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dustydavid
Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Location: THE WORLD...IS MY OYSTER
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 Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:54 pm Post subject: what exactly do you do? |
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hey all,
i'm planning on coming to korea to teach inseptember, if i dont get offered my postgraduaute course. i just need to know one thing...do most people organise work themselves, or do they use a recruitment agency? you see, if one organises work themselves, are they gonna be in trouble if something doesnt work out which is the schools fault? wheras if you were with an agency and something didnt work out, at least you would have the agency to go back to and complain...or get advice. i and would appreciate some advice and personal recommendations!!!
Last edited by dustydavid on Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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zappadelta
Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| i'm a first timer (big tefl teacher in korea virgin! ) |
I would try to say this sentence as little as possible. |
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dustydavid
Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Location: THE WORLD...IS MY OYSTER
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| Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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| zappadelta wrote: |
| Quote: |
| i'm a first timer (big tefl teacher in korea virgin! ) |
I would try to say this sentence as little as possible. |
okay its edited....but seriously any advice? |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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The best advice is to prepare well
Don't be afraid yo use recruiters, but use them with a lot of scrutiny, and don't be afraid of just trying to land a job independantly.
You have to find a way that works for you.
Try also getting as much background information as you can, on VISA, on wage, on contractdetails, on livingconditions etc etc etc...
the more you know the less they can screw with you |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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i use recruiters but insist with speaking with past native english speakers, at least one from the school and one from the community, some recruiters balked and i walked to another recruiter
from overseas ensure you don't rely on the credibility of someone with a heavy financial interest in your decision
when in korea, for my second job, i used a recruiter but minimally, put me in touch with the hagwon and did the paperwork. I made my decision after visiting the school, meeting with the teachers, seeing the apartment.
so use recruiters, but don't rely wholly on them |
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Hotpants
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Never believe that a recruiter can get you out of any trouble you encounter. Always be prepared to have to manage everything by yourself wherever you become employed. |
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dustydavid
Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Location: THE WORLD...IS MY OYSTER
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| Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 10:49 am Post subject: |
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| Hotpants wrote: |
| Never believe that a recruiter can get you out of any trouble you encounter. Always be prepared to have to manage everything by yourself wherever you become employed. |
interesting...im thinkin of using a recruiter here in ireland. but i am not sure. how long does it roughly take to get work. if i began late august could i have a job by late september? |
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Marley_Doug
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:29 am Post subject: |
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if you're going to use a recruiter, I would suggest ATC. I've been working with a guy name Sammy, and though I have not signed a contract yet, I'm deciding between their contract and another. Sammy has read a ton of my emails and complaints about contracts and he has stepped up to the plate for me in discussing my revisions with the school.
Other recruiters have stopped replying to me when I dissect the contracts using the advice of celebrities such as Grotto and alabamaman. I'm almost sick of my complaining of contracts.
doug-life |
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Novernae
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| dustydavid wrote: |
| if i began late august could i have a job by late september? |
No problem. You could even end up with a job sooner if you're not picky, or later if you are.
Recruiters are there to find you a job, nothing more. Some of the better ones will give you some support throughout the year, but that's not somehting to depend on. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Hotpants wrote: |
| Never believe that a recruiter can get you out of any trouble you encounter. |
actually... recruiters lose pay if you bail early in your contract so they have a financial interest in making sure you adjust initially
so by all means use the recruiter to help you in a bad situation the first month or two (they care! because of the $$$)
i did so: i phoned the recruiter immediately after being asked to work on Friday, the very first Friday on the job, when my contract and verbal agreement was for fridays off. (their excuse was that wednesday was a holiday) i told the recruiter in no uncertain terms that fridays off was necessary and the recruiter turned around and phoned the hagwon immediately and that was that! problem solved.
and remember, never lose your cool with your director - you need that relationship to be healthy - but feel free to yell and throw a fit with a recruiter. |
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otis
Joined: 02 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:22 pm Post subject: Re: what exactly do you do? |
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| dustydavid wrote: |
hey all,
i'm planning on coming to korea to teach inseptember, if i dont get offered my postgraduaute course. i just need to know one thing...do most people organise work themselves, or do they use a recruitment agency? you see, if one organises work themselves, are they gonna be in trouble if something doesnt work out which is the schools fault? wheras if you were with an agency and something didnt work out, at least you would have the agency to go back to and complain...or get advice. i and would appreciate some advice and personal recommendations!!! |
Your first job in Korea is usually your worst job. You just have to hope you don't end up with someone shady who will screw you out of money.
But if it does happen, you can always flee to Japan, Taiwan, China and teach over there until your one year visa is up.
The job itself isn't very difficult.
Basically, it goes like this:
You walk into the classroom and say crap like apple and get the kiddies to repeat it. Occasionally, they poke you in the ass.
Then you go home or get drunk or visit a hooker, etc.
That's pretty much the drill for teaching in Korea. It's fun. You'll love it--except for the teaching, which at times is draining. |
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dustydavid
Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Location: THE WORLD...IS MY OYSTER
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| Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: what exactly do you do? |
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| otis wrote: |
| dustydavid wrote: |
hey all,
i'm planning on coming to korea to teach inseptember, if i dont get offered my postgraduaute course. i just need to know one thing...do most people organise work themselves, or do they use a recruitment agency? you see, if one organises work themselves, are they gonna be in trouble if something doesnt work out which is the schools fault? wheras if you were with an agency and something didnt work out, at least you would have the agency to go back to and complain...or get advice. i and would appreciate some advice and personal recommendations!!! |
Your first job in Korea is usually your worst job. You just have to hope you don't end up with someone shady who will screw you out of money.
But if it does happen, you can always flee to Japan, Taiwan, China and teach over there until your one year visa is up.
The job itself isn't very difficult.
Basically, it goes like this:
You walk into the classroom and say crap like apple and get the kiddies to repeat it. Occasionally, they poke you in the ass.
Then you go home or get drunk or visit a hooker, etc.
That's pretty much the drill for teaching in Korea. It's fun. You'll love it--except for the teaching, which at times is draining. |
cool! sounds like fun. which is exactly what i want after years of study! i completed an arts degree in music. i hope to bring alot of music to the classroom. is this cool, or are the owners like "grrrr. i said no siinging". in my experience, its easier for kids to learn through rhyme. |
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elynnor
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by elynnor on Sat Oct 07, 2006 12:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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dustydavid
Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Location: THE WORLD...IS MY OYSTER
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| Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 7:45 am Post subject: |
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| elynnor wrote: |
| Quote: |
| i hope to bring alot of music to the classroom. is this cool, or are the owners like "grrrr. i said no siinging". |
Korea is a country obsessed with singing. Everyone loves to sing, from young kids up to drunken businessmen at 3 am.
Kids up until about grade 4 or 5 will happily sing kid songs. Grade 5 and older like to sing "pop songs" that are more adult in music and lyrics. In Korea, the definition of "pop song" seems to be "something really annoying that many western ears would not consider good music." They especially love sentimental ballads. While I can't speak for every classroom or hakwon in Korea, using music in your classroom shouldn't be a problem, as the kids will love it, and business will be good.
I'd like to share a semi-related little anectdote which may help demonstrate the national fervor for music, and in particular, "pop songs." My first week here, a grown Korean man (the gym/PE teacher at the school) asked me if I knew of and enjoyed the "pop group" Alvin and the Chipmunks. He regularly listens to Karen Carpenter, Lionel Ritchie, and other crap I've had to learn to block out at the risk of going insane. His desk is next to mine, and he seems to feel that any music with English lyrics must be a "treat" for me.
ANYWAY, back on topic . . . if you have a degree in music, you should mention that and see if you can't negotiate a little salary increase. I would think that would be seen favorably as a little something extra you can bring to your teaching. |
interesting...for the days of the week i recommend darkness' "friday night!"..."monday rowing, tuesday badminton, dancing on a friday night, i had bridge club wednesday, needle work on thursday, dancing on a friday night!" get little korean kids to sing falsetto and im sure the windows will smash!
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