Korean Job Discussion Forums

[daniellelievre]

I've been running through recruiters for the last couple of weeks and I feel a bit confused. I think the offers sound good, but how am I to know what these places look like, what the schools are like, and so on? I have a little bit of money, enough to only buy a one-way ticket, and enough to survive about a month.

Is it ideal for me just to fly to Seoul and look for a job? I think I would prefer public schooling and heard they start in march, true? What will the deal with the visa run be, will they pay for it, and my flight home after completion of contract?

Any advice for where I should look for work once I get there?
Thanks much.

[kathycanuck]

One good way to find out about a school is to talk to current or former staff members. Ask the recruiter for their email addresses so you are sure they are free to speak candidly. It is definitely easier to find work when you are here; you may be able to negotiate a reimbursement of your airfare. There are public schools posted on Dave's now,check them out, speak to the teachers already there and then decide. If you come to Seoul you are almost assured of a Hogwan job, which can be a reasonable way to spend your first year if you do your homework. Check the threads re employment contracts on this forum to learn what to look for; if you are unsure about anything, there are experienced and kind folks here who will advise you before you sign.
Good luck

[keithinkorea]

Beware that you usually you can't enter the country on a one way ticket. If you don't have enough money then you're better off finding a job from overseas. You can always look into buying a refundable ticket to somewhere else or a the cheapest ferry ticket out of the country. You can't usually enter the country unless you have a return-onward ticket or a valid work visa.

Make sure you bring enough cash with you. If you don't then even after you've found a decent job you'll struggle, as it will be a month before you get paid. Most employers are quite decent about giving an advance but that puts you behind moneywise on your next month and that's a stressful issue to me. Also the first month can mean lots of unexpected expenses such as stocking up on cleaning gear and basic food stuff.

If you spend a month looking for a job here, you'll be spending a lot of time in PC bang, you ideally should rent a phone, you'll be eating out for most meals. The costs will really add up, be cautious coming to Korea without enough money or a decent escape plan.

Job searching in Korea is a lot better, but if you don't have enough cash and you have bad luck it could be a nightmare.

Bring enough money. If you're frugal, minimal budget should be 50-60 US dollars a day.

[Homer]

I will ad that if you have never been here and don't know too much about the place you might find it hard to find a good job in a decent amount of time.

Your decision should depend on:

1- Your ability to find work here while adapting to a new country, new language....

2- Your financial backing (how much you can bring).

As it was stated, if it takes you a month to find work, considering we are paid monthly, it means your first pay might be 2 months into your stay here (the month you spent looking and the first work month). That can be a hard expense to cover even if your employer usually will give you some sort of advance if you ask.

[PEIGUY]

You could always ask for photos of the school to be sent to you via e-mail and maybe pictures of the appartments(if the school has a foreign teacher) That's always a good supplement to doing e-mails, I know our school will get a foreign teacher to send pics of the school and the appt (since all our apts are the same) to any prospective foreign teachers. But, it's always better to find a job while in country too. You just have to weigh your options take your time don't rush into things and don't be pushed into things either.

[Rteacher]

If you don't have previous EFL teaching experience, in Korean public schools you start at the lowest end of the pay scale (unless you have a TESL/TEFL certificate or M.A.) and you have much larger classes to teach. Generally, public schools require an in-person interview. If you still want to go that route I would advise going with a recruitor that has a lot of experience placing teachers in public schools. I think Work n' Play is best known, but I had good results with Easy English Consulting - They were very helpful driving me to the school (many - like mine - are in remote small towns...) and helping out through the interview process.

You also might consider starting at a hogwan - or taking a TEFL certificate course that assures you of a hogwan job and provides housing during the month-long course. (I think TEFL International used to run an ad like that, but I haven't seen it in awhile...) Another idea is to stay in Thailand (and maybe take a cheap TEFL course) while trying to line up a job on the Internet. The main problem with that, though, is the hassle of making (and receiving) phone calls from Thailand...

[Grotto]

[caligirl78]

I suggest you contact schools that appear professional (check their websites, ask around for referrals, check job postings) and do in-person interviews. Be sure to ask lots of questions.. Recruiters are paid to place and they aren't always reliable.

Good luck!

PM me if you'd like

[Privateer]

Is it hard to find a job from your home country nowadays?

I tried 3 years ago and it was more difficult than I expected. There seemed to be fewer jobs than previously and recruiters had taken over everything. Is it still like that now? Last I heard they were crying out for teachers in Korea.

I ask only out of curiosity; I'm sorted out for work at the moment.

[Homer]

Grotto...now...that was a little over the top.

Experience does count for something here. Ask most long timers.

Of course, experience in a job without any sort of reference for good work does not mean anything..there you are right Grotto.