Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jlb]

I've been in Korea for 10 years and I'm leaving in 3 days to go back to Canada. It's been a year-long process of getting everything in order.

What's your #1 for getting ready to leave? It could be something you do in Korea, or something you do to get yourself ready for life back home.

Here are my top 10 tips:

http://teachinginkoreanuniversity.com/leaving-korea-top/

[Mikethered]

Hello there....

You are leaving and I am trying to get to Korea.

In ten years how much money did you save. Sorry for the personal question but I am thinking about my future.


and...how much did you make per month.....

Thanks, Mike

[edwardcatflap]

[le-paul]

Go to the airport.
Stand still.
Take time to look around you and take in as much as possible.
Try not to move even when people are smashing into you. Look at those faces and if you concentrate, you can hear the shout talking.
Think back to that time when you first arrived. They were two hours late to meet you, they took you to work after 22 hours of traveling and expected you to work.
Smile, and remember, youll never have to come here again.
Its all over.
It was just a bad dream...

[jlb]

Mike...I made more than double the average teacher in Korea and had about a 1/4 mill at the end of 10 years (assisted by investing a lot in stocks after the crash of 2009). But, I had the experience and qualifications to get the sweet uni gigs with lots of lucrative OT.

The average teacher can save 1,000,000 Won per month, so that's about $10,000 USD per year.

Le-Paul...love it!

[robbie_davies]

How about writing a book on how to design a decent book cover, or a book on how to write books over a 100 pages long, or a book on how to cut your own hair, they would fly off the shelves, I am sure.

[creeper1]

jib . i guess you mean you saved a quarter of a million us dollars.

it's important to get the currency right.

hats off to you.

certainly someone with a bit of drive can make A LOT of money in Korea.

i happen to think you are barking mad giving up such a sweeeeet gig.

[World Traveler]

[GENO123]

[swashbuckler]

To the five people still reading this forum, do not, I repeat, DO NOT purchase any of Jackie Bolen's self-published "materials". The whole thing is a complete scam and 99% percent of her information available for "finding a sweet uni gig" can be gleaned from a few hours of research online. Also intriguing how most of the glowing reviews of her "books" belong to "Amazon customer".

Also, even thought she admits that she is not a "total hypocrite" for attempting to profit from the ESL industry in Korea and then turning around and heavily criticizing it in a lengthy blog post (see below), see still dismisses those who call her out as losers "trapped in dead in jobs''

http://teachinginkoreanuniversity.com/total-hypocrite

AVOID THIS SHYSTER LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!

[Lunar Groove Gardener]

[World Traveler]

[rocket man]

[PRagic]

Leaving Korea Tip #2: Hire Someone to Help You. Seriously? After even a year or two, you should have at least a couple of local friends who can help out. Throw for a samgyupsal feed and call it even.

Leaving Korea Tip #3: Start Recycling/Giving Away Stuff ASAP. For 99% of the people who have been here short term (1-3 years), just give the stuff away or set it out on the curb. Lord knows that everyone is tired of people selling used socks, 20 year old kitchen stuff, and Itaewon beer glasses on Craigslist or Dave's. The Korean post is a great way to get the rest of the crap back (clothes and a few assorted K things).

Leaving Korea Tip #4: Organize Stuff at Home. Should be number one, and the primary concern for anyone who has been here longer than, say, 2-3 years. NEVER make the move without having a place to crash and, optimitically, a job to pick up the slack. You'll burn through savings VERY quickly if you just pick up and go.

Another one to ad: Don't be afraid to pay your dues in a transition industry once you get back. Odds are you're not going to go from an ESL teacher in Korea to a bank VP or IT director in the span of a year. Set a long term goal and knock it out in chuncks.

Tip of the Day: Don't be afraid to come back. Can't count the number of people, especially university teachers, but also some public school teachers, who have 'left for good', only to later regret their decision. They miss the lifestyle, they miss the longer vacations and relative stress free 3-4 day work week, they miss friends here as most of their 'home town' buddies have moved on. If it doens't roll your way back home, and if you miss us here in K land, don't be afraid to come on back and pick up where you left off. Screw the naysayers and doomsday theorists. Probably a better option than spinning your wheels 'back home' and burning through your savings with nothing to show for it but stress.

IF you don't want to come back, and IF you can't find a position, try to keep your CV flowing; get back in school or involved in some kind of vocational training program. Having a few years of teaching experience in Korea can detract from a corporate resume in some instances, but that plus a year or two black hole? Not good.

[Paddycakes]

Get an STD test.