Korean Job Discussion Forums

[livinginkorea]

Does anybody have any information on this school? It's relative new I think and I'm just wondering if anybody is working there?

[ilovebdt]

If it is a new school I'd be wary because it could close down as soon as it has opened up. That said, the first school I worked at had only been open about 8 months or so when I joined and the director had the good sense not to take an expensive foreign teacher before the school was well established.

Can you find out how new it actually is? Do they have any other foreign teachers already working there? How many students?

If you can find out the above it might help.
If not, it is up to you whether you are willing to take a risk. I did and it turned out well.

[livinginkorea]

Well it's a new school so it doesn't have any teachers yet at the school that I've applied for. It will be open soon on July the 1st. They told me that I have to do some training soon for a week before I start. Is that a good or bad sign?

They only have 4 schools in Korea so far but they are opening 2 or 3 next month (one of them being the job that I've applied for). They have loads of different levels and lots of books so it looks organised. Also they said that they have some schools in America and that some teachers came over to set up the schools in Korea.

I talked to one of the foreign teachers and he seems like some sort of manager. He said all good things. They said to my recuriter that I have to do training twice a month. Will this be on the weekend? I really hope not!!!

[ilovebdt]

"They told me that I have to do some training soon for a week before I start. Is that a good or bad sign?"

Depending on what you get out of the training will determine whether it is good or bad. If they just want you to sit there and watch videos of other people teaching and copy what they do that may not be v helpful in my opinion.

"They only have 4 schools in Korea so far but they are opening 2 or 3 next month. They have loads of different levels and lots of books so it looks organised. Also they said that they have some schools in America and that some teachers came over to set up the schools in Korea"

Don't they have any schools already established in Korea at all? They seem to be expanding pretty quickly for a new school. If they are opening up that many schools at once then they must be very optimistic that they will be successful. If it were me, I wouldn't take a job there, because I believe you should start small then expand. Are these schools well known in America?

"They said to my recuriter that I have to do training twice a month. Will this be on the weekend? I really hope not!!!"

Why didn't you ask him when he mentioned the training? Depending on your workload it may well be that some of these training sessions are held on the weekends or after regular classes.

P.S who is yr recruiter?

[livinginkorea]

That's true that the training is the worst (and turning me away) point about the job but quite frankly I'm sick of looking for jobs now at this stage. I know that it has only been a month since I started looking but it's the longest that I have been out of a job. It feels really strange.

I've had a few interviews so far but nothing so great. Every job seems to be the same. Good and bad points for all of them. Good location but no money for housing. Good housing allowance but crap hours. Good hours but ... the list is endless. Maybe I'm too picky now?

And it seems that there are no adult jobs in Suwon, except for crappy Global and Easy Education.

My recuriter by the way is called Eric Lim. He's very good and he got my girlfriend a great job so hopefully he can do the same for me. The job looks great but the training can be the problem. The recuriter said that he voiced my concerns about the training to the school but then again they could go on deaf ears. Ah good old Korea!!!

[joe_doufu]

I thought this would be a post about "bathroom english". My students have developed a great vocabulary in that area.

[ilovebdt]

I know how you feel about job hunting. When I was looking for my first job it took me ages to decide who to go through.

"Every job seems to be the same. Good and bad points for all of them. Good location but no money for housing. Good housing allowance but crap hours. Good hours but ... the list is endless. Maybe I'm too picky now?"

I don't think you can ever be too picky. What was your feeling after you spoke to the recruiter and chap at the school? Always go with yr feelings.

"And it seems that there are no adult jobs in Suwon, except for crappy Global and Easy Education"

Oh, you want to teach adults. Thought you were going for your average kids hagwon role. Don't know anything about adult hagwons. But, as you are going over with your girlfriend if things go bad at least you will have someone to rant at.

Good luck!

Eric Lim - Which company? Hassle him about the training

[livinginkorea]