Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Sunster]

I was just wondering if private or public schools in Korea prefer Caucasian teachers over Asian Americans or Asian Canadians?

OR does it not matter? any input, comments please..

[andrewchon]

More info needed: just which are 'these schools' you're referring to?

[Sunster]

oops edited... i just meant in general like most schools... if they preferred Caucasian teachers teaching English. And for those who are teaching... are most of the English Teachers all Caucasian,... or are there other ethnic groups as well.

[andrewchon]

Nationality break down of GEPIK 2009:
USA 1066
Australia 74
England 123
Canada 369
NZ 73
Ireland 30
South Africa 261
Korea 34

I suspect there are lot more gyopo than 34. Since this is a stat of passports and not visas.

[teechinkorea]

I am Asian American, born and raised in the U.S., and I've only been looking for jobs in South Korea for about a month. But based on my experience thus far, I haven't had a whole lot of success getting hagwons (private schools) interested in me. The few recruiters (after posting on Dave's ESL Cafe) that responded to me, and ask for my resume and photo, never wrote back after I did (I assume because they realized I am Asian). The two times that recruiters wrote back after I submitted this info, thought I was Korean American. (I am not.) After finding out I am not Korean American, they moved on.

I've been warned from my TEFL advisor that I will have a very hard time getting hired by a hagwon (which is actually my preference). As a matter of fact, I've been steered towards the public school route because of these hiring practices.

Again, this has been my experience thus far, and may not be the same for everyone. I've been told by a few recruiters that I applied to directly that there *are* hagwons that are willing to hire Asian Americans, but it's rare. So, in summary, I have found it hard for me personally, and come to the conclusion that they either prefer Caucasians or only make exceptions for Korean Americans.

You may be better off focusing your search in the public school systems. Look into the EPIK, SMOE or GEPIK programs. That's what I've been doing...the public school systems, from what I can tell, absolutely are willing to hire Asians to teach in their schools.

Hope this helps...

[pie eater]

[andrewchon]

It's more than a lie, it's a statistic!

Plus I think GEPIK paints a rosier picture than the rest. I suspect EPIK, SMOE numbers would show even larger USA numbers.

[Goku]

I've heard it's harder for Asian Americans to get hagwon jobs. Unless you are an attractive female.

But, I guess that exception applies to pretty much anything. If you're an attractive female you could get paid to do doing something meaningless... like waving at cars in front of a department store.

wait a minute....

[pie eater]

[Epicurus]

my 2 predecessors at my public HS were both Asian American. One Chinese, the other Filipino.

The first NET there was from Ireland.

at the gepik orientation last year, I thought the room had a pretty good ethnic mix, which wasn't all that far off from your ethnic breakdown of the US, excluding Hispanics, though there were several Americans of Hispanic descent there as well.

Asian Americans easily outrepresented their percentage as gepik teachers vs overall population stateside. There were definitely both gyopos and Chinese Americans there as well.

what IS true that the Korean "mindset" about what an English teacher "should look like", is a blonde person with blue/green eyes.

Obviously this mindset will assert itself more at the hagwon level, especially if the Korean mothers "buy into" this mindset, and certainly at least some do.

but Hitler also had ideas about what a German "should" look like, although he himself was about as far removed from that ideal as possible. (and so were most Germans for that matter).

so even though it's somewhat of a barrier, it shouldn't be too much of one.

[Darkray16]

I've been job hunting for two months now. I'm Chinese American and can't speak enough Korean to make any difference.

I send out my resume and picture. I very very rarely get call backs, and when I do they ask if I'm Korean. Upon finding out that I'm not, they end the conversation quickly.

They want Korean Americans for two possible reasons, first is that you will be able to talk to the students in Korean when necessary(some hagwons don't actually go the all-English route), and second is the visa process is easier for some Korean Americans.

Also is the fact that we're men. To sum it up;
If you have no experience, knock off some pts.
If you are a man, knock off more.
If you are of Asian ethnicity, but aren't Korean and can't speak Korean fluently, keep knocking off more.
If you don't have more than two years of experience, knock off a crapton of pts.
Finally, if you don't have a degree in Education or English, and don't have a TESOL certificate, your screwed.

Not impossible, but fucking hard.

[Sunster]

@ Darkray ...
thats nice to know...
I am Chinese Canadian and was thinking of going to take a year off to go teaching in Korea, since i just got my BMSc ---

so basically we won't be getting the best positions if any haha.
thats unless they really really like my picture and can look past my crappy qualifications

*I guess there's always China*

[PigeonFart]

Yes this discrimination is a disgrace. But i'm not surprised at their backward thinking here in Korea, they're a very backward, inward looking people.

Vive l'Europe!

[andrewchon]

I agree that Asian Nord Americaine would have a tougher time than the others. Koreans do love to look down on Chinese and Vietnamese. I'd say you'll have to do the penance like me and do some time in RURAL schools before you get your salvation.

[winterfall]

its surprisingly hard. Even as a Gyopo. And I graduated with honors from a top 50 school. The belief that only a foreigner can teach English is still the popular norm.