Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chams]

Hello,

This is my first post but i've been doing some reading/researching on here and so hopefully it wont be too newb-like.

I'm in Seoul looking for a hagwon job teaching elementary-middle school students and have been offered something with Topia in Junggye. Working hours would be 2-10pm M-F (30hrs teaching/week) and pay is alright. I'm having trouble deciding whether to accept this as I would prefer to be somewhere more central in Seoul and have less working hours.

FYI - I'm a 24yr old male, half-korean (F-4 visa) from the UK with a 4yr BSc from a top uni. No teaching experience but have an online TESOL certificate. Also I cannot speak Korean.

Am I being too picky? I've been applying/looking for jobs for a week now and there doesn't seem to be that many jobs within my criteria. Should I keep searching for a couple more weeks?

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[zipper]

The market has been very competitive lately, since the economy in the West has tanked. Working 30 + hours a week would definitely burn me out after a couple of months or so. But I have seen Hagwon listings for 25 hours a week here and there, but most likely not in your desired location. Unless, you are hard up for a job, you might want to put in some more time, and hit the pavement and walk around and see what you might find the good ole fashion way�Good luck anyway..

[chams]

Thanks for the advice.....I don't desperately need a job as I'm stayin with family at the mo and have some spare cash. Then again i can't sleep on their living room floor forever! Ideally I would like to have something starting in early Oct.

Maybe it is time for me to suit up and hit the streets old skool style!

[catchshime]

What about your family? Do they know of anyone? Usually it's contacts in Korea who can help you the most if you are new.

[andrewchon]

You do have some minuses against other candidates: UK, don't speak Korean. However, time is for you to be picky. Jobs available now are desperate replacements. They could be available because the job is bad and the teacher did a runner. You have time to research and avoid them. Also, the employer is at disadvantage.He doesn't have time to waste, but you do. So, a good job that would have gone to a 'sexier' candidate in more placid times can be had by you. So, be PICKY.

[Hornbill]

I agree with the Chon man. Now is the time to stick to your guns. And here's why:

The economy in the west has taken a dump. Many people are being thrown out work or already have been. Many of these people have no doubt taught in Korea before. They COULD go back to Korea and work these jobs that are available, but they don't. They choose to stay in the west instead. They know what these jobs are like and would rather pass on them. Most of these jobs are at hogwans teaching kids, and most people would rather not fill those. They'd rather teach college kids or adults. Knowing this, you should be very, very picky indeed. A job that is open now and is advertised is a job I'd treat as very suspect. I just got a list of 46 openings in Korea from an agency this past week. Problem is, that list was unchanged from a list I got from that agency about two weeks before. I would advise those employers to not hold their breath while waiting on me to go to work for them.

High unemployment + job opening for an easy-to-get job + advertisement over time = stay the hell away from that job

Power to the people, my friend.

[chams]

Cheers for the posts Chon man and Hornbill...very inspirational!

I would love to help give power back to the teachers here in Seoul however I fear my lonesome stance against hagwons and their evil ways will likely have no impact and ultimately leave me in the same situation as others...jobless!

I'm gonna have to make my decision tomorrow probably...I also forgot to mention that i have another offer but that one is far too complicated to describe as it involves teaching at five different schools!!

[Hornbill]

5 different schools? They want you to play human pinball. Forget that. Label it as one more job, a job that pays supposedly really well, that is open during a recession. It's available and easy to get with the real US unemployment rate at 16% for a good reason. That reason being IT BLOWS.

[timmayyyyy]

chams,

I taught last year in that same area (Eunhaeng Sagueri in Junggye-dong), it's a bigggg hagwon area. I personally didn't hear great things about Topia. The students in my hagwon who went there said it's boring, and you'll be one of many foreign teachers in a big corporate hagwon/impersonal environment. 30 hours of hagwon working is a lot and you'll get burned out eventually. Especially if class sizes are big which I'm sure they would be at Topia.

Junggye is definitely out of the way from the cooler areas of Seoul so be prepared to spend lots of time on the subway (and transfers), and perhaps money on taxis at night. If I ever went to Hongdae, I just stayed out until the subway started again after 5 am. Nowon has a couple cool foreigner bars but it's pretty dull overall and you see the same people a lot. Turnover of teachers in the area is high since there are so many hagwons, but I would say there are a fair number of male douchebags there which is annoying. Just my opinion.

I think you can do better and agree that you should be picky. If your university is that good, you should be able to differentiate yourself from the hordes of average joes who work at places like that. Topia in Junggye is huge, easily 1500+ students in their multiple buildings, and at least 20-25 foreign teachers I'm sure. It's not a bad area to live in, but a little out of the way and I think you could do better. Topia strikes me as the type of hagwon that doesn't care what their teachers are like as long as they speak English and have a pulse.

If you have any questions about the area, feel free to PM me, or ask here if you can't do that yet.

[bassexpander]

2-8 sounds like pretty hellish hours. I wouldn't do it.

Look at www.worknplay.co.kr for jobs.

[chams]