Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hopefullykorea]

or...only option (well, I wouldn't say only, I could work for the Home Depot or the local BK, but would probably be considered overqualified)

Hello, Lads.....I sometimes hang out on Monster.com and read the boards there and see the misfortune of others who have been unemployed for 1,2, or even 3 years.

Also, I'm getting ready to, believe it or not, finish up my AMERICAN teaching certificate (currently interning in a classroom).

So I'll have a wee bit of classroom experience.

Anyhow, I have read in some of these forums, the articles posted back to other newspaper articles about how we are considered "losers with no direction in life"

Guess what, there' laying off teachers left and right where I LIVE. I had a teacher ask me what my plans are after I finish my teaching certification.

And I mentioned something about teaching overseas. They said, "Good, becase you're not going to find anything here!

Funny, teachers in America USED to be in BIG demand, ESP in MY state. lol With this recession, there are talks of closing some schools. Ironically, I joined the Teacher Cert program just AS they were cutting teaching jobs. :p

I USED to think a teaching job in the USA was pretty much recession proof, but I guess my prediction was wrong.

Getting back to these so-called articles, and the whole influx of those of us leaving the states to at least build up a nestegg once again.

They (meaning the newspaper reporters and other naysayers) say we might as well be bums who couldn't get a "real job" in the states

Well, sorry to say, it can't be helped....with people lined up outside of buildings at job fairs in my area, and some people at the END of the line turned away because they closed for the day...it's pretty sad, right?

Do you think the Korean times could write articles telling OUR side of the story? Let us explain ourselves?

I was also wondering, I figured people would Envy us...I mean, we're "seeing the world" new places! Great and NEW experiences!

I figured we'd make people green with envy, right? Well, I guess to our American friend or our home country I suppose.

Any feedback?

What was your reason for leaving the states? Was it because you couldn't get a decent job that had health benefits? Anyone?

Thanks


Due to life circumstances, and the grim job outlook in some parts of the states. I think it's really my only option.

[afsjesse]

It's never your only option. But I'd say it's your most viable option. I've been in Korea for 18 1/2 months and really like it here. Thinking of staying for a 3rd year to ride out the recession/depression.

I came to Korea just to get out of America. I wanted to get out while things still were OK so I could look back today and say "Thank God I'm not there". I'm in it for the culture and the money. I have lots of loans to pay and I am slowly paying them off here.

Come on over and stay for a year or two, get some experience and tout it back hom.

Good Luck.

[rumdiary]

Its different in each state but you can't say there are no teaching jobs in the US. I left Korea in February and just finished my second week of teaching in California and I have not even finished my credential. You may have to leave the state you're in but you don't have to go all the way to Korea.

I had a great 3 years in Korea but I feel like I stayed a bit too long. Why do you care what the general Korean population thinks of you anyway? Do you think people in the United States will envy you because you're a teacher?

[hopefullykorea]

[bundangbabo]

[Sophomorik]

I share similar sentiments in that I feel like I've been dealt a shitty hand with the amount of competition presently out there. It was shocking to have been beaten out of a call-center job by a G.E.D. graduate based solely on her work experience. all while I was receiving a college education (recent grad prejudice). It's been magnified by a broken-down car, considerable amount of credit card debt and having to move home.

Don't get me wrong, I've been considering teaching abroad well before graduation. However, I wanted to take a stab at the job scramble. Too bad my savings nearly went up in smoke after inking a deal for an apartment.

After moving back home and finding the retail hire/layoff carousel to be the only people calling me back for interviews, I decided to weigh ESL as a serious option.

I would refrain from saying Korea is your ONLY option, in that it deprecates the occupation when perceived by others (and makes you look like an elitist among other teachers). Instead, convey teaching abroad as a merit of your character--consider it a detour in your route to becoming a teacher in the U.S.

A single quote reaffirmed my decision to teach ESL in South Korea, "Don't ruin your future by trying to shove it into the present."

[Robot_Teacher]

The rust belt such as Michegan is closing schools, letting go of teachers, and even downsizing their cities such as Flint, becuase the rust belt is broke.

You can go to another state to take up a teaching job if you want to teach at home as they're are still jobs, but more and more people in the states are becoming teachers who didn't plan on it just like how many of us choose to teach in Korea. Each state has it's own certification program so your state certification is probably useless elsewhere, but you can maybe find a district that will sponsor you to get recertified.

I came to Korea to see the world, take a job that offers pay and benefits like vacation, apartment, health insurance, and a matched pension. I'm getting 100% return on about 5% of my salary with the national pension program. Not bad for a no risk 1 year or less investment. And it's 9 to 5 with no marking and very very few meetings. It's practically a free ride, well it is a good job, but requires flexibility, open mind, and sacrifices as you're going to miss home, becuase you don't get to hop the big pond very often like business executives doing business in Asia do.

Yes, it's true hardly anyone is hiring back home. Forget gainful employment in the business/IT career fields unless the degree is for going into the military as an officer. I wouldn't even take the risk of going MBA as too many MBA's are being produced for what the market supports just the same as for bachelor degree holders. Gotta be Ivy League or have special connections these days.

Korea already knows about Americas big economic problem as it's world news and is effecting their export industries, but Korea is still in good shape though next year may be a different story.

[DCJames]

[Jeweltone]

I was just laid off from my teaching gig (college English) AND private tutoring gig (non-profit teaching center). I live in Northern California, and the job market is grim, especially for teachers. Granted, I am (er...was) a college level English instructor, but many of my friends work in the public school system and are getting laid off as well. If you are young and new to the teaching field, good luck.

Korea is a GREAT option if teaching is your passion...and you can cut through the bullshit. My first year in Korea was fantastic (well-run hogwon), my second year a bit of a drag (rural university with "interesting" ethics), and my third year started up well (top ten uni in Seoul). Unfortunately, I became critically ill right before semester break and, after several rounds of misdiagnosis, had to return to the US for treatment.

After a three-month recovery period from my illness, the best I could do was a for-profit college part time. It took me several months to get that job. I am well qualified in my field, but I am struggling to even find part-time teaching work. Then...POOF! My job was gone.

Go to Korea, see the world, and enjoy the ride. Detours are almost always inconvenient, but they are also interesting and life-altering.

[hopefullykorea]

[Morgen]

If you're a properly certified teacher, why oh why would you come to Korea where all your education will most likely be wasted on a job babysitting or as a human tape recorder? I don't hate Korea, truly, but the only real draw that I can see, over other countries, is having a MOUNTAIN of debt that you can't deal with any other way. Even in that case the won is not on your side right now and you can probably get a better deal in Japan. Seriously, if money is your first concern, apply at international schools or in the Middle East or Hong Kong or something. If Asian culture is what you want to experience, then for sure I think you'd have a better time in Japan or Laos or any of your pick of places.

Something else to consider is that I've heard that a stint teaching in Korea is not exactly a boost to your resume back home, whereas an international school would be much more prestigious I would think.

[thurst]

i can thnk of 3 places in the US right now off the top of my head that are BEGGING for teachers (nyc, newark, denver) and i'm sure if you actually looked you could find more. i mean, if you're not interested in teaching in those place fine, but saying that there's no place for you to ply your trade stateside is bs.

[hugekebab]

[quote="hopefullykorea"]