Korean Job Discussion Forums

[UCLAgirl]

Hi everyone,

I am new here and just had a few questions. I'm trying to do my research on all this before I start applying and I'd appreciate any feedback!

1. Can anyone recommend some good recruiters? I looked through some on here and it seems like ESL Planet and Park English are considered good ones...Has anyone used Reach to Teach? I got a nice email back from them today about some questions I had, but I didn't see their name anywhere on this site

2. EPIK, GEPIK etc - what is the difference between applying to these companies directly on their website versus going through a recruiter to apply to EPIK/GEPIK? I am confused as to exactly what their role is - are they a recruiter as well or are they an actual school system?

3. I am graduating in a few weeks but my school (UCLA) does not have the actual diploma for pickup until 4 months later - I wanted to leave sometime in Sept, but do you think they would accept some other form of proof that I have graduated?

4. How easy is it to meet friends as a teacher in Korea? I am Korean myself and speak the language quite well, but I am really afraid of not meeting people. I am very social and love meeting people so it would be really hard for me not to have people I know...I've heard hakwons have more foreign teachers and it is more guaranteed to have coteacher friends...?

5. Of course...the differences between hakwons and public schools. My heart seems more set on the hakwons and I feel more comfortable with that population, but it seems anything is really a crapshoot in this area. I prefer slightly older children, and it seems public schools would just be really really young kids which I'm not used to. I know this topic has been discussed a lot on here, but any additional feedback for a first-timer? Also teaching-wise, what are the differences - like having to come up with lesson plans, type of kids you are dealing with, etc.

Thanks so much!!!

[Yu_Bum_suk]

1. A good recruiter can still land you a bad job and vice versa. Try to get cofidential references for any prospecitve employer if you can.

2. GEPIK = Gyeongido; EPIK = most of the rest of Korea.

3. This has been a huge problem for recent grads. Talk to someone at your uni and see if you can get the actual paper sooner.

4. It's pretty easy, but Korea's a very transient place for foreigners. Easy come, easy go friends are always around. Real, long-lasting friends are harder to find.

5. If you get a middle or high school it won't be very young kids. A good hagwon is probably the best way to start, but 'good' likely describes less than 20% of them.

Good luck with things.

[Morgen]

Korvia is a good recruiter for a newbie. Try emailing sam at korvia dot com or ann at korvia dot com.

Aren't some recent grads able to get the visa with some kind of official letter from their university confirming graduation?

You'd have an easier time not getting screwed over at a hagwon since you speak the language, but you also run into the issue that they generally prefer foreign faces for publicity. Also, unless you live WAY out in the country there will be other foreigners living in your town, and with one of the EPIKs or SMOE you'll have a network of them rather than the two or three who teach at your hagwon.

[UCLAgirl]

i think i understand the EPIK thing now location-wise, but what would be the difference between applying to EPIK directly or through a recruiter who then links me up with EPIK anyway? does EPIK = the actual hiring director? sorry still a little confused.

[Morgen]

Yeah it's confusing. EPIK is the...government program, I guess? You can apply directly to it if you like, but there's no cost and no drawback to you if you prefer to use a recruiter. In fact, you'll have a much easier time having your questions answered and your stuff dealt with if you go through a recruiter.