Korean Job Discussion Forums

[south pacific]

Hi all -

There are plentiful comments (good/bad) about specific employers, however, can I take this opportunity to come at it from the other end - and ask for an employment recommendation (i.e., which is the best place to start?) for a newbie without a CELTA.

I would prefer adult teaching as I have experience in that field, but in an unrelated subject discipline. However I am open-minded. I can start this month. I'm not so much after the highest paid work, more the best all-round conditions, working environment, and corporate/school culture.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

Paul

[MarionG]

Teaching adults usually requires split shifts, except when teaching at a university. Split shifts drain the lifeblood right out of you...

[bassexpander]

Is it just me, or are there a lot of CELTA advertising posts lately?



You're better off not spending your millions of won on the CELTA. Virtually any TEFL certificate over 100 hours is equal to the CELTA in the eyes of the Korean gov't. You can spend $250 on other programs and get the same pay bonus if you work for a public school, for example. There are lists of many programs on here. If you plan on making a career out of ESL, you're better off going the real route and getting a real teaching certification/degree, or Masters Degree in something like TESOL, rather than the CELTA, which is merely a certification certified by those who created the CELTA itself. A CELTA won't get you a job teaching ESL in the USA, or even a full time gov't school job in England, where it comes from. If you want to do that, you need more education than a 1 month lesson plan course with grammar brush-up.

With that said, finding a good employer in Korea is a crapshoot, as it is anywhere else. There just seem to be more bad ones here, and they almost all seem to push you as far as they can. I find it is valuable to judge how well you seem to get along with the boss during your first meeting.

[south pacific]

Thanks both for your comments. I figured I could forego doing a CELTA - at least initially - as I have communications-related degees (which I accept are not right-on-topic ESL obviously). I would like to get some experience, while avoiding a bad school on my first assignment.

Cheers, Paul

[bassexpander]

If you plan on travelling around the world and working for 2 or 3 years(in countries related to the UK) then the CELTA is useful. If you're planning to make it a longer-term job, then go for a real degree of some sort.

If you're planning to stay in Korea, or just work a year or two here and go back home, then the CELTA is a big waste of money. It costs $1,500 to $2,000 for the course, plus another $2,000 if you figure lost pay during the time you could have been working.

[Jizzo T. Clown]

I think if you want to start this month that it's a little late in the game to be choosy about age groups. In my experience (which granted isn't as extensive as many posters on this board), the more time you put into your job search, the higher the chances of landing a job at a decent school.

I'd say don't let wanting to come to Korea this month influence your decision regarding the type of institution. Recruiters are known for creating a sense of urgency (like any good salesman), and your wanting to start right away gives them the advantage, and they will be more likely to place you in hagwon hell for a year.

Take your time, check out the posts on this board, talk to several recruiters (at least half a dozen) and be very specific about what you want and what you will and will not accept.

Don't worry about certification unless you work at a public school, then you can check out one of the cheaper online certs offered that will satisfy their requirements.

[south pacific]

Thanks all. Would anyone like to recommend a school/hagwon by name?

[oneofthesarahs]