Korean Job Discussion Forums

[iwillteachyouenglish]

I know some of these have been asked before, and in my defense, I did read the forum quite a bit over the past few days!

1. Scams (Vacation+Pay): I will not have a lot of cash upon arriving, so it's important that I find someplace which pays reliably. I have also read of problems with vacation time. Vacation time will be important since there are things I wish to see while there. I am considering a recruiting company called eslpark. Please PM anything you'd like to keep off the record. I also read about EPIK and I am wondering if it is more reliable since it seems government run? Any good places that are recommended would be nice to hear about.

2. Airfare: The state department says to ask for an open ended RT fare. Is this common to request? I don't want to demand something that will never be granted, and at the same time I don't want to set myself up to get screwed either. I've read on here that getting the severance is difficult and may take some time.

What else do I need to request/do to set myself up in a ideal position before I leave home? I've already started all of the paperwork (CBC, transcripts, etc)

[balzor]

[ttompatz]

to answer your last question first:

First and foremost - Get the facts - READ THE FAQs.
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewforum.php?f=7

Getting a Job - Things You Need to Know
Getting a Job -Hagwons, Unis, EPIK & Public Schools
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
Getting Organised to Come to Korea
Choosing a Location in Korea
Contracts - Health Insurance, Pension, Severance etc.
Visas
Breaking a Contract

Ya, I know - those are OLD threads BUT the information is, by and large, STILL THE SAME.

When there are changes or new stuff it gets added to the bottom of the threads or other threads in the FAQs.

Oh, but I don't have time to wade through all of that stuff. It'll take hours. Can't you just answer my questions?

If you have the time to sign away a year of your life you certainly have the time to do the research or you WILL PAY later for your lack of information.

Oh, and then you can ask questions that make real sense and not newb questions like how high is up.

When you have done that then there are lots of us here who will be more than willing to answer your questions.

.

[Reise-ohne-Ende]

Roundtrip airfare is standard. I would be very wary of any school that did not offer it. Free housing is also standard...some places offer a housing allowance, but again, I would be wary.

Honestly, if you are concerned about vacation time and reputation, I wholeheartedly recommend working with EPIK, the government program, in a public school. The pay might be slightly less, but you will in almost all cases be paid in full and on time, you'll have the airfare and housing, and you'll meet a lot of other Westerners. Private schools are a gamble and definitely not one I'd personally take my first time in Korea...especially with the concerns you've voiced.

[PatrickGHBusan]

You can get round trip airfare but often you will get a one-way ticket to bring you in. Then upon completion of your contract you get a one-way ticket out of Korea.

This is perfectly acceptable as well.

I do not think you will get an open-ended ticket.

Vacation time...

You will get a Hakwon job as it is too late to apply for most Public School positions. EPIK has completed its recruitment for the year.

You may get lucky and land a Public School job in the countryside or a job in a smaller city that went unfilled but the odds of this are rather long at this time of year.

At a Hakwon you will get roughly 10 days of vacation plus national holidays.

Reliable pay is not that hard to find with some research. A safer option is to apply for a larger company like YBM. They pay on time. The same applies to severance with the larger companies.