Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Threequalseven]

These evening hours are killing us. My girlfriend and I have 7 months remaining with our hagwon, but we'd like to get day jobs once we're finished. The kicker is, our contract ends on August 27 - eleven days after the August orientation starts for public schools. And we don't want risk cutting out of our contract early and not receiving our severance and airfare.

One friend told us to bypass EPIK and contact the provincial offices of education directly. The idea is that, if we explain our situation, perhaps their placement coordinator could get us a couple of September positions. Is this a feasible strategy? If so, how do I find the contact information for the actual placement coordinators at the POEs?

For couples who have been in a similar situation, how have you gone about transferring from hagwon to public (or at least daytime hagwon)? My 3 biggest worries are:
1.) Teaching in a tiny backwater town
2.) Being placed in opposite ends of the same city
3.) One of us taking a position, and the other not finding work in the same area.

Thanks!

[ttompatz]

Gyeonggi provincial education office:
http://www.ken.go.kr/

Go in the main doors.
Up the stairs to the 2nd floor.
look to your left for the policy division.
Apply.

If you want to try the local education office in your city / district then you'll have to ask around for the location. If you don't speak Korean or don't have a Korean friend to help you it will not be easy.

.

[Threequalseven]

Thanks ttompatz! Do you know if it's just a paper application, or would I actually be able to talk to somebody? Unfortunately for us, our city is in the process of cutting all of its foreign elem positions. So we're really just trying to track down provincial employers at this point.

In any case, it really seems to boil down to what's available once schools start hiring for September. We could search for public schools that don't use recruiters, apply through EPIK or a POE and accept our fate in a backwater, limit our search to private schools and daytime pre-K gigs, or just look for singles jobs that one of us can work until the other can find work in the same area.

It is truly frustrating how difficult it is for unmarried couples, though. Every couple I know that lives together is in that situation due to some unusual circumstance. There is no clear-cut way to live together. It makes me hope that all the swingin' singles who dominate the expat scene appreciate the mobility they have here.

[ttompatz]

You would talk to a person then fill in the paperwork.

Other options also include trying schools individually in the area you want to work in. Bilingual resume and a cover letter (get a Korean friend to help you).

Drop them off at the main office of the school and another copy in the English room. Drop at 10 schools and you will get an interview. Drop at 25 and you will have a job.

They don't like waiting for EPIK/GEPIK and the lottery that is "teacher assignments" either.

.

[busanliving]

As an unmarried couple they generally won't let you live together, do you plan on sorting out your own housing?

[Threequalseven]

ttompatz, that's a really good idea! Since I'm thinking about getting a car, it probably wouldn't be too challenging either. The only problem would be finding a day when I could do that, since most of my days off are national holidays. Do you think mailing resumes would be a good idea or no? Also, do you think it would be good to bring copies of both my resume and my girlfriend's resume along with a cover letter explaining our situation? My only concern is that many schools don't hire couples... But who knows? Maybe they'd jump on the chance to save on housing costs.

[ttompatz]