Korean Job Discussion Forums

[erinmack]

Hi, my partner & I are thinking of coming to South Korea to teach English, but we are concerned that his dwarfism will prove to be a barrier to employment. He has a less-common form of dwarfism that doesn't result in "different" facial features, so his disability wouldn't be apparent from a photograph, but we are concerned that if he discloses his condition in an application, job prospects will be minimal. Asides: he is 29, caucasian, CELTA-certified w/a master's degree.

FYI, I am a 38 year old caucasian female, non-disabled, dual citizenship (Ireland/US), UC Berkeley educated but only have a B.A., & am not TESL-certified. I'm also concerned about my age posing a barrier to employment, but since I'm right on the cusp I don't think it'll be a huge problem if I'm flexible on location.

What are his chances of finding a position? What are our chances of both finding a position in the same city, provided we're open to any location? Would it be better for us to apply together or separately? It would be nice to live together, but if we were placed in nearby schools that would also be acceptable.

Any advice is appreciated, thanks - and for those that would advise against working in Korea, in which countries do you think someone with a noticeable disability would be regarded more favorably by potential recruiters?

[Lucas]

[Scorpion]

OP, age is not a problem but I think your partner's dwarfism will be. This is a culture that puts immense importance on the superficialities of appearance. In fact, it is the most important factor here in getting employed. Many Westerners can't find a job here simply because their skin is too dark, they have facial hair, or don't comform somehow to what their notion of an 'ideal' Westerner should look like. Korea is a very closed-minded society that has yet to embrace the rights and sensitivities of others. Racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and dislike of anything 'other' is strong here. They still have comedy shows here where the entertainers put on 'black face' and dance around denigrating black people. I think your partner would have a stressful time in Korea. And to be honest, even if he was hired from abroad, once he arrived and his dwarfism was noticed the school would soon invent "complaints from parents" or criticisms of his teaching style to get rid of him. Do not confuse Korea's economic development with progress in the field of morality and human inclusiveness. The latter trails far, far behind the former. This is not America, Canada or Western Europe, and it won't be for a very long time.

I'm sorry to offer this advice, but I don't think Korea would be right for you. Your partner will not be treated with respect, and this will be hard for you to endure. May I suggest you look for work elsewhere. Until Korea matures, culturally and morally, I cannot recommend this place to a person with dwarfism. Maybe others will disagree, but I doubt it.

Anyway, I wish you both the very best of luck in your job search.

[Lucas]

[wishfullthinkng]

i would normally say that no one should listen to scorpion but this time he pretty much hit the nail on the head. those who are not outwardly "beautiful" generally do not fare well in korea in many arenas of life, finding a job and being treated well at an acquired job included.

you might get someone who will chime in with a "hey but i'm not good looking but i get treated well here!" but those are the ones that get talked about behind their backs.

[BigBuds]

[Chaparrastique]

[Rutherford]

People will tell you Koreans don't hire black, fat, old or ugly people but you will meet black, fat, old, and ugly people happily working here.

Your partner will have a harder time here than some others. That's probably not a surprise to him. He will get a lot of awkward stares and comments but if he's okay with that then why not give it a try?

He's very qualified, and with an MA can apply for uni jobs once he's in country. You went to Berkeley, and Koreans love name brand degrees. Give it a shot.

[schwa]

If he can get hired & start teaching & impress his students & colleagues with his personality & smarts, it would be a win for everyone involved. Tough odds though.

[Hokie21]

I know everyone says that appearance is so important in getting hired.....but if that is the case then how come 75% of the foreign female teachers I've come across are fat and/or hideous?

[Chaparrastique]

[andrewchon]

[EZE]

He'll need to have thick skin. If he's under 4', I imagine he'll be ridiculed something awful on a daily basis and students in the 12 to 15 age group would be totally out of control. I agree with the person suggesting kindergarten classes, since the younger kids tend to be a lot more polite and plus they're shorter so the dwarfism may not seem as noticeable to them.

[Paddycakes]

I disagree with the above.

Obviously he can't lie on his application.

But if the guy has an ultra thick skin, and has a great personality, i mean super great, then he could probably do it.

If he's a "funny" guy, and he has some charm, the Koreans will probably like him.

Koreans aren't as evil as they're made out to be on Daves.

[Lucas]