Korean Job Discussion Forums

[seyz]

Hello everyone,

I am here in search of some information. This is my very first attempt to acquire such information so please forgive me in advance if anything sounds silly or out of place.

I am currently working as an English teacher/translator/proof-reader in Japan and was hoping to eventually apply for jobs at Korean universities. I am a Ph.D. candidate in the US and anticipate to complete my degree in the next year or so. Although my field is not TESOL/Applied Linguistics, my job in Japan is giving me a lot of hands on experience first hand teaching and translating. Furthermore, I have also a good deal of experience working as an ESL Teaching Assistant and Japanese language instructor teaching undergraduates. In such positions, I have also been involved in developing ESL programs and working with program administrators on class syllabi and ways to teach higher level ESL students.

I also have several academic publications, some of which are related to Applied Linguistics.

I was wondering if it would be possible, given my experience, to possibly be considered for university jobs in South Korea that possibly incorporate a research component? I have visited South Korea many times and know several Hogwons that I could potentially work for. However, my true passion is also conducting research and staying relevant in anthropological/sociological academics alongside ESL/TESOL classes and think a university atmosphere would better suit me and my professional ambitions. Thus, I was wondering what the chances and likelihood were to achieve such a position and also if it would be possible for me to apply for such positions competitively given my experience.

Thank you all in advance and once again please forgive any stupid questions that may have been asked here.

[tob55]

Honestly, don't plan on landing a tenure track position unless you know someone in high places. Having worked in a National University for the past six years I can tell you the positions will require PhD in-hand if you are looking for a research type job. You might be fortunate to land a unigwon type position with no tenure or the chance of it. Those jobs usually are passed off as "Visiting Professor"and the institutions will ploy themselves off as regular departments of the given university, but they are not. As far as rights, benefits, and negotiation the employee has none, and the unigwons know this. They throw it in your face all the while violating Labor Law under the guise of "doing what's best for the university." It's a crock of hooey, but they get by with it for some reason.

A lot of already qualified people with PhD who will be trying to get the type of employment you are looking for, so sorry to bring it to you this way, but that's the reality of the situation right now.

[hogwonguy1979]

There are some academic positions that are tenure track open to foreigners, keep an eye out here and on the chronicle of higher ed for openings. Remember though being on tenure track here there can be some problems. The Chronicle ran a series of stories about an American PhD had landed one of those jobs and ran into some big problems with his school.

Surprised a huckster woman by the name of Jackie Bolen hasn't popped over shilling her self published book on landing a univ job. DO NOT BUY IT!!! It's a poorly written book with sort of dated info that you can find elsewhere for free

[jlb]

hogwonguy...let's break up. There are plenty of fish in the Internet sea, you know? Thanks for mentioning the book, btw. It's available on Amazon for anyone interested.

[seyz]

Thank you all for the replies. I am not necessarily looking for a tenure track job, however, as my motives for being in career are not solely professional. While it would certainly be to enhance my professional development, conduct some ethnographic research in the country, and improve on various other skills, my main reason is solely personal in that I would want to improve my Korean language skills and experience the country firsthand, which I have wanted to do for some time. I am, of course, not going to reject such a job or remain closed off to such an opportunity should it present itself. However, that is certainly not my end game. Therefore, I think even a temporary position or a short-term contract would also be sufficient for me to engage in my personal and professional goals in this situation.

Thank you again.

[hogwonguy1979]

[seyz]

I would like to bump this thread. I am still interested in searching for a university job in South Korea. I have been browsing some databases but mainly to not avail. I was wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of a higher education specific job board that may be of help? From browsing Daves ESL Cafe boards some uni jobs appear sporadically here and there but most are not university jobs. I was wondering if there was perhaps a better search engine or some source that may be more fruitful.

Thank you.

[Fallacy]

[drydell]

There's various pages and sites that specifically list uni jobs (including non English dept. Jobs) in Korea and elsewhere.. Surely u found them all by now?

[seyz]

Thanks for your replies.

Fallacy, thanks for the advice. I will do that during hiring season.

drydell, I actually have not found very many. So if you could please inform me of them, it would be sincerely appreciated.

[SeoulNate]

I can't speak for all of the programs in Seoul, but I have been working at a few different top 5 programs in Seoul in TESOL / teacher training / retraining / Linguistics and I can tell you that the programs I have been involved in will not look at PHD holders, candidates yes, but holders no.

There are some tenure track positions to be had around the city, but competition is fierce and I would be prepared to work here for at least a few years in a different job while applying every semester and going on interviews. I know a few people who are currently in this spot, overqualified for the freshman class / TESOL positions, but unable to break into the tenure positions in the graduate field.

Honestly though, if you have a good command of Japanese, wouldn't staying there be a better option?

[PRagic]

OP, it would help a lot if you let us know what specific dicipline you are studying. In what spacific field and specialization do you expect to complete your Ph.D. and from what university where. Even if you don't want to let on the exact name of the university, is it well respected, particularly for your field of specialization? At least a top 20? What passport do you hold?

Second, you can get a university ESL teaching position (visiting instructor or visiting assistant professor, depending on what they choose to call you and where). Your background in ESL, even though you don't have related degrees, should suffice. If it's a decent position with fully paid summer/winter breaks, then you can complete you dissertation and move on. All you need to tell them is that you are fniishing up your Ph.D.. You don't need to explain your long-game as you'll be on one year contracts anyway.

There are major ESL/TESOL university programs that would love to hire a Ph.D., and several already have one or more on staff. Many people have worked university ESL jobs while completing their Doctorates, too. Look for ESL jobs at Ewha, SNU, Korea U., Yonsei U., Sogang U., select postiions at HUFS in Seoul, and maybe even smaller private schools like Sejong or Myongji. Outside of Seoul, look at the major national universities.

The downside, however, is that you're still going to be an ESL teacher and NOT in a research position. This means a 12-15 hour sched, 3-4 days a week. The irony is that some of the programs (at HUFS, for example) will STILL want you to publish.

A previous poster was correct in that you cannot go for a tenure track job here uniless you have Ph.D. in hand. Also, at some of the larger R1 universities, you need a minimum of two SCI/SSCI publications to just get interviewed. If your publications aren't SSCI, then they basically 'don't count' when it comes to being competitive here (or at most R1 schools for that matter).

Speaking from experience, mission number one should be to knock out that Ph.D. as quickly as possible. Doing anything else is just spinning your wheels. You can always stay in an ESL teaching position with your Ph.D., but without it, your options are closed.

So you want to conduct research? Once you finish, look for tenure track jobs in your dicipline or a closely related dicipline here. The Chronicle of Higher Eduction is a good place to look. Check your individual dicipline's major society's jobs board, too. Many universities here post jobs on their individual webpages, so keep on eye on them as well.

In this respect, it might be better to have more dicipline-oriented publications (as opposed to AL type articles) in higher ranking SSCI journals and to have presented at at least a few major conferences. Once you're in, you can research whatever your heart desires. Several universities, at least in Seoul, hire across the universe of diciplines, particularly the larger ones.

Yes, depending on where you work, there may be some speed bumps and integration issues, but by and large, there are FAR more satisfied international scholars working here than there are people doing midnight runs with a suitcase full of gripes.

Good luck to you. Sounds like you've made a pretty interesting go of it so far.