Korean Job Discussion Forums

[BroodingSea]

Hi all,
Just finished my PhD (science based - climate change/human evolution theme).
Finding it very hard to get a post-doc in the UK (or any 'decent' job for that matter).
I have worked in Korea in the past (Hagwan early 2000s - great days).
I'm wondering, what sort of employment prospects are there for someone like me? (BSc/PhD maybe 3 years teaching experience Korea/Japanese uni's) as well as commercial research and media research/bizdev in UK.
Looking beyond hagwon - what could Korea offer someone like me, and where would be a good place to start?

[Dodge7]

Entry-level hagwon monkey is what your PhD will get you. For all of that schooling, you can have:

-a cramped apartment with a view of a dirty wall of some God knows what building across from you
-No respect at the workplace; no respect in the community
-bratty kids who disrespect you
-2.2-2.6 mill a month



Aren't you glad you got a PhD?

Come on...a PhD and you are considering Korea to teach as an ESL TEACHER? Words cannot describe how bad I feel for you....

[PatrickGHBusan]

With a PhD and if you are published you could maybe get a professors position in a Korean University. I do believe some users here hold such positions, some are tenure-track others are visiting professors/researchers. If like you said you have University teaching experience in Korea then you should be able to figure out how to find open professor positions there no? Contact the people you worked with or for if you can.

With that PhD and subject area couldn't you also try finding work with one of the numerous thinktanks or NGOs that operate in your field of study?

Did you even look?

[s.tickbeat]

Seriously man, there are labor shortages in northern Canada (and lower-middle Canada) for people with exactly your kind of degree. Climate change scientist? If you're down to work in natural resources.

Why the bloody hell would you want to work as an ESL teacher in Korea? There are better positions open to you around the world. Try getting a job with the UN, or try this site: http://www.learn4good.com/jobs/index.php?controller=job_list&action=display_search_results&page_number=1

There are better places to teach for someone with your qualifications, and better jobs besides.

[eskeemo]

Am entirely skeptical about the above post. The likelihood to be in a situation as dire as OP purports is slim. [full stop]. Research, a publication or two, successful thesis defense, and teaching experience automatically puts you in a post-doctoral position somewhere. Though, a tenure-track line is *presently* really difficult, nevertheless, I have my reservations about this post. Where is the thesis adviser in all of this? You cannot simply be left hanging. Humanities based science degree -- there are myriad opportunities in start-ups, sustainable-development NGOs, and management consulting in environment, society, and technology. Actuaries sell "global warming" insurance packages. With such a degree, you can also teach physical sciences or mathematics in private secondary education like Glenalmond, Eton, or Saint Paul's. When I was an undergrad, an acquaintance finished his Ph.D. degree in a similar field as yours and went to Columbia University's climate and society program (Google it).
No, no, there are just too many things a natural sciences Ph.D. can do, especially if the strand is interdisciplinary (e.g., natural sciences/society). OP needs to provide more for me to seriously take his situation as desperate.

Universities in Korea are really interested in international science-based Ph.D. scholars. If you have published in a peer-reviewed journal (does not have to be SCI/SSCI impact factor) and have an active adviser, I simply do not see why you cannot assume a postdoctoral research position at Seoul University, KAIST, POSTECH, or some other university such as these.

A boarding public high school like the Korea Science Academy of KAIST and some others look to hire foreign internationals who can reliably teach AP physics, AP chemistry, AP biology, and some other subjects. There are other boarding schools that, in context, pay generously to teach such subjects. Research around.

If not interested in secondary or tertiary education, keep looking in business. American Institute of Physics (AIP) years ago ran two-leaves on Ph.D. graduates who found jobs in science and technology management in big firms, and are satisfied.

[BroodingSea]

Who said anything about me wanting to teach ESL?
Seems like too many of you are quick to attack without thinking and engaging your ESL brains.

[eskeemo]

[BroodingSea]

[BroodingSea]

[eskeemo]

Well, if you are first, so pessimistic, and second, so comprehensive in knowledge, looks like you should not have sat for that Ph.D. ! Good luck, sir.

[Seoulman69]

[jackson7]

Check out this site:

www.arjk.net

Also, keep an eye on Korean universities hiring to teach content courses, especially in science. You may not be teaching high level stuff, but you'll be teaching, earning a salary with nice hours and vacation, and likely have some sort of funding for continued research. Good luck.

J7

[PRagic]

Check out the job boards for all of Korea's top universities. Go with SNU, Yonsei, Ewha, Korea U., Konkuk, and Sogang in Seoul off the top of my head, and then shoot for the big national universities outside of Seoul.

Check out the job postings for your dicipline's major associations.

Check out the job postings on the Chronicle of Higher Education (on-line).

Most of the top-tier universities in Korea (and some second tier) are hiring foreign Ph.D.s in droves across all diciplines in both visiting and tenure track capacities. Your timing couldn't be better. At least 2 SCI/SSCI publications will help to qualify you for an interview (in some cases, 2 publications are a minimum); the stronger your research agenda, the better as you'll be expected to publish regularly once you get in.

I've been tenure track since 05 in a totally non-ESL related dicipline, and was promoted to Associate Professor a over a year ago. The jobs and opportunities for promotion are there.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Great post PRagic.

I was hoping you would post here as this is sure to help the OP.

Well done.

Hey Dodge...guess your initial response is kind of looking bad now buddy.

[PRagic]

Part f the problem is that some people simply have a chip on their shoulder or a point to make no matter the OP.

In this case, the OP clearly stated they are looking beyond hakwons.