Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sesyeux]

hi, first time poster, but i've been reading these boards and others for about a year or so.
my original plan was to simply finish up here [england] and head out straight to korea, running the gauntlet that is signing a contract for a school you've never seen.
however, with the invention of air asia �150 flights to KL, i've now decided to do just that, hop on a plane for the cost of a weekend in london.
i plan to use KL as a base and see a little of cambodia, laos and vietnam before packing my bags and heading to korea. it seems too good an opportunity to miss.
however! with this comes all sorts of problems, mostly around getting an e2 visa etc etc. i won't be going back home [well the plan right now isn't to anyway] before i want to go to korea - does this mean i shall have to get my degrees notorised and all those kind of things before i leave, and cart them around with me?
or is it possible to do the apostille-ing etc remotely - from say thailand?
and in terms of getting a job, is it best to use a recruiter etc from somewhere like bangkok, or to land in korea on a tourist visa and find one that way?
if its the latter, what are the problems associated with this - in terms of time it takes to change visa types, poss. of even getting a job when i plan on being there, is it even worth it in terms of doing better in the hagwon crap shoot etc etc.

basically, to cut a long story short, i bet there's tonnes of others who's done this before me, but maybe not without a solid job waiting for them. does anyone have any advice? i leave england in october, and travel until spring 2010.
thanks.

[cruisemonkey]

I think your best bet would be to assemble (several copies of) all the required documents, have them notarized and apostiled as necessary and bring them with you. Be aware your criminal record check will expire six months from date of issue.

If you have not had an E-2 visa before, your degree will have to be verified by the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) before you can apply from a third country... or do a 'visa run' if you are already in K-land on a tourist visa. The employer must initiate the process with the KCUE... so, if you are not in K-land, you will have to courier your original diploma (or copy verified by the Korean embassy/consulate before you left England) to the employer from where ever you are.