Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JacktheCat]

Should I just give up on teaching in Korea?

I am about at the end of my rope here and ready to just throw up my arms and say the heck with it all and move to another country with a more hospitable working environment. But quitting goes against every fiber of my being.

A little background. I am two weeks away from my one year anniversary in Korea and am now on my third job. The first two jobs screwed me out of almost two and half million won and gave me a rude awakening to the English teaching business in Korea. The third job has been ok, though long hours. Unfortunately business has been bad lately and things are not looking good. The foreigner teachers got their pay this month, but to do that the owner short-shifted the Korean teachers. I am all about loyalty to an employer who treates me right, but am not about to go down with a sinking ship, so have been looking for another job.

My job search so far has turned all deuces. True, I am being extra cautious given my previous experience here in Korea, but the jobs I've been offered are not good. 1.9 million and 30 hours a week, etc. And none of the public schools and universities I've applied to have seen fit to return my emails and calls.

I have four years teaching experience (one in a university in China) and a CELTA. Surely that must be worth something?

So I ask you my Dave's ESL brothers and sisters, should I just give up on Korea?

[the_beaver]

Follow the beaver's guide to scoring at a university.

After an academic year I still catch myself spontaneously smiling about my job -- for the combination of working hours, pay, holiday time, and opportunity to make more money if I choose I've never had it so good.

[Toby]

If you like Korea, stay and find a job.

If you don't like Korea, go home.

Don't let the bad experiences in certain areas of your life conflict with the good experiences in your life, if you are having them.

[JacktheCat]

I love living in Korea, which for all it's wackiness, is a fun and interesting country.

And I love teaching.

But at the end of the day, I am not teaching for free. I need to have a job were I am paid on time and in full and am rewarded for my contribution. My experiences so far in Korea have shown me that such jobs are very scare indeed.

[Real Reality]

JacktheCat wrote,
"My experiences so far in Korea have shown me that such jobs are very scare indeed."

Exactly. They are very scarce. And, sometimes when you finally think you have found a good one, it changes before you start or mid-contract.

[Gosp]

I really shouldn't be reading posts like this. They make me rethink my entire decision to teach in Korea. I mean I'm still going through with it, it's just that I really shouldn't read posts like this. They get me all tensed up. Not that I'm going to back out now, I mean the schools will be calling me anytime, right? So what's there to worry about. There's got to be some reason why I'm still reading posts on Dave's about bad experiences. Sure, they're the minority, right . . . or are they? Oh geez, I really shouldn't be reading posts like this. Because they make me quite paranoid and force me to rearrange my entire outlook on said career path.

What's that noise?

[osangrl]

sounds like u should spend more time hunting for a job. I took a few months after my 3rd screw over.... I wanted to stay in korea, but i also wanted to be happy, and job is 85 percent of our week here. Finally, im content in my workplace and it took awhile. I went to each school, interviewed and felt out the employers. This one won me over, inviting me to dinners , calling, sending emails, asking for a practice class, which they paid for, negotiated contently with me on my contract. Completely working with me in every aspect.

If you've had 3 jobs, are u not on a visa??? If not, stop, look around, there is some good out there.

Good luck

[the_beaver]

[Gosp]

[The Evil Clown]

[the_beaver]

[TECO]

taiwan
japan


Korea is only 1 country in Asia for anyone who has forgotten.

And there are ELT jobs outside of Asia as well.

[JacktheCat]

[JacktheCat]

And I'm not some newbie fresh off the boat. I've lived in 12 other countries and travelled to around another 90 or so. And I have no home per say to run off back to, as I was born in Indoneasia to American parents and my family is scatered around the world.


note: sorry for the bit of rant this week. a somewhat tired and pissed off cat i am right now.

[Toby]

The good jobs are there to be found.

My best advice to give anyone is to talk to someone who works at the school already.

Just be selective about what interviews you go for.

Don't sign on the day.

Talk to friends - they may know somewhere.