Korean Job Discussion Forums

supergyopo · Joined: 19 Mar 2008

I have an ivy league degree and a year of experience. I want my second year to be fruitful, if you know what I mean.

I know that companies are going to offer me the lowest possible compensation package, so I need to know how much I can ask for without being laughed at (or shown the door). I know places like CDI and Avalon "pay more" to those teaching ibt and upper level classes, but not the exact range. I am not stupid to ask for the top pay. I just want to know what I have to work with.

If you know of any other top paying schools, I would like to know that information too.

Lastly, I have an F4 visa if that matters.

Please help me.

Thank you in advance.

sojourner1 · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:09 pm Post subject:

It would appear to me that it doesn't matter if you're ivy league or not when it comes to ESL. What matters is that you have a bachelors degree for immigration visa purposes. With an ivy league degree, I might would get a white collar job in a western country and travel abroad on my vacations.

In Korea, with an ivy league degree, you might get some special recognition in teaching business English in a large company or even being involved in a company as an import/export agent, but typically schools don't care about the degree or qualifications. I've seen jobs listed in the ship building industry that might be really good, but nothing mentioning elite degrees. You might try the professional recruiters in Seoul that are listed in the English newspaper classifieds usually mentioning executive career opportunities. Really, if you have experience and a car to go out and go get, you could make lots of money. I would say that some of the Korean top executives would recognize your ivy league credentials and give you special consideration to join their team. How exciting that would be.

The lucrative non advertised international business jobs usually require you to be bilingual and have many years experience which led you to having many connections and then that's more of a China thing. It would had been great to start out in the international business career during the early to mid 1990's or even the 1980's; not now as everything (except teaching) is contracting at home and abroad.

Good luck to you.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

An Ivy undergrad? Probably won't do that much for you unless you want to do private SAT prep. If you had a grad degree, then you could go for a decent paying university gig with 5 months of vacation, then you could plot your path to fortune. Or you could teach at at GRE academy and pull in some serious coin part time.

If you are a gyopo, then you have the F4 visa and can legally work on your own without sponsorship. Advertise, set up a 'study room', and invest in a year or two. Even my N. American buddies on F2s or F5s are pulling in around 100 million a year, although they do have to put in some hours, and they don't get paid vacations.

Good luck. Hope that you got the Korean cultural bonus of not having to fund your education and can work without having to pay off too much Ivy debt!

supergyopo · Joined: 19 Mar 2008

Are people worried about posting how much they make here?

DrunkenMaster · Joined: 04 Feb 2008

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Generally speaking, if you don't have enough market knowledge to know what a good income is, then you probably don't have enough on the ball to make your second year as fruitful as you'd like. Stick to the knitting, as it were, and move on when you have confidence in your market knowledge, your connections, and your ability to provide a service in demand.

Cheers, and best of luck to you.

bobranger · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Location: masan

www.supergyoposwithivyleaguedegreeslookingfortopjobsinkorea.com

Keep trying sometimes the site is often busy

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

i4NI · Joined: 17 May 2008 Location: Seoul

kakki81 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta, GA

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

The Internet is great, but it makes people lazy. Didn't you find out anything your first year here?

So here's your Christmas gift: Yes, you can get a university job. Find the adverts and apply. If you work for a hakwon and have your MA, you're wasting your time in Korea.

There is a GRE prep place near KangNam station called Esoterica or something like that. Find out what they pay and go for it if you don't mind teaching mindless test strategies.

And you state, 'I've been a counselor...' Are you a counselor now? Are you in Korea now?

kakki81 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta, GA

Geez ok, sorry for being lazy.

I'm not in Korea and have never been. I was planning on starting sometime in November or early December. I was a high school counselor this past school year (ended in June).

I have seen the advertisements but it honestly looked like they were wanting someone with at least some teaching experience; I have none.

But thanks and I'll definitely look more into the Univ. jobs.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

My bad. Thought I was addressing the OP. Drive on.

kakki81 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta, GA

No worries...I'm still learning the intricacies of this big little social circle on Dave's. But while we're at it, do you (or anyone) know of any good Universities to try in Busan?

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Web search: Universities in Korea. Took .05 seconds. I take it back; you are lazy! Wink

http://www.mit.edu/people/cdemello/kr.html