Korean Job Discussion Forums

[triple50]

I'm leaving to teach in Korea in 2 weeks and was wondering if anyone else has situations similar to mine. I want to have a career as a teacher in the United States but due to the crappy economy was unable to get a position in the US this year and decided that Korea would be a better option than working in my current 9-5 for another year that is completely non career related. Plus I think it will be a cool experience. I'm also hoping that teaching in Korea will look appealling on my resume to schools when I come back and apply for positions again. I'm sure others on here are now teaching in the US. Would love to hear if you felt teaching in Korea helped you get a teaching position in the US.

[sluggo832004]

[fugitive chicken]

I came to Korea 2 years ago for the same reasons, and I am still here for various reasons not entirely related to my career.

Yes, I do feel that after 2 years of experience teaching here, I have a much better chance of getting a job in the states. However, depending on your situation, it may be hard to transition back into getting a job after a year or more. For example, a problem that I would have is that my contract finishes Sept 1st and most US schools want to interview you face to face before getting hired. I would miss the major hiring season and have to spend another year hoping to find something mid-year. So if anything make sure you have the time to transition from an overseas job to the tight schedule of teaching in the States.

[OiGirl]

I have always been able to get a job teaching in the US after teaching in Korea. As an ESL teacher, it's not seen as unusual. I was never the only teacher in my hiring cohort who had recently returned to the US from Korea. I've even gotten a job based on a recommendation from a teacher I met in Korea. However, as the poster above said, you need to arrive in the US in early summer to start in August or September.

[Radius]

[runthegauntlet]

After two years of teaching in hagwons in Korea I decided I want to go get certified back in the U.S. in another year or two. To that end I've now taken a public school job as I was told by university officials where I was looking to get my certification that such an experience would be more beneficial since government issued positions are recognized where as private academies are not.

I don't know how much sense that makes since I still have to go through the certification and my experience in Korea won't actually count in terms of pay grade or anything, but whatever. Looking forward to the change.

[OiGirl]

[SKinPRC]

A couple years will look good especially if you try to work in a district in the US with many Korean students.

Don't stay too long though as the US school won't give you much credit for your time here. So one year in Korea might equal half a year's work in the US. That all depends on the district. The popular one's can call the shots.

Experience in other countries for a couple years will be good for employment or grad school experience.

Get active in KOTESOL since that will make you look good too. Employers like it if you speak at conferences or have some publications which aren't hard to get overseas.

[jrwhite82]

[PatrickGHBusan]

[ttompatz]

Certified / licensed and/or qualified with (2 or more years of) experience = just transition to an IB school and enjoy life as you travel the planet.

.

[naturegirl321]

There are fasttrack programmes in the US, not in the best school districts, but if you want to teach in the US, that might be an option, espeically now with the job situation

[winterfall]

I'm not planning on becoming certified. Though I have been interested in applying to TFA for awhile. It's a good cause. If some personal problems didn't crop up, I would've joined up after school. After spending another year or 2 here in a tech school w/ the unstoppable gauntlet of co-teacher problems. TFA should be a cake walk

[Konglishman]

[ThingsComeAround]