Korean Job Discussion Forums

wonkavite62 · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Location: Jeollanamdo, South Korea.

A Korean friend suggested I consider public schools in South Korea, because they have some advantages over hagwons, and I could still save money. I teach at a college in China, and I may teach there next year too, in the same school. But Korea has some attractions, and I am going there for a short holiday in June, anyway.

1. What is the current application process for public schools like? How long should I expect the entire application process to take? My current contract expires at the end of June. Let's suppose I went home then. Would I have time to get my criminal record check and visa for Korea before September?

2. What can I expect from the job? Is there a formal dress code like in my current job? Would I be expected to do lots of games in the class room(like I did in Japan). Is it a case of working 9 to 5 or 9 to 6. What should I watch out for, or be careful about? Question

3. I am thinking of teaching in Gyeong-gi Do. This is because it's close to Seoul, but more relaxed, and I think it would be easier to get a job than in Seoul.

4. Would it be to my advantage to stay on another year at my current job? That would mean I would get a better reference and a pay increment when I moved to Korea would it not?

Any sensible advice would be appreciated. I am not keen on people who want to just diss everything. I am interested in facts.

By the way, a couple of years ago, I did apply to a public school position in Korea. The problems were that I fell ill at the worst time and couldn't go to Korea. I got the criminal record check and all the references. But the school-the job was with a school not a BoE-also wanted references from 10 years ago, knowing I did not have them. But if I do go to Korea, that issue will be sorted out.

Any advice would be appreciated. Sorry about thre length of this post! Question

WI-Do · Joined: 01 Feb 2012

1. No you wouldn't have enough time. It would be much better to start the process now.

2. It depends on your school (elementary/middle/high) and the needs of your school. You may be expect to play games and do communicative activities. You may be expected to teach writing and speaking portions for the new NEAT test.

3. It would probabably be easier, but why not apply to both SMOE and GEPIK?

4. That's difficult to say. I'm not sure if the pay scales apply to accredited schools outside Korea and your home country. It might not make any difference depending on the number of years you have already been teaching. The pay scale doesn't go up much after 3 years of experience unless you continually work in Gyeonggi-do.

duke of new york · Joined: 23 Jan 2011

What is your degree? And what's your teaching experience (you mentioned Japan)? It sounds like it may be possible for you to get a better job than a hagwon or public school, maybe a university position. I haven't worked at a public school, but it seems to me like kind of a newbie job. If you've got experience, you could probably get a better job with better pay.

You can find most of the general information about what to expect, etc. just browsing the forums. Check the FAQ forum. As for the application, that would be cutting it close. It depends on the CRC. Mine only took about six weeks or so, but other posters have complained about it taking three months or more. Even getting your visa after you get your documents together might take another couple of weeks. You could try it, but you'd better go to the police station, get your fingerprints done, and send them to the FBI the day you get home.

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 3:24 am Post subject:

OP for the most part PS jobs are "entry level" as the programs that hire FTs for PS's hire assistant teachers who work with and under the responsibility of a full time Korean co-teacher. Now the duties FTs have do vary from school to school but overall, the programs seeks assistant teachers for conversational English.

I agree with the advice given earlier: get started NOW. Get your docs in order.

hogwonguy1979 · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: the racoon den

If you have an MA in anything to go with that teaching experience you might be bored out of your tree with a PS here. Shoot higher and go for a univ position, better hours, long vacations and in many instances more pay than a PS will give you plus you'll be free to design your own classes. Better yet no co-teacher or principal from hell to deal with

Big problem though may be getting to Korea for an interview as 90% of univs want an in person interview

WI-Do · Joined: 01 Feb 2012

byrddogs · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Location: Shanghai

moonhaus · Joined: 01 Feb 2012 Location: Gangneung, South Korea

I'm in my second public contract in Gangwon-do and I had two years of previous experience in North Africa.

My public school pay grade took into account one of those years, because Korean employers usually require documentation of x number of full years at the same institution.

My public community center only took into account my one previous year of teaching for Gangwon-do- i.e. only experience in that province was counted.

Make sure you ask in every specific job how your experience will translate when it comes to payscale because they are all different.

Also, if you must go public, do yourself a favor and either try getting into one of the foreign language high schools, or some kind of teacher training job. Public jobs are really boring, especially if you have previous experience.