Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wonkavite62]

I quite like South Korea as a place to save money, hang out, and spend leisure time. Workwise Some people I know had good experiences.
After teaching in Japan, I wanted to try Korean public schools. However, by 2008, the application process had become much, much more complicated . I applied through EPIK, but I was very busy and didn't get the apostille on time. I applied again. Incheon Office of Educationwas still recruiting, so I applied, but they went behind my back, consulted with a hagwon I'd worked with in 2003 and cancelled my application. Apparently it was a bad reference. This was odd, because it hadn't happened with EPIK. I am going to ask you straight out:
Do I now need a reference from the hagwon to work in Korea again? If so, I might get a bad reference and should consider other countries. The hagwon boss told me that his previous 3 foreign teachers had only stayed 6 months or less. Your answers might clarify things. But I want authoritative replies, not nonsense, please.

[lifeinkorea]

Not sure what you are asking. However, if you can provide more recent references, then simply leave out the bad hagwon. Seems simple enough.

[jiberish]

Pretty sure you don't need a reference...Just say you worked for "X" company and they will believe you.

[wonkavite62]

In 2008 I applied to work with Incheon Office of Education, and they demanded to phone my old hagwon. I didn't know his number. But they called him anyway, got a BAD reference, and threw out my application. I don't know more than that. I applied again last year, to a different public school. They asked for the old hagwons phone. I got a Korean friend to find the number. The school got the number, and DIDNT cancel the application. This time the problem was different. But in 2008 I had got the impression a good reference from the old school was essential, and that I wouldn't get one. As I said I wanted to have a definitive answer whether a glowing reference from them was needed. Or does it depend on the school?

[wylies99]

It's better to be up front about this. You do have to list every place you previously worked because, if you omit schools, your new school can check with Immigration and you don't want to get caught in a lie. Just tell them that you had problems with the hagwon and it got ugly. EVERYONE in the ESL industry in Korea knows that there are bad hagwons out there.

[Juregen]

[katsu]

it seems like recruiters want to get in touch with all the schools/principals you had worked for. For public schools, references are important especially...so if i were you i'd leave out that hogwon from your resume like someone here had already suggested, or be honest with your recruiter and tell him that yes u did work here and there, but it wasn't your best experience and you dont feel confident giving a reference...afterall a reference should be something that you can rely on to sort of sell you.if ur not comfortable giving the reference from that school because of what had happened in the past (they cancelled your application due to a bad reference) then tell the recruiter, that that school wasn't your best experience and thus you don't have a reference. Most recruiters, especially the non-Korean ones understand that sometimes in KOrea you do get screwed over.

[conrad2]

[Illysook]

Sometimes, if the recruiter flatters the crapwon owner a bit, they can get a good reference for you. You just have to be honest so that they know what to do.