Korean Job Discussion Forums

[almightyze]

So, yeah. Looking at the EPIK app right now, nothing seems too problematic to me. Then I get to the health page. Everything I can say no to, except questions 11 and 12. To wit:
⑪ Do you have any physical disabilities?
⑫ Do you have any cognitive/mental disabilities?

Let me preface this by saying, at least for question 12, I have not been formally diagnosed on what I'm about to say, though any licensed professional could do a thorough scan of my medical records, and probably base a diagnosis on that alone.

I believe I am either a high-functioning autistic or an Aspie. I myself do not classify it as a disability. However, partly as a result of this, I have a motor-neurological impairment which affects my hands (basically, slow and clumsy at the fine motor level, minor tremor), of which there is some medical documentation back in the day to claim ADA back when I was middle/high school (8-11 years ago, hard to remember when exactly).

Which leads me to my point:
1. Should I mention either the former (HFA/Aspie) or the latter (hand problems)? I'm guessing no on the former, simply because of the lack of diagnosis and my own refusal to call it a disability, but still...
2. Is this going to give me trouble in the application process?

Let me know, thanks.

[NYC_Gal]

If you need meds, be honest. You probably won't get the job though.

If you don't need meds, just say no. If you drop stuff, say oops! and continue what you were doing.

[almightyze]

Don't need meds. (Good hell, that would suck if I did need meds)

Thanks for the input!

[AsiaESLbound]

Don't tell them you use meds. It's none of their business unless you are abusing drugs that interfere with your getting up early to go to work sober and focus on doing a job. Drug abuse can include smoking and drinking at work, coming in hung over and late with no hygiene, and getting high on narcotics like pain pills at work though the kids might like you more for being extra comical if you teach while high on narcotics. I don't recommend drug addicts and alcoholics to come teach small children, but you are OK if you discreetly smoke cigarettes, drink on occasion, and take a little bit of Ambien or Xanax at night. They don't need to know you take Lisinopril for high blood pressure or you take a half an Ambien at night and drink a 6 pack on Friday night. It's not an employers business to know you take an aspirin each day. These questions are only a part of the process of elimination in narrowing down the candidates in filling jobs. Anyone would know a yes answer to any of those question disqualifies you. If you answered no to eating Korean food as silly as that question is, you'd also probably not be hired. Only you know if there's a serious problem in your life that would warrant you not coming to Korea.

Teaching doesn't involve fine hand motor skills, except writing in fairly large letters on a board, but if you stutter, get brain lock, and lose train of thought where you forget the topic all of a sudden, then you might run into trouble. If you can give a public speech, follow a 1+1 ABC conversation for at least 10 minutes(max time for one activity with young kids), and ask and answer questions, you can probably teach kids. More importantly, it requires patience, flexibility, consistency in developing a routine, and an open mind. Only you know if you should give it a go or not.