Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dusty011883]

Hello everyone,

I posted this on the newbie forum but I figured I would get more details in this forum...... I am wanting to get a teaching job in Korea. Here are my qualifications:

1. Bachelor's in business administration

2. 26 years old with minimal debt

3. substitute teacher

Do I really need to get a certification before I look for a job? I have researched several "in person" courses, does anyone know if the Oxford seminar TEFL cert. is a good course?

I have done a lot of researching on this site and on many others....Does anyone have any experience with the recruiting agency KORVIA?

Through all of the posts that I've read on here most have been negative especially toward the Hagwons. I really enjoy being in the classroom and am at a point in my life where I really want to see the world. Are hagwons a place to stay away from? How do you find a good hagwon?

If anyone can give me some general strokes about the whole experiece I would really appreciate it.

[lifeinkorea]

If you want country living and explore stuff, you may may a hagwon job out in the country. At a public school, you have to be at your school 40 hours a week, even though you only teach 22 hours.

The other 18 is spent "deskwarming", just sitting at your desk where you are supposedly planning lessons (which actually you can't do cause with normal public school jobs you have to follow some book).

Public school jobs are getting less attractive since vacation times are being taken away and teachers are now having to sit for hours even though there may not be any camps (which you don't get paid extra for).

At a hagwon, you can be expected to teach up to 30 hours, but I never had to do that many. This means you have at least 10 hours compared to a public school where you don't have to come in.

The downside is your are treated worse and may not get paid as reliably as a public school. It's a luck of the draw with hagwons, but you don't have as many co-teacher issues as in a public school where they might be constantly on your back.

One thing to also consider is that parents will constantly complain if you aren't the perfect entertainment piece at a hagwon. With a public school, you can get away with a more relaxed personality, not jumping around dancing like a goofball.

Rural positions are nice, and you get more freedom (both hagwon and public schools). With hagwons, I wait until they send me photos of the school. Public schools all look the same.

[dusty011883]

Do you know much about jobs in Gyeongsang province?

[maingman]

http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsview.asp?serial_no=20080721011

[Debk2000]

OP, are you still looking for a job or did you end up finding one?