Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rush]

and its getting very depressing, Im 32 and have been teaching
in Japan and Korea for the last 5 years, have come back home
thinking that I have to get back to the "real world" whatever that
is and have found it impossible to find anything other than telesales
or collecting money for charities etc.
Im still very presentable, confident etc but realise that I have no
relevant skills... my stint teaching has not even been looked at
my employers... I feel Japan or Korea calling again but then I
feel that there will be no way of turning back.. anyone had
similiar experiences

[matko]

Are you Tesl certified?

Why don't you continue teaching?

That's what I did.

[Zed]

How's the money in that? Vancouver, was it?

[matko]

Wasn't great, but wasn't bad.

To be honest, I can't remember exactly

It was either 2,600 or 2,700 a month at one school and 26 dollars an hour at another school.

I was able to live off that quite comfortably and save a few hundred bucks a month.

[Tiger Beer]

One time I went back and moved to NYC.. (after 2 years abroad). I found a job immediately, but not a good job. During the initial six months back, I started studying every aspect of presentations graphics - meaning excel charts and maps, powerpoint slides and graphs, and all the rest. Then I was able to get a great job doing that stuff for corporations.

Second time I went back I chose San Francisco. I had the other skills from before.. but had a hard time finding anything in post-internet era San Francisco. Too many talented people in that field who had connections already to get the few jobs available in that city post 9-11 and post dot.com era.

If I'd stuck around a bit more, I was going to do a 'paralegal' program that was an intensive.

Getting back into the job market is much better if you have some kind of plan of action. Try to look into some intensive courses offered through extension programs or do one hell of a lot of self-study in something - preferably computer-related. That'll open up a lot more prospects if you are planning to stay there awhile. A third option is to enroll back into university for a graduate program of some type.

[SuperHero]

Today I heard on AP news that the average lenght of unemployement (in the US) right now is around 5 months. so 2 months is not that long especially considering you don't have any recent employment history in your country.

[rush]

thanks for the replies guys... I was looking at doing an intensive
IT course that goes for 4 months and "guarantees" employment.

I might give it a shot

[U.S.A.]

Unfortunately, you should be prepared for an even longer time of unemployment (or actually under-employment). I've been back for just under a year and finally got a good job; however, prior to returning, I said to friends and family that I was prepared to possibly be under-employed for a long time.

You have to be in it for the long haul.

[shawner88]

It's hard to go from getting jobs handed to you back to begging for them, in essence. I don't look forward to that.

[osangrl]

me either, thats why im going to marry a rich guy, be a lazy housewife, and spend my time spending his money decorating our home, or out suntanning by the pool
Perfect Plan,...... i decide to sign one more year here, so i could map out a future life plan....and it only took a month! Now im ready for the future!!!!!!

[kangnam mafioso]

i've been back in the states 3 months and i'm going through the same thing. i'm getting certified to teach high school english ... too many years in education to switch gears and do something else.

the economy still sucks in the states. a few years ago, you could always find a "crappy" job, but now even a lot of the bad jobs are being filled. i went to a temp agency just looking for anything -- they couldn't find even unskilled labor for me.

don't expect teaching in asia to do much for the resume. even if you plan to stay in teaching, it doesn't account for much. employers want local experience. regardless, i don't regret teaching in korea ... i had a blast.

[Dan]

do NOT attempt to get an IT job. Just do not. Whatever IT jobs are out there are either being shipped to India or China, and highly skilled IT professionals can't even get jobs now.

Teaching is hot and you might want to seriously consider getting into that field.

[OiGirl]

[Tiger Beer]

Yeah, computers and IT are two frustrating fields right now. I had a really rough time in San Francisco because thats kind of where I'm geared at when back in the home country.

Healthcare and nursing are hot right now. If you do absolutely anything in that field, you will be in demand. Or something along those lines.. like Radiological Technician or whatever else. They are giving all kinds of visas to get people from other countries into the US to do anything in the healthcare and particularly nursing fields.

I have some information on a really intensive paralegal program in San Diego. Many hours but real practical as well. Was thinking that would be another resort if I were determined to go back.

I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to just go back unprepared with no skills and no plan.. I did it twice already.. just meant I had to bumble around in the States until I got a plan going.. much better to do all the soul-searching and planning and thinking about it here.. and cut of all that unemployed bored and restless 'what the hell is going on' time.

Its still not too late to get something going right now.. beginning of January in some kind of extension course or intensive program. At least you'll get some direction.. if even you have to work awhile and then start something in Spring semester or something.

[Gladiator]

I can sympathise. Canadian job market's tough at the best of times and in Vancouver outside of service, hospitality industries there isn't much action. Provincial/Federal govt. posts have red tape infested shortlisting procedures that make applications to be a NASA astronaut seem easy by comparison. When I was living there in '95/96 I vivdly recall many graduates having to take menial employment to start chipping away at student loan debt.

Always got the impression Toronto's job market was more vibrant but that was only an impression.

Working in Real Estate could be an answer. Commision based but the scope to make a fortune's in Metropolitan Vancouver's still there, especially if the Hong Kong 'satellite family' immigration boom is still as radical as it was back then. Property development was going through the roof.