Korean Job Discussion Forums

Been There, Taught That · Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject: "What If You Get Fired?"

This is my wife's question to me concerning our coming to Korea. She's never been out of Wisconsin nor on an airplane, so she has lots of pertinent questions. With a 2+-year-old tagging along, I have to come up with meaningful answers.

I've explained in my own way--as a husband, which any wife can tell you always needs the backing up of others--that there's one line of work for foreigners from The Seven, and that changing jobs every year or less is not so much a concern as a high expectation among FT's, but I'd like to give her further input. Personally, I think that in some teaching places there's no way to avoid "not being needed anymore" but in many you can prove yourself valuable and resign many times over.

But, realistically, I need to give her more input than just what I can say. So, I'm putting it to you: What does a FT do when he/she loses a job for any reason? Why did you, if you ever have, and what did you do about it? What's the maximum time you've been without a workplace involuntarily, and would you consider the situation for someone in the position dire, desperate or even thoughtworthy?

For me, it's just one of the many things that are much easier to deal with in Korea than one's own country, and for good reason?

If there's already a thread somewhere about this topic, let me know.

Atavistic · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:12 am Post subject:

After getting fired from my first job I spent 7 days unemployed involuntarily, waiting to get visa.

At my second job I got evicted with NO notice. I spent nearly 2 months without a job after that, but that was by choice. Had I wanted a job, it probably would've taken about 2 weeks to sort out the crap with my previous boss and get a new visa.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

OP- read "ianinilsan"'s thread about St Andrews in Ilsan. It may an extreme case, but it could happen again. Just be careful about saving money and keep your documents in a safe place in case it does happen to you.

Donkey Beer · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

Kiss as much ass as possible to avoid ruin.

Getting fired in Korea can have a disastrous effect on your professional and personal life. A negative comment by a hagwon owner carries a lot of weight back home.

You should arrive bearing gifts and give gifts whenever there is a holiday.

Atavistic · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:16 am Post subject:

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

As long as you have some emergency savings, getting fired is often the best thing that can happen to you as it leaves you free to find another job, of which there are plenty to be had in Korea.

You can tell your wife that getting fired is the least of her worries.

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

30,000 job openings in Korea per year for TEFL and only 20,000 people to cover those jobs. You will be able to move around job to job like a sl*t if you get fired or get rogered.