Korean Job Discussion Forums

[expatacular]

Nearly 18 years have quickly come and gone since I taught in Korea - I turned 30 while I was there; I'm now 47 and would like to go back again.
Two questions:
1. what is the likelihood of getting hired at 47
2. how successful have middle-aged teachers been at maintaining an expat teaching life while reaching retirement age?

I'm hoping that once I'm in-country and demonstrating a solid track-record, maintaining employment remains viable.

[tob55]

There is an age "preference" issue in Korea for employment, BUT not and "age limit" issue. There is no law or government regulation that prevents any public or private school from hiring someone the OPs age. I hired in when in my upper 40s, but that was more than 10 years ago. Korea is still into the looking good 20-something year olds, but you can find and KEEP employment if you choose the right people to help you, and are not afraid to work in the rural part of South Korea to start with. However, IMO finding a job in the Seoul Metro area may be a tough sell. Good luck on the search.

[Died By Bear]

[basic69isokay]

None officially.
BUT, anyone over 30 is going to face some discrimination.
Over 40? Wow, um, you're going to be straight up ignored.
About half the ads openly state female only. But if not, they want an under 30 male who will be easy to manipulate.

You could have a chance in the most rural of rural areas. But, even then maybe not. Just go to China!! Korea's economy is not great and the culture is just as appalling as ever.

[creeper1]

Wow. Looks like there will be glorious return.

Most of us would be jealous of you and would KILL to have experienced korea in that era.

Anyway to answer your question -

It won't be a problem at all. There are literally thousands of jobs of available. Any foreigner will do.

There was recently a guy known as "voyager" who was unsuccessful. However he is an aberration. 99.99999% of foreigners find good jobs after a week or so of searching.

Good luck

[ippy]

I dont think he is necessarily an aberration. It took me two months of firing out cvs to literally ANY JOB AT ALL to land this one. And i feel i could just as easily have not got it as got it.

That being said, the timing is on your side OP. The number of new applicants will be dwindling whilst the pool of applicants on waiting lists will be drying out so its a good time to apply. I can tell you this though, im in the suburbs of one of the cities in gangwon do, and there are about 20-30 English hagwons in a 1km radius of mine. Most are very small (and probably run by one dude with no staff). This is an obscene number of companies. and this of course means a serious possibility for work out there.

What i would do is straight up lie to test the waters. Just tell some people you have your documents ready and youre good to go, then see how many replies you get after the FIRST contact (theyll always hit you up once).

"hey ipps! we have a great job here! should we send your application"

"sure! sounds great!"

"okay! we'll get back to you when we have new information"

*tumbleweed*














...


"Hi guys, just following up on that position, any news?"








...










"guys?"


If it feels like youre in groundhog day and youre seeing a lot of this, then think about China. Seriously.

[basic69isokay]

Dont listen to that guy who said youll find a good job in a week.
Absolutely not true.
Mayyyyyybe as a 22 year old blonde female. Maybe.
Even then, doubtful.

[thetawnyman]

A lot of my colleagues are over 30, but I work at an international school. Having a teacher certificate or a degree in a STEM field definitely helps.

[Died By Bear]

OP, I first got to Korea in '95. Times have definitely changed. Even just five years ago is nothing what it's like today. It's a saturated market, English teachers are a dime a dozen. You remember when people would randomly walk up and offer you 50K an hour for privates? Hard to come by nowadays.

Over the years, there have been a few guys on Dave's that kept working steadily (some at the same place for a few years) up into their 60's.

Keep us updated on your progress. I'm pulling for you.

[Weigookin74]

I'm starting to wonder about these things myself. As I get older here, I've kept the same job and have been fortunate with regards to things like pay and work conditions. I guess I'd prob have to accept a pay cut and struglle looking. But Korean experience and at least being younger when I got here might give me a leg up over those who are older and never been here.

I'm in my mid 30's and will soon enter into my late 30's. I would assume if you are older, take more care of your appearance? Dye that grey or white hair? (A realistic color not dark jet black like older Korean men do.) Fix the baldness? (Shave it, wear a good quality wig, get a hair transplant, etc.) Keep the weight down. If you have a good appearance and can stress being fun and energetic, it may help? Will employers shut you out simply on age or older people who look old or a combination of the two? I really have no idea and am wondering how others have fared here.

The market is changing and less dire than it has been. But, it certaintly is not like the so called "golden age" which disappeared in 2009.

It is seeming the way things are going with the won going back down again, my debt repayment has become a debt sentence. I'll prob be well into my late 30's and maybe aged 40 by the time I end up looking for a new job and wonder what discrimination I would face. I hope my job is stable as there have been or may be job cuts in the next 3 or 4 years. But, I might just have to give up on this market and find somewhere else by that time.

Anyhow, I'd love to hear the added perspectives of candidates late 30's and up.

[matthews_world]

Why not come to China?

Older male teachers are quite respected here. I made the jump over 2 years ago and have worked in public schools here.

Find a rich girlfriend (even younger Chinese lasses dig us oldies) whose established and has couple houses and a car such as my similarly-aged lady.

Quite easy to make extra cash here with privates after-school and on weekends. I was doubling my salary with privates for a year.

Sure, there are the hoops to getting a foreigner expert certificate (Z-visa) but once you're over here and learn the ropes then it's not a bad place.

It's not all doom and gloom as lifers mention on this board. I'd forget Beijing (pollution and more stringent hiring policy there, 5 years verifiable experience needed or equally paid 'internship') and Hong Kong (EXPENSIVE and crowded!!) and try another city.

[PRagic]

Without getting to personal here, know that they'll definitely ask you why you want to return after all these years. By the time you get here and get settled in, actually working until retirement age may not be too big of a hurtle, but working someplace that will give you a pension? That might be a different story.

You'll probably have better luck outside of the major cities, or at best in one of the smaller satelite cities. After you're back wtih some more current experience, you might be able to work back into Seoul or Pusan if that's where you want to be long term.

Things have gotten pretty expensive over the past 30 years though. I first came over in 89, but didn't move permanently until 93. If you could find a place that provided housing, that'd go a long way to helping you bank for retirement.

Do you have a related BA? MA? Experience back in your home country? All would help, if only to some degree depending on the jobs you're targeting.

Best of luck to you.

[edwardcatflap]

[Weigookin74]

[creeper1]

The OP knows his circumstances better than we ever could.

For all we know he knows Korean, has friends in Korea maybe even contacts in organizations such as GEPIK. If that's the case then he is more than capable of making up his own mind.