Korean Job Discussion Forums

No Moss · Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Location: China

I'm an old guy, I admit it. But I can teach. I've got an unrelated degree, a TEFL cert, and seven years of experience. I was a business guy in the States. My teaching skills are pretty well honed after all this time, including grammar, spelling, and pronunciation. I use the phonetic alphabet in class.

62 years old. I'm looking to work in Seoul or Pusan (Busan?). I'll probably make a trip to find work.

Just a few questions. Do hogwans start contracts on a schedule, like the first of the month, or anytime? How long will it take me to find a job, assuming that I'm a well-kept, affable guy with no significant health or appearance problems? What kind of salary can I expect, based on 5 teaching hours a day (wouldn't want to teach any more)?

Thanks for any replies.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Try to get a uni gig or do a year of public school, make some contacts, and then get a uni gig. There are very few hagwons that will want you and vice versa.

Oh and learn what harlahboji-seonsaengnim means and prepare to get used to hearing it.

Flummoxed Lummox · Joined: 20 Jun 2007

No Moss,

Be prepared for age discrimination. I'm 48 (just in Korea for three weeks now) and was told by more than one potential employer that they wanted somebody younger. That's not to say you can't find work. But some will bypass you because of your age, regardless of your qualifications.

Good luck.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

What is your degree in?

What qualifications do you have?

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

Public schools like older folks.

No Moss · Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Location: China

Rteacher · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA

I'm 58, and I'm half-way through my third year at the same "public" technical high school (about 50% of high schools in Korea are privately owned, but they have to comply with the Education Ministry to get subsidies for native English teachers...)

For these type jobs you usually have to go in for an interview with the principal and some administrators (including the head of the English department.)

At my interview, things were going pretty well until the principal flatly asked how old I was (my recruiter - who accompanied me to the interview along with her boss - had told them beforehand that I was "in my 40s"...)

I made some funny remark, but he asked to see my passport and started shaking his head and remarked to the vice-principal in Korean that I was 56...

I thought that would probably blow it for me, but the savvy recruiter quickly tried to change the subject and without warning asked me to give an impromptu demonstration of my teaching style. After that went rather badly I felt like I had practically no chance of getting that job.

The recruiter told me that the principal did think that I was too old, but that the head of the English department had a lot of influence there, and he had said "we'll see you again" when we left. She was right.

The fact that the school was about an hour and a half bus ride from Seoul made them more willing to hire an older guy, I'm sure. And having a smart , experienced recruiter helps also. (I used a company in Seoul called Easy English Consulting ...)

nautilus · Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

So U gathered no moss? me neither, haha.

Well, best advice is get a public school job. Theyre not bad at all and mature people are welcomed at them.

Don't waste your time at a hogwon. Thats really for young grads who don't mind wrestling with out of control brats and throwing sticky balls at the wall.