Korean Job Discussion Forums

satiana · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Location: Half way here, almost there.

I see that a lot of people are with EPIK but is there anyone who went through the Oxford Seminars classes and is in Korea? Shocked

I have some other questions as well.

1.Do they help you after you graduate like they say?

2.Should I go with a recruiter after I graduate from OS?

3. What are the best months to get hired in Korea with OS?

4. Is OS a bigger presence in other countries and should I just graduate throw them the peace sign and count my blessings for having a TESOL cert.?

I just really want to teach English and I have had the Korean bug for over half of my life. Any suggestions?

mc_jc · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Location: C4B- Cp Red Cloud, Area-I

One of my classmates from Columbia U. went through them because she thought it was cheaper than getting a CELTA.
This is her take on OS

satiana · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Location: Half way here, almost there.

Thank you so much. They tell you so many differing stories that I needed a third party with nothing to gain. So the Hakwons that they say are the best to get placed at are low paying ones at that? Horrid buggers, I have school loans to pay off Laughing

. It's ok with me though I'm not a party girl anymore and I want to teach.

That's not to say that I want to be under paid though.

aimeecate · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

I took their course before I came here when I was home in Canada. I would tend to agree with the previous poster. They will help you find a job, but it will most likely be at a hagwon. Be very cautious if you use a recruiter. They told me I'd be working 9-5 and living close to my school. I lived 20 minutes away and the school hours were 12:30-7:30 or so. Recruiters are useful, but just be careful about believing everything they tell you. As long as you speak to the current foreign teacher before you sign anything and ask them some questions you'll probably be fine.

If you were to take the course at home it may be possible to get a specialized certificate that is 100 hours and you have to do a demo lesson for that. I think you could also specialize in teaching for business as well.

Btw if you want to work at a hagwon they hire year round. The best times for public school are March and September. I now work at a public school and I would recommend this recruiter:
http://www.korvia.com/

mc_jc · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Location: C4B- Cp Red Cloud, Area-I

I agree with aimeecate in that applying for a public school position is definitely the way to go if you really want stability and since you say you're not a party person (and seem serious about paying off your student financial obligations), you might be ok (I use the word might very loosely) with being assigned to a rural area, which might not afford you occasions to socialize with other expats on a regular basis, but you can concentrate on your job and save the money you earn to pay off your loans.
Also, a TESL/TESOL certificate might (again, used very loosely) give you a pay bump if you work at a public school (but again, a 120-hour course is strongly recommended).

mt01ap · Joined: 04 Nov 2006

i) yes they offer help, it's all thru a recruiter, but they do try and get you a 'job'
ii) for korea, unless you know anyone with a job opening or have personal connections with a school, you're going to have to use a recruiter (from OS or job placement websites).
iii) anytime is fine for normal hagwon jobs, but for public school/unis, they start in march and sept so apply a few months in advance for both
iv) in Korea, for the basic 60-hr certificate, it's not a big presence at all. 60hrs is virtually nothing. Get at least the 100hrs offered by OS, and even do some CELTA courses or volunteer/work experience.

slynne23 · Joined: 10 Feb 2010

I took the Oxford course last year. It did include a practicum with a written evaluation at the end. As far as their job assistance goes, so far they have set me up with a couple of recruiters and that is something I could have arranged on my own. They did, however, provide me with really good materials for teaching and tips on searching for jobs. I just wanted to obtain the TEFL certification and chose them because they held the course at a local college. I met some interesting people and the instructor had a lot of experience teaching in Asia and was able to answer all my questions.

mc_jc · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Location: C4B- Cp Red Cloud, Area-I

slynne23 · Joined: 10 Feb 2010

I guess I will discover its real value as I continue my job search! The program itself wasn't very much $$ when viewed through the prism of what I paid for my stupid MA.

prideofidaho · Joined: 19 Mar 2008

OS can cost upwards of 1,000 dollars (CDN), and you still only get a 60 hour certificate. Most PS jobs require 100 hours before they'll give you extra pay for having a certificate. OS charges about 400 CDN for a 40 hour module that will take you up to the 100 hour cert. Shady IMO.

ITTT (or something like that) offers a 100 hour cert course for a fraction of the price, and it is done online at your own pace. And it is acceptable for some PS jobs (SMOE).

If I knew this back when I did my OS course, I would have saved a heap of money and gone for an online cert course.

OS did hook me up with a recruiter who helped me get a SMOE job, and it was within a month of finishing the course, so I was pleased by their placement service. Could have been luck and good timing though...