identifying yourself as a "girl"

a really sexist word for a woman who is 21 and a college grad

so take some feminist pride and go for it!

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Scotticus]

As others have mentioned, you are NOT too late. Honestly, with the way most Korean establishments do their hiring, you could be looking IN Fall and still have a great chance at finding a job. True, most of the great jobs are filled earlier, but there are ALWAYS jobs available to you if you're looking.

[ChinaBoy]

I can't believe there are no jobs for a college grad with a BA in Linguistics and Italian!! What is this world coming to?!!

[/sarcasm]

[Jammer113]

OP, you describe yourself as 'whitewashed' your friends as 'bleached' and your boyfriend as 'whiter than wonderbread'. I think you should quit worrying about those things. There's a lot of us here that are white or black or yellow or red and we all get along ok. If you've got Korean parents, then you probably have a lot more Korean culture inside of you than you realize. It will still be a huge, huge adjustment coming here, but labeling yourself is only going to make it worse. You're just a person. You were raised differently than people in Korea. They'll figure it out soon enough (or they won't... but does it matter?)

In a sense, white americans have an advantage here, because we stick out so much, everyone already expects us to be different. On the other hand, coming here with a solid foundation in Korean and having family to rely on if there's trouble is awfully nice, too.

I strongly suggest leaving your dog at home unless it's a little house dog. You're going to be living in a small, small apartment, and there will be few places for your dog to go pee at, much less run around in.

[samcheokguy]

[danseonsaeng]

[Morgen]

It's not too late to look for fall teaching jobs until spring.

I get the cultural/ancestral reasons for wanting to come to Korea, but truly, if you have a degree in linguistics, why not go somewhere else? Say, Italy? You wouldn't save anything there, but good lord would you have a better time. You could also work in Spain or France (for a pittance, something like 900 euros a month).

Also: