Korean Job Discussion Forums

[reversengineer]

It's becoming more common now for universities to post jobs with the requirement of having both a master's degree and 3 years of university teaching experience. The job search is frustrating the heck out of me right now, since this experience requirement wasn't in place when I started my master's program. What am I supposed to do, teach at a hagwon with a master's degree? Me wanting to transition into teaching at a uni was the whole reason why I put the time, effort, and MONEY into a master's program.

Sorry, I just needed to rant. Anybody else in the same boat?

[World Traveler]

Here's a good read:

University jobs race to the bottom
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=235260

Hiring standards are going up while pay and conditions decline. The market's over saturated.

[metalhead]

[pmwhittier]

[Overture1928]

[matthews_world]

Come to China if you only have a 3 or 4-year degree.

[JohnML]

Yeah I'm sure this has been discussed in quite a few threads. The low end jobs are seing salary decreases the high end jobs are getting much more competitive. You still have a decent shot, people in 5 years are not going to be so lucky and I don't think it'll stop there. Basically loads of people with the qualifications and not enough jobs to go around. I don't know what you've seen but there are plenty 'o folk with masters working low paid hagwons jobs. I see a lot of uni jobs actually wanting publications/phd level people for a hagwon wage (better conditions though) or teaching exp from universities in the west. That'll probably slowly become the norm.

Don't give up though, it's not impossible. I'd personally not shove money to get qualifications for this field though as the entry reqs are jumping too fast for the investment to be worthwhile. I got my BSc for free and my MSc funded from a scholarship, I'd not even have considered them if they were not offered free. It's not only the cost of a degree which is stupid, it's the 10 months out of work = - $80,000 easily. At worst go to a dif country for 3 years, teach at a uni there and come back.

[metalhead]

[hubbahubba]

yawn...same same, that's what the conditions are. Wow, you still here World Traveler? Thought you said you were packing it in since you were unable to reach that "holy grail of uni teaching because of a litany of "roadblocks" put in your way.

[World Traveler]

This thread is not about me, old man, but this:

"the univ market is really tough, very competitive to get a job especially if you are a bit older even with credentials like a TESOL/CELTA etc. Working conditions are also getting worse no more 9 hour weeks with 5 months off Sejong just upped their min hours from 12 to 15 with no raise in pay (with some long time teachers getting screwed) my school just tripled the workload required for our classes, salaries are stagnating if not going down. With declining birthrates and lower enrollments its going to get worse. I got lucky landing my present job and would be scared shitless in trying to get another univ gig."

There is a decline underway. Sorry if that hurts your feelings.

10 years ago, things were great in Korea. Opportunities were plentiful (I applied for precisely 2 university jobs and got offers at both), and salaries were rising. Private teaching could be had in abundance for 40-50 an hour. These days, things are looking far less rosy.

[Jimskins]

My uni job used to be one of the best around until they upped the hours to 15 and changed the contract so we lose 720,000W a month if a class gets cancelled (which happens to about 25% of teachers every semester). I think you know which uni I'm talking about.

I got my MA TESOL in the UK back in 2007 and got it primarily to get my current job, which I started in 2009. I was lucky to get in at the first time of applying a year or two before (it seemed) every other foreign teacher in Korea (and their dogs) had an MA TESOL.

Despite the fact that I'll have 6 years of uni teaching experience (with good evaluations and 'best teacher' awards) and a CELTA at the end of my current contract, I've told my wife not to hold her breath for me to get another uni job if I'm not renewed. In fact I'm almost assuming I'll be opening a study room when the non-renewal comes (if I don't jump before, which I'm seriously considering at the moment -many colleagues have already bailed from this supposedly 'highly-prized' position).

Although of course the vacation is still great, would I study for an MA TESOL now in order to try to get a Korean uni job? You'd have to be nuts.

[World Traveler]

You are talking about Hongik I assume. People used to say it was the best uni job in Korea. Lately I've heard it's going downhill.

[GENO123]

watch the video and you will know what it is l like to be at one of the big famous Universities


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2f15dh

"It's a cookbook"

[Kwangjuchicken]

[wonkavite62]

People nowadays tend to think that all these problems are caused merely by supply and demand. There are too many western people applying to teach in Korea, so employers can cut corners and cherry pick. Well maybe.
That may be the case. But I also think that there's government interference. A lot of the problems got considerably worse since the Dictator's Daughter took over. Her government is really not interested in ESL. She or her party is responsible for most of the public school cutbacks and the university cut backs too, I think.