Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bibbitybop]

From reading many posts, I see that hogwan jobs are available almost anytime of the year.

I understand that university jobs do hiring around September-December for jobs beginning in March.

If I was to show up at the end of August and search for university jobs, would it be difficult for me to work at a hogwan from August until March if I give the hogwan advanced notice?

I understand the qualifications for obtaining uni jobs. I am simply trying to time my arrival. Thanks to anyone with answers!

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[d-rail]

if you come over on your own terms (buy your own plane ticket) then most hogwons probably wouldnt care if you left early. no money lost on their part. you will have a difficult time getting a work visa to stay and work since you need a sponsor to get one (generally an E2 visa). the school is normally your sponsor. However, most foreigners have their airfare paid for by the school that is hiring them. if a hogwon agrees to pay all that money to fly you over they expect you to fulfill a 1 year contract. they would never pay for a ticket if they knew you would be gone in 6 months. basically the best way to get a good job is to get the one you want from the start, and not switch employers after a few months. it is possible to do, but i am not too knowledgeable on switching employers.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Keep in mind that second semester for unis starts sometime in August, around the middle...and there are always some openings. Something to keep in mind if teaching in a university is where you are headed.

I don't agree with the poster who said hakwons probably don't care if you only work a couple of months. They still have gone to the hassle of hiring a teacher, set up housing, doing the visa work and paying for a visa run. I'm fairly certain that most hakwons much prefer someone stay a whole year, or at least 6 months in a pinch. Yes, you might accidentally run across something, but I wouldn't bank on it, especially if you will be on limited funds.

Good luck.

[Karabeara]

Uni's are no longer the holy grail of teaching in Korea. They are all becoming unikwons, as somebody posted (teaching hagwon classes as part of a university institute). So funny, yet so true. I think Hongdae is the only well-known place worth staying.

The right public/private high school job is the way to go, from what I am hearing.

[Homer]

University positions still have a lot of advantages over other positions.

Not all of them are turning into unikwons (thankfully) and most of them are differenciating when they hire between those teachers who will teach in the univetrsity hakwon and those who will be assigned to the English department.

Most still offer better vacation time and shorter work hours vs hakwons and public schools.

For someone with experience I would say Public Schools or Universities are the better choices unless you find a great hakwon that suits your preferences and there are many of those.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

a good uniwon is still a decent step up the ladder to a decent uni. Take what you can get out the gate.

[Bibbitybop]

Thanks for the responses, it helps quite a bit.

Does the same hiring time table apply to public school jobs?

[schwa]