Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yusef]

I only have one year of experience teaching in korea
it was at a very poorly run hagwon
I have no ESL certification
I did not major in education
I have done no post graduate work

I really want to make at least 2.6 million a month
and have housing, airfare, severence n all that good stuff too

i keep hearing people are out there makin good money
is it just the very qualified/experienced?
pretty much every job i come across is 1.9 to 2.2

i was making 1.9 last year and thought that was average until everyone i met looked at me like i was some poor sap and said "oh that isn't very much"
but now
i keep passin up jobs hoping more money is out there
but i can't seem to find it
am I expecting too much?
I don't mind working alot
but i don't want to truck all over korea doing privates n breaking the law
or be treated like crap from some hagwon owner who thinks he is kim jong il

[rawiri]

yes.

[poet13]

2.6? Maybe. But I don't think it's about qualifications. I think it's more about the research you put into finding that dream job, and the people you know who can introduce you to the people offering it.
I would love to hear if you get it...

[Yusef]

hmm
ok
thats what i wanted to know
i kinda figured
oh well

[jinju]

2.6 plus housing? yeah, you are unreasonable. Who would give it to you? Seriously, what do you bring to the table with 1 year of experience? When I made the jump from the 1.9/2.0 range to the 2.5/2.6 range it was with 3 years of solid experience plus very good references.

If you want the money, you pay the dues if you have nothing tangible to offer. I also have no certification and my major was in biochemistry. But I now have 5 years of experience and could put together letters of reference from 2 principals, 2 vice principals and higher up people in the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

So, if you and I go for a job that pays 2.6, who will get it? And I dont pretend to be overtly qualified either, Im sure there are people who bring far more to the table than me.

Pay your dues and stop hoping for miracles.

[Yusef]

ok

[poet13]

jinju.
In a perfect world, the people with the highest qualifications would get the best, highest paying jobs. This is not a perfect world.
Yes, if you and he (or she) went for the same job, you SHOULD get it. But what if you were fat, ugly, and black (yes, racism occurs here), while the less qualified person is tall, blond, athletic, a nine out of ten, and oozes charisma? This IS Korea.

[passport220]

I am an Economics major with a TESOL cert. and no teaching experience. I was offered 2.3 with housing + but could not take the job due to an early start date. 2.2 with housing + is fairly easy to find. I am making 2.1 now with housing + but with overall work conditions that suited me best.

[jinju]

[Yusef]

(my hair is really more of an auburn than blond, but with some natural highlights)
I did get an offer for 2.5
thats the kind of thing that made me unsure of wheter or not i was being too unrealistic
some jobs are 1.8, some are 2.5, i hear about people making 3.0 and up
i just wasn't sure
which is kind of why i wrote this thread, to see if i should just take it or keep waiting
but i am now convinced to just take it
so thanks a bunch

[poet13]

he got offered 2.5


so jinju, call it a draw?

[jinks]

What stopped you accepting the offer of 2.5?

[jinju]

[laogaiguk]

[DCJames]

I've been here for 4 years now and have seen salaries remain the same..I've even noticed many places are not even offering housing anymore. so basically you getting 1.8-2.2 million with no housing for many jobs out there..

I think employers are justifying these lame salaries by saying the US Dollar is alot weaker now than the won... This reasoning doesn't make sense considering we don't live in the US.. We live here and have to deal with Korean inflation not American inflation..

Don't lower your standards.. don't accept the jobs with lame salaries and employers will be forced to raise their salaries..