Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JW]

Ok. I have the experience, the professionalism, the recommendations, even a return ticket to Korea. One big question...Why can't I get a job Before I came to Korea I went through the usual problems for those of us who happen to be black or anything but white. I would send my CV and would be flooded with responses. Once the photo was sent, you would think I sent a virus through the computer. Do any of you know of any schools who don't mind hiring non-whites

[Guest]

Can't help but think of George Carlin's skit on "happens to be"

.... he happens to be black. Was his mother black ? Was his father black ? Yes ? Well imagine that, what did you expect, he'd be Scandinavian

Jobs for blacks are few and few inbetween, in all fields, including ESL

Don't get your hopes up. It's a known issue, as you state, you're better off looking elsewhere. Korea isn't exactly a black-friendly country. All blacks come directly off a boat from Africa; that's what the majority of school children will say.

[Mr. Pink]

Try Japan.

Seriously, they are more open to non-whites than Korea seems to be.

[Squid]

If you persist, you'll find something, as most employers here at least recognize the potential drawcard you represent. Last year I worked with a couple of Indian guys with ECC- they seem at least open to the possibility.

[chronicpride]

Their hiring criteria order is nationality, gender, age, looks, in that order. Then if they need to filter applicants beyond that, such as in a university, it comes down to ESL experience in Korea, then ESL experience elsewhere, then education, then recommendations.

Factor in being non-white and applying from abroad, and you're just banging your head against the wall.

Best bet is to come to Korea and knock on doors. You'll eventually find something, but there's no guarantee on what.

Another tip, is to go China or Japan, as another poster mentioned, as their hiring practices are less stringent than here.

[JW]

Thanks people. I think I'm going to leave Korea where I found it. I thought about Japan for a while. I love it there. I go there every vacation. Bon Voyage people. Enjoy. I'm out and this thread is locked down.

[ratslash]

op, i dunno what to say. man, koreans are racist to whites, black, indian, every ethnic minority they are racist and ignorant about. unfortunately, they are the most racist and ignorant about black people.

quick example about the ignorance side. the guy wasn't being racist, just ignorant. my boiler packed in the other week and the landlord's son who can speak english came down to fix it. we got talking and he said he had been to europe and travelled a little. he said he "was amazed about the number of negro-AMERICANS in europe." i instantly said knowing about holland's and france's etc, etc african colonial past that these colored people he was seeing were not american, but instead just european-african or maybe just straight african. he insisted these black people were negro-AMERICAN. it was as if he just thought that all black people were negro-AMERICAN and he did not know the black person's original origins. talk about ignorance.

forget it matie. go to japan.

[Son Deureo!]

I have to disagree with what is being posted above. I have met quite a few black people here who are doing just fine, and I am even working with one now. It took them a little longer to get their foot in the door, and it definitely helped that they had strong qualifications (admittedly much stronger than the white co-workers they ended up with), but they are here and employed. Two of them are even working in a university now.

You mention that you have pretty good qualifications. You may very well be able to find a school with a director who is willing to take a chance on you. If you're a good teacher

If you are here and knocking on doors, something is bound to turn up. There's still enough work here to go around.

[Derrek]

[mithridates]

Derrek Derrek Derrek, they were talking about work, not girls...
tch tch tch

[batman]

It is true that Koreans are about as racist as the average white American but I would not give up hope yet.
Keep on trying and you are bound to find something.
As a generalization, the blacks that I have worked with in Korea tend to be more professional and more dedicated to their jobs than their white counterparts.
(I have lost count of the number of white applicants who showed up at the interview wearing t-shirts, ratty jeans and baseball caps and presented resumes with typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. I remember a few who even became belligerent because they did have to sit for an interview...)
A friend of mine, who is black and has been teaching in Korea for the last three years, recently left her old school because of a desire to find something new and different. She started to feel a little discouraged because of the number of resumes she was sending out. It took her a month but she finally received a number of bites. Now she has the position she was hopping for.
In comparison, another friend of mine (who is white, male, American and the posterboy for teaching in Korea) has spent the last month sending out hundreds (his word, not mine) of resumes without any luck thus far.
Currently the job market in Korea is not the best. Right now the supply of available teachers seems to be outstripping the demand (for a change). More and more hogwans seem to being having financial difficulties. As a result they are either letting go of their surplus teachers or closing down altogether. The best thing to do, as you already have the ticket, is to come to Korea and hit the pavement yourself. (if you pm me I will send you the contact info of a school in Busan that might be hiring soon)

I am reminded of a big fat cracker I once had the displeasure of working with. As illiterate as he was pig-headed he received his teaching position based solely upon his appearance. He said that before coming to Korea he had never talked to a black person (the fact that he hailed from the grand old state of Texas probably had something to do with it). Imagine his surprise when his director stuck him with a black room-mate...

[Corporal]

[maxxx_power]

[ryleeys]

[Corporal]