Korean Job Discussion Forums

Nuggets · Joined: 23 Nov 2009

What is your guys' thoughts on turning ESL into a lifetime career? I know some of us are college grads and are doing this for 'adventure' blah blah blah. But, some of you have been at this for decades! I've done it for a year during college, and I can see that it's something easy to get 'stuck' into.

But, I went to college to earn more than 3.0mil (after many years) a month for the rest of my life. Also, I know it's gets harder to score gigs as you grow older. I'm not trying to put anyone down who is in this for life, but I've always imagined providing for a family more than what a regular ESL job can offer - that's just always been my goal.

I'm a finance/international business major, so I'm all about the putting money away for retirement, investing, saving, etc. It's hard for me to see myself doing this for very long, but that may change. But, my original plan was to do this for a year or 2, learn Korean and make contacts. Then go back to the US after the recession and start a career.

Thoughts?

IT'S JUST ME · Joined: 08 Nov 2009

One idea, if you are from the U.S. there are actually federal government jobs teaching esl, where you can travel and have a stable career.

Nuggets · Joined: 23 Nov 2009

Thanks for the idea, but I was more considering doing something where I would utilize my degree ya know.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

What's wrong with teaching ESL?

People go into teaching core subjects back in your home country. The funny thing is, 3.0mil a month for someone with a BA is more than a lot of professional teachers make a month in the US. Add in the fact that you get a free apartment and low tax rate, and well Korea seems a lot better doesn't it?

If you are a graduate with a specific degree outside the humanities, I don't see why you would necessarily wan to be an ESL teacher all your life.

If I was the OP, I would most likely go back to school and get an MBA. Join the corporate world and move on.

Satchel Paige · Joined: 29 Dec 2009

Nuggets · Joined: 23 Nov 2009

Nothing is wrong with ESL at all. I'm also doing this cause I have a Korean gf in Korea. 3.0mil might be a good salary for a pro teacher, but in my field, starting pay is around 45,000-50,000usd. (not to sound cocky, those are just the stats)

The only reason I'm really doing this is to spend time with my gf, pay bills, travel, and all the other benefits that comes with and wait out this recession. Teaching ESL is not really life fulfilling for me as it is for some people, but I think lots of people do it for the same reasons as I do.

I will go back to get an MBA, but want to get into a company that would pay for my MBA. Now, I plan to learn Korean, and network in Korea to sift for opportunities.

Thanks for all the input.

Sadebugo1 · Joined: 11 May 2003

Old Gil · Joined: 26 Sep 2009 Location: Got out! olleh!

VanIslander · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:24 am Post subject:

i came for one year, then maybe half to one year more, then a third last year, then two more years, then one final year, then another year or two

7+ years later I'm still here and going strong

a lifetime career? I don't think of it that way. possible another five to ten years, so a big portion of my adult working life, yes

but i suspect i'll be doing something else after this, though indeed it's a smooth patch on the road of life

robot · Joined: 07 Mar 2006

9 years for me, 4 of those here.

Definitely tons of room to have a lifelong career in ESL -- and not just a fun but paycheck-to-paycheck life of teaching and travelling but actually a rewarding and lucrative one -- though you really need to have the passion for the profession and be really good at what you do.

Though you may have a limited view of ESL as a newbie, the longer you are in any position, the better and more connected you get, and the greater the likelihood that you'll be privy to the sweet non-advertised positions. There are dream opportunities in academies, schools, universities, companies in Korea and beyond. And for the entrepreneur there are endless ways to cash in on your passion, as it were.

Rory_Calhoun27 · Joined: 14 Feb 2009

Yeah, I did the math and figured if I had come out to Korea a few months after being laid off a few years ago, I'd be up 50-100 k and have my student loans paid off.... but I had to be practical at the time.

Whether I can do this my whole life or not remains to be seen... the work is what you make of it I suppose. But I actually do enjoy it.

Nuggets · Joined: 23 Nov 2009

[quote="Old Gil"]

Thiuda · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:43 am Post subject: Re: ESL - a life time career?

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: ESL - a life time career?

nok · Joined: 04 Jul 2009

While the pay is decent for the area you live in, yes, ESL in the first few years doesn't pay compared to a tech/business job.

For me, teaching meets with my moral requirements for a job; it's what I want to be doing in the world.

One other benefit of ESL teaching is that it's got relatively low energy/time consumption. Time and energy can be translated into money in other ways. I could be using all those hours at work designing day-trading systems, doing free-lance editing/journalism, or starting up a small business, to name just a few opportunities.

If you have been in ESL for a while and you land one of the coveted jobs, often they don't even require you to be at work when you aren't teaching. Then you can actually go and make money somewhere else, especially if you work in a country that will let you have a second income. Then there's tutoring, consulting, or doing something else outside ESL.