Korean Job Discussion Forums

BigHaDaddy · Joined: 13 Nov 2005

Hey everyone!

My name is Matt and I was long time lurker, now a first a time poster. I'm Korean American and I've been planning to English in Korea next year, but I have a few questions that might persuade me otherwise.

1) Are Koreans prejudiced against their own race when hiring English teachers? Do they feel that since you look Korean, you should not be able to teach English? I'm afraid that since I'm Korean, I will be passed over when Hagwon's or Universities look for qualified applicants.

2) Is a TESL certificate required now to teach English? I'm 23 years old with a Bachelor's degree in Management Science from UCSD with no experience teaching, and only a small amount of tutoring experience.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply!

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

1) The further you are from the ideal profile -- young, pretty, white blonde woman -- the harder you will find it is to get hired at a hagwon. Blacks and Asians can have it tough. Public schools are far less likely to care what you look like, since they're not a business accountable to sometimes-prejudiced parents. And, if you look through the job listings you'll often see schools that specifically want a gyopo.

2) No. All you need is your bachelor's degree, in any subject.

Don't forget to find out if your Korean ethnicity qualifies you for an F-4 visa in addition to your E-2. An F-4 could provide you with a bit more ground to stand on in a dispute with a shady employer -- if I remember correctly, even if babo-wonjangnim fires you, you could stay in-country to get another job and perhaps recover any money he still owed you.

Good luck!

gochubandit · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:05 am Post subject:

get an F-4. you pretty much defeat 95% of the problems other foreigners have to deal with out here. other than that, you'll be fine. just tune up a resume and throw a couple cute kids in the pic you send and u'll get something.

TJ · Joined: 10 Mar 2003

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Talk to the US embassy about that. I'm still not convinced it isn't just a rumor.

gochubandit · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 1:18 am Post subject:

your parents, if they are US citizens now, need to go to the korean consulate near their US home and renounce their korean citizenship. that'll keep u safe. unless ur parents aren't US citizens. talk to ur US embassy first. and the korean consulate.

Pak Yu Man · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Location: The Ida galaxy

BigHaDaddy · Joined: 13 Nov 2005

Thanks for all the replies.

Do you guys recommend getting a certification and do you have any other recoommendations?

I'm still not 100% sure I am going to teach in Korea. If I receive a certification and I can't find a job in Korea, that would be 9 months and a great deal of $$ gone out the window.

Is there any way to guarantee employment with a reputable employer?

Also, my parents are American citizens. I'll have to look into the military service problem. Thank you!

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

To guarantee a good employer -- you'll just have to do your homework, ask questions, talk to the current foreign teacher. You can post a contract here if it sounds fishy, or ask if anyone knows about a specific school.

A public school is the least likely to try to screw you or offer you a bad contract.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

dulouz · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus

Gyopos are in demand for business English. I think you'll bypass the kiddie hogwans and go right to adults. I see plenty of gyopo only ads.