Korean Job Discussion Forums

[StAxX SOuL]

Firstly, a huge "Hello!" to everyone on the forums, I��ve had quite the day reading through post after post of your experiences in South Korea whilst waiting for Dave to activate my account.


I��m 22, and have recently graduated with a 2.1 in Law from Manchester University [UK]. I��m still a little unsure as to the permanent career path I wish to choose but after considerable research I have arrived at the conclusion that I��d like to combine travelling with a complete immersion in a different culture�� it seems that teaching English as a foreign language is the ideal path for me to recognise my individual goals, whilst providing the opportunity to give a little back at the same time.

My preliminary option is to organise my TEFL training and subsequent employment with i-to-i as it is affiliated with my ex-campus travel agent / gap year sorter-outers, but in all honesty following the substantial reading I��ve undertaken, I can��t help but think that the £595 fee is a little extortionate for the package offered. They do admittedly take some of the leg work out of sourcing a position in S. Korea, but in my opinion, far from enough to justify their asking price. Furthermore the approximate salary quoted is £900 / $1700 per month, which translates into 1.65m Won, for [yes, another approximately] 30 hours a week Monday – Friday, with the added disclaimer that you may be required to work some evenings and weekends. It all seems very wishy-washy.

Now, money is far from my motivation in pursuing this avenue, but common sense tells me that when forum members are talking about not working for less than 1.8m, with some salaries rising to 2.2m, I��d be foolish to pay someone to secure me a job that may require my evenings and weekends for a mere 1.65m. However, with my lack of experience I am aware that it may be my Seoul [lol, couldn��t resist!] option and that is why I am here.

I consider myself highly proficient in all aspects of the English language. Beside the exacting standards required to complete a Law degree successfully I have had work published in magazines, authored press releases, and also have a journal article under my belt, but nothing in the realms of TEFL / CELTA. I understand the need for some kind of yardstick for potential teachers as the general requirement of a degree would see an art [or engineering] graduate perhaps, with a less comprehensive knowledge of the English language saunter into the position of teacher. However, is the TEFL really worth the 90GSM paper it is printed on when you��ve pursued such a language intensive subject?

And with that I arrive back at my initial question. What can I expect from S. Korea based on my qualifications? Should I invest the £595 i-to-i require and complete the 60-hour online TEFL program included in the cost, or should I consider myself amply qualified to pursue my own avenues, approaching schools directly or using an agency [Longbridge Pacific anyone]? Hey, I��m not too bad looking either, even have a little modelling work under my belt�� if ��slim is in�� and looks are attributed a massive importance, based on the related thread, maybe I��m good for a University position, who knows?

Thanks for reading, hope I didn��t make it too laborious, and I��m looking forward to your responses on the matter�� please do bear in mind that I��d ideally like to be starting along with the new school year in March also.

[some waygug-in]

You don't need the course to get a job, but you may want to take one so that you will have some idea what you are doing.

A 1 week on-line course will give you a certificate and separate you from some of your cash, but it won't do much else for you.

If you are serious about a career in EFL, then take a CELTA or Trinity course as they are the most recognized.

If you are going to be teaching children, (as a good percentage of jobs are) the course won't be that helpful because it's geared towards adults.

My advice is take your time, read some of the posts on this forum, read some of people's experiences on the www.englishschoolwatch.org site.
Give yourself some idea of what you are getting into.

When you find something you might like, do a lot of checking. See if you can talk to a previous teacher. (one who has completed a contract)
If not, ............ who knows?

In any case, good luck to you.

[ajgeddes]

First off, 1.65 million is a laugher. I would say that maybe 2-5% of full-time jobs that are even offered are under 2 million. Nobody should have to settle for less than 2 million. Most people make more, and some make a LOT more.

If you take the TEFL/TESOL/whatever course, it could get you an extra $100 a month, for me it got me $200. So, the course could be paid off pretty quickly. You don't need to take it, but it COULD help you make a little extra money.

With most jobs that beginners take, you WILL be working every evening throughout the whole year. Most beginners start at private academies (hagwons) and most hagwons are evening/night work. You never need to work weekends if you don't want to. I would never work on weekends, and if they asked me, there is a 95% chance that I would say NO!!!! Unless they had a super-awesome-spectacular-free trip to the Bahamas reason, and then there would still be a 50% chance I would say no, haha.

Getting to the point, don't worry about getting a job, take the course if you want to (you MIGHT get a better job) and say NO to anything less than 2 million.

[Yo!Chingo]

Let me give you an idea of what you need to get a job here...1 thing. A BS from an accreditied university. I have no teaching experience, a BS in Science (no where near an education degree), and no teaching certifications yet I will work 30 hours a week and make 2.2 million per month. New job for me and so far I'm lovin' it. That's right! Just hold out and you'll find a good gig. Be picky and make sure you get what you want. Specificity is what it's all about. If you want Christmas off...tell them you want Christmas off and get it in writing. Don't want to share an apartment? Tell them and again get it in writing. They need you a hell of a lot more than you need them! Trust me!!! I had 2 job offers before I came here and after I moved I had 2-3 more. My husband lives here for his job so I was a housewife for a couple of months, but each job offer kept getting better and better.
Finally took a part-time for half of the discussed 2.2 in the contract working 10 hours per week. My boss told me when I want to work full time he'll give me 30 hours and my full salary.
Use an ESL recruiter like Park English or Korean People recruit. There's tons of em' online and they don't charge you. They charge the Hogwan that enlisted their services to find you. Quite a few people just come over and get a job upon searching for a week or so...all you need is a tourist's visa-90 days to look for what you want.
I actually think it's kinda better that way. You get 1st dibs on jobs when they see you're already here. No plane ticket for them to buy and if you're attractive you've got the job. Unfortuately, or fortunately depending upon your appearance, alot of jobs here are looking for good looking English speakers, and if you're blond that's an even bigger bonus. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself!

Good luck!!!

[StAxX SOuL]

Wow�� thanks for the volume of replies in such a short space of time. If I may address a few of the issues raised:

1. My one concern about committing to a CELTA at this stage is that I��m not yet sure if I intend my teaching English to blossom into a full career. I am decided on the fact that I��d like to spend 1 year in the profession for reasons contained within my opening post, but as a wholly new experience much would depend upon how the initial 12 months met my expectations. I may fall in love with it all in which case the development offered by an additional qualification would be quite the attractive option; however, I may decide that as rewarding as the time has been I was in fact destined for a career in the City. In such a climate, £900 is a considerable initial expense, although the potential to recoup over the year is quite evident.

2. When you say that I��d be taking evening / night classes, what is my working day likely to be? It wouldn��t be too bad in as much as I��ve always been a creature of the night rather than one of the morning, but I would still hope to enjoy local nightlife. Am I going to be left bitterly disappointed if I take up a job in a private institute, or will the opportunity to party remain outside of the weekend?

3. There is a certain mystique which lends itself to the traveller whom arrives in a foreign land with nothing more than a backpack only to forge himself a new beginning. It has been a consideration of mine, and in my research I stumbled across an article which offered guidance over a period of 10-days from arriving in Thailand to finding suitable employment. An obvious concern would be the financial viability of adopting such a tactic. Funds are far from a major issue, I could fly tomorrow, flight monies in hand, and still apportion a sizeable amount for my upkeep. The one question which lingers however is the duration for which I��d be without income in finding a job, and what a sensible amount to budget would be. Any suggestions? I do feel that having the opportunity to meet prospective employers would only serve to enhance my likelihood of success in the job market too. Complexion-wise I am quite dark, but I��m also blonde and blue-eyed which serves up a nice contrast! I��ve not visited the region before but a friend who recently returned from Thailand suggested that I��d go down a treat with the modelling agencies. Maybe that would transpose to S. Korea too��


A big thank you to all the well-wishers and the links to recruitment sites!! The endorsement of an agency is always welcome given the amount of crap that is out there!

[StAxX SOuL]

One question I omitted to include in my previous reply is whether the salaries mentioned in the previous posts are accompanied by benefits... the 1.65M packages offer free accommodation, 50 / 50 health insurance and a number of other benefits... are these taken to be a standard or are the 2.2M amounts referenced above exclusive of them?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Hogwans are a crap shoot, even if you try to do a lot of research. 2.0 should be your minimum. If you can get a public school job the benefits are much better. At age 22 high school students might have trouble taking you seriously. EPIK might be the best route to try. Send Blunder1983 a PM - he was in a similar position to you and I'm sure he'd be happy to offer advice.

As for training, maybe it would help you land a job at a public school or adult academy, especially if you're new to Korea. I don't think there's a course in the UK for managing Korean hogwan brats, and working at a daycare or as a boy scout leader or Sunday school teacher would probably be better training.

[StAxX SOuL]

At 22 I do possess quite a domineering presence, standing at 6'4" and approximately 200lbs... I've found it to hold up quite superbly before a court and the Bar has been suggested as the ideal career path given my oral ability and how I command attention... its a vastly different stage but perhaps that would work in my favour?

Great to see that I'm not the only person who has experienced this same predicament too... I'll be PMing Blunder1983 soon hoping he is able to impart some of his wisdom and assist in the situation..

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Look dude, just wander up in front of the class make some farting noises and you will have all their attention.

If that does not work then try something like holding one of the kids upside down by his ankles. That seems to get them focused on you.

Lastly do not confuse what we do in hagwons with education. It is baby sitting pure and simple, but for 2.1 million won and a nice apartment they are buying a damn nice baby sitter.

[Fat Sam]

Regarding the TEFL certificate, it could be very beneficial if you stay for a while, but for only a one year visit, it might not be worth it.

In my case, I didn't receive any extra salary in the first year because of my TEFL. In fact, I was working at a hagwon that paid an extra hundred thousand for North Americans while those from Australia/New Zealand were paid a hundred thousand less than me -based purely on accent. I ended the year in the ridiculous position of being the most underpaid teacher, along with another English person with a TEFL and two years experience, while three fresh-of-the-boat Americans/Canadians were earning more.

Things have been different since then and I'm very glad to have invested a thousand dollars in a one month course with Via Lingua whilst travelling in Mexico. It qualified me for a hundred thousand increase when I took a public school job last year. Financially, that year paid for the course but more importantly, made my application stand out and may have been a deciding factor in getting the job. If you're wanting to start in March, then maybe you should look at getting the TEFL before then. Meanwhile, apply to public schools on the basis that you will be qualified before you start. Term starts March 2nd.

Based on two years experience, my current contract pays an extra three hundred thousand with the TEFL. If I stay, as intended, until summer 2007, it works out at an extra eight million (four grand) total based purely on having this certificate. That would be after four years in Korea.

In other words, like any qualification, it's a gamble as to whether or not you will benefit from it (I often think of my degree as an expensive waste of four years but without it couldn't teach here at all). Still, it looks better than having nothing.

[Son Deureo!]