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HansMoleman30
Joined: 20 Jun 2010
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 Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:29 am Post subject: Is it possible for a non-native speaker to get a job? |
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Heya. I'm an American who has taught English before in Seoul and I'm looking to do so again. My Russian girlfriend wants to try to do the same. I suppose I could find a job without much trouble. My concern is that because there seems to be no shortage of native English speaking teachers here in Seoul, my girlfriend might get rejected based simply on the fact that she is Russian. Some important stats about her:
- She is 25.
- She is quite attractive.
- She spent all of middle and high school in America, and has a diploma from an American high school.
- She attended an American university for two years.
- She has a master's degree (not related to English or education, though).
- She has been teaching professionally for six years.
- She doesn't sound Russian. She speaks with an American accent (a lot like someone from Indiana, actually).
She sent out some resumes yesterday, and we're waiting to hear back. But what do you think? Do you think she will have problems getting hired, or getting a fair wage? Has anybody here been in a similar situation? |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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HansMoleman30
Joined: 20 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:26 am Post subject: |
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Interesting. So, even if all of her other qualifications were ideal (which they aren't, but are still pretty good), she would still be unable to work here legally? |
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nomad-ish
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: On the bottom of the food chain
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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| how could she be teaching professionally for 6 years and only be 25? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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| HansMoleman30 wrote: |
Interesting. So, even if all of her other qualifications were ideal (which they aren't, but are still pretty good), she would still be unable to work here legally? |
That is correct.
Unless she is from one of the approved "7" countries AND her degree is from one of those same countries she cannot get an E2 visa as an English teacher.
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smartwentcrazy
Joined: 26 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad-ish wrote: |
| how could she be teaching professionally for 6 years and only be 25? |
I'd like to know this as well. |
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HansMoleman30
Joined: 20 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad-ish wrote: |
| how could she be teaching professionally for 6 years and only be 25? |
Dunno. Different qualifications in Russia, I suppose. Or perhaps I misused the word "professionally". In this case, "professionally" should be taken to mean that she was legally employed at state and private schools as an English teacher since the age of 19. I'm not sure if it's standard practice to hire people so young (and who are only halfway through their degrees), but it's what happened.
Having lived and worked there before and seen how the old Russian English teachers taught (very poorly), my guess is that the director of this prestigious private school made a special exception based on the fact that she was quite good. After working there for a year and building a good reputation, she was also able to find work in state schools, despite not finishing her degree. It might also have helped that her mother was also an English teacher in a state school.
My comment about the quality of old Russian English teachers and their curriculum should not be taken to mean that I think all Russian English teachers are incompetent. Rather, based on my very small sample size in just one region of an absurdly large country, seven of the eight teachers I worked with were incompetent. Of course, they may have thought the same about me, but that's a whole different issue for another day.
Anyway, thanks for responding to my thread with the relevant information. |
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HansMoleman30
Joined: 20 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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On that note, I don't suppose you guys know a bit about the market for native Russian teachers, do you?  |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| HansMoleman30 wrote: |
| On that note, I don't suppose you guys know a bit about the market for native Russian teachers, do you? |
Same problems getting an E2 as a teacher of Russian.
Requires:
Russian passport
Degree from Russian University
transcripts
criminal background check (from Russia).
It would almost be easier for her to get a US passport.
Obtaining legal employment (rather than working under the table) would be difficult at best for her and in real terms (from your description of her background) may be impossible.
Under the table jobs would be available but the problem arises when it comes to getting her a visa to enter Korea (unless you marry her and then she is entitled to an F3).
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HansMoleman30
Joined: 20 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| HansMoleman30 wrote: |
| On that note, I don't suppose you guys know a bit about the market for native Russian teachers, do you? |
Same problems getting an E2 as a teacher of Russian.
Requires:
Russian passport
Degree from Russian University
transcripts
criminal background check (from Russia).
It would almost be easier for her to get a US passport.
Obtaining legal employment (rather than working under the table) would be difficult at best for her and in real terms (from your description of her background) may be impossible.
Under the table jobs would be available but the problem arises when it comes to getting her a visa to enter Korea (unless you marry her and then she is entitled to an F3).
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I don't understand the problem. She has all of these things: a Russian passport (as she is a Russian citizen), a Russian degree (maybe I was unclear about this before; despite attending American university for two years, she was on an exchenge program and her degree was issued by the Russian university) and transcripts (easy enough to get). The only thing that could be tricky is the background check, but only because of bureaucratic inefficiency. Of course, she lacks a long history of teaching Russian language (only one or two years). Was this the problem you were referring to? |
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Steve_Rogers2008
Joined: 22 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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She's from a former Commie state. If Rasputin and Stalin won the cold war, maybe she would be teaching her native language, but the commies lost.
Now if she still wants to come over, there apparently is high demand for young Russian women in the Seoul area.... Hell, even the older ones can make a buck or two. but any red blooded American would howl at that situation.... unless you're into that sorta thing.  |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:16 am Post subject: |
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Oops never mind!  misinformation |
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