Korean Job Discussion Forums

[eehreum]

Currently I'm looking to find a job at a Korean hagwon. I'm half Korean and I want to get a job in Seoul near my relatives, but a lot of the big corporations in Seoul/Gyeongido require TEFL certification or one year experience.
My Uni is having a TEFL course for $5,000 >__<.
Is it worth it to take this course?
I've also seen some courses online for $200. Is there a difference?
Alternatively, should I continue looking for a job near/in Seoul without any experience?
Thanks in advance if anyone can answer my questions.
-edit. Has anyone had experience not finding a job, then gotten tefl certification and found an easier time getting the job they wanted?
Also if cheaper tefl courses are the same can anyone recommend a good one?

[Modernist]

Seriously, $5,000?

I guess if it's a Master's in TEFL, then it's a good deal.

If it's just a certificate, then it's a massive ripoff.

In Korea, almost all jobs outside of Universities will only care about some kind of TEFL cert, online ones are no worse than in-person ones. Just pay the $200 and get the paper and you'll qualify for an extra $100 or so per month at most schools.

For $2500, you can get a CELTA certificate which is much more useful than any TEFL for teaching around the world. You do need to live close to one of the few places where they give the course, only maybe a dozen or so in the US. If you want to teach for more than 2 years or so, I would strongly consider getting one of these.

[Swampfox10mm]

Very few people make ESL a career. Most are in and our within a year or two. Save your money for now. You dont need a certificate to get a job here.

[eamo]

Definitely don't pay $5000 for anything less than an MA TESL!!

I did a quick little (120 hours....only about $280) TEFL course before I came to Korea and I was glad I did. Some of the stuff I learned like classroom management and how to teach a grammar point effectively really helped me in my first couple of years in Korea.

But I don't think it helped me get any jobs. My degree in English was much more important to my employers back then.

[eehreum]

I think the 5000 is just for certification.
Does anyone know a good online course? Most of these advertised sites also have a ton of advertisements on them which is usually for me a warning sign on the internet.

[ttompatz]