 Make sure you've gotten down all your Visa details first before you begin looking for a job. It's essential to determine which Visa type you will need (E-2 or F-4) because some schools will only accept certain visas. If you haven't already read it, my previous blog post also goes over some Job Hunting Quick Facts at the end that might be helpful when you look for a teaching position in Korea. I titled this post "Finding the Right Job" as opposed to the "Perfect Job" because no matter how hard you look or how long you take, compromise will be inevitable. There will always be at least one or two things you don't agree with. Understanding to what extent you'll endure those non-ideal conditions is key to having realistic expectations. PreferencesMy blog explores the process of obtaining a job at a Hagwon (private for-profit school). Hagwons allow a lot more flexibility in your preferences so you can afford to be a little more picky. Here are some options to think about when you apply:
For reference, below is a table of the characteristics I sought when looking for a job.
RecruitersThere are hundreds - if not thousands - of hagwons stationed throughout every city of Korea. It is impossible to find them all, inquire about their working conditions, and apply. That is where recruiters come in. Recruiters receive information from schools that have openings and find applicants that best match their prescribed criteria. If you're intimidated by the thought of approaching institutions directly or if this is your first time applying to hagwons, then I highly recommend using recruiters. Why should I use recruiters?
How many recruiters should I use? For hagwons, as many as you want. I would say the more the merrier, but you only really need 3 or 4 big agencies at most. Some schools use only one agency, while others have multiple recruiters. Having a few options will increase your opportunities. Just note that sometimes your resume will be sent to the same school several times if you have more than 1 recruiter. This can be seen negatively by the school (i.e. desperation), but you'll be offered many more options that it doesn't really matter. How do recruiters get paid? Recruiters are hired by a school to find them potential applicants to interview. They are usually paid 350,000 won and upwards. They do all the grunt work for the school (and you) - posting on job boards, finding qualified candidates, scheduling interviews, negotiating contract terms, booking the flight, picking teachers up from the airport, booking a hotel until the school's housing is ready, and so on. During the job hunt, the school is only responsible for approving interviews and conducting them. TIP: Never pay a fee for recruiters. They work for the schools, not for you. That sounds great! What's the catch?
So, should I use recruiters? Absolutely, yes! They have all the job listings in their system, which will allow them to find schools that best fit YOUR preferences. If you don't want to completely rely on recruiters, you are definitely free to apply directly to schools at the same time. Below is a list of recruiters I've used and my impressions. This is strictly from MY personal experience and does not detail anyone else's interaction unless noted. You can see reviews from other people (or post one yourself) here: Korean Recruiter Reviews recruiter reviews
Aclipse (www.aclipse.net) - I applied on their website. I think they are the sole recruiter used for all Chundahm Learning Institute schools (franchise). I spoke with Kathryn. She was very pleasant and explained the process very thoroughly. The phone interview was great and was conducted in Eastern Standard Time (not Korean Time). The whole call lasted about 40 minutes. Highly recommended.
Adventure Teaching (www.adventureteaching.com) - After applying on their website, they sent me a huge 2-page waiver about how I will not sue them if their recruitment process brings damage to me. I did not proceed. Cube Recruiting (apply@cuberecruiting.com) - They did not respond to my initial e-mail with a resume, cover letter, and photo. I applied with just a resume for positions on Craigslist (recruiters' emails are blocked), and it turned out to be Cube Recruiting. They responded but I did not proceed. EnJ Place (esl411@gmail.com) - James was my representative, and I believe he founded his own recruiting agency. He set me up with an interview with DUX Academy (a literature hagwon) and gave me a lot of great tips and advice on how to ace the interview (it worked since I got an offer!). He also claimed that he could provide me with additional hours at his own school if I needed more income. His English is perfect as he grew up in the states. After going over the contract, I asked questions about what constituted a teaching hour. He was very vague and brushed over the topic like it wasn't a big deal. The contract was over 30 teaching hours, which is a LOT higher than average. I didn't appreciate that he tried to undermine the extraneous working conditions and pass it off as something acceptable. ESL Korea (www.eslkorea.kr) - I spoke with Joe. He's very nice, friendly, and jovial. His English is perfect (I think he grew up in the states). ESL Korea is an extremely professional agency with a team of representatives in a cubicle office. The screening interview had no hiccups and Joe started presenting me with interviews a few days later. After getting offers from his schools, I said the salary range wasn't what I was seeking. I asked if he could negotiate a higher salary. He claimed that teachers who have 0 experience in Korea receive 2.1 ~ 2.2 million won (which is true). However, I have 4 years of private tutoring services and SAT/ACT instruction in America, which apparently holds no merit in Korea based on what Joe said. I told him I am considering another offer and with that, one of the schools offered a generous raise. I declined. Also, when I posted up my resume online (Dave's ESL Cafe), another representative from ESL Korea (Jack) reached out to me about potential positions, even when I was already speaking with Joe. Jack's communication was much less coherent. I did not have a screening interview with Jack. Friend's experience: I recommended my colleague SK to Joe and he organized an interview between her and a Poly School in Seoul. The hours and salary were great. Joe's comments and the interviewer's responses seemed all very positive, almost ensuring her the position. They said that they were just working out a few details in the contract. Later, SK was told that she did not get the job because they wanted someone with more experience. It was a misleading and disappointing experience. Good English / Think Outside Recruiting (goodenglish2011@gmail.com) (mailtoindycho@gmail.com) - I initially responded to an ad on Dave's ESL Cafe with a recruiting agency called "Think Outside Recruiting" attaching my resume, cover letter, and photo. They never responded. After posting my resume online, Cindy from Good English e-mailed me about potential positions (using the same goodenglish2011@gmail.com address also used by "Think Outside Recruiting"). I had to e-mail Cindy and Indy from Think Outside Recruiting a couple times to get them to add me on Skype. The initial communication was difficult, but once they began responding, they did bring up potential positions fitting my preferences. I did not interview with any of those schools. I'm still not quite sure if they're 2 companies posting ads together or what. When talking with Indy on Skype, he did mistakenly forward me a contract for another applicant, illustrating a bit of disorganization on his part. Job In Korea (help@jobinkorea.co.kr) (jikrecruiter@gmail.com) - I applied directly to their jobinkorea.co.kr e-mail with my resume, cover letter, and photo regarding positions they posted online, but didn't receive a response. After posting up my resume on Dave's ESL Cafe a week later, they e-mailed me personally. I filled out their questionnaire and sent them the same resume and photo. They stopped responding. Star Teachers (info@starteachers.net) **RED FLAG** - This was the first agency I worked with. Jeff was my representative. Our initial screening interview was done via Kakaotalk Voice Call. The reception was a bit poor with background noise. His initial job posting in Gangnam caught my attention and he set me up with an interview a few days later. On the day of my interview, the school never contacted me. I was told they were too busy. We re-scheduled a week later. On the day of the re-scheduled interview, I asked Jeff to confirm that the interview was still happening and he said yes. I spent 4 hours preparing because this job had the most ideal working conditions (i.e. hours, salary, location). 2 hours before the interview, I asked for any tips and advice from Jeff. He told me that I was fine because I had an outgoing and energetic personality. Again, the school never contacted me. Jeff claimed that the school was only accepting in-person interviews in Korea. He told me to focus on the other interviews he had scheduled for me. My question was: why did Jeff claim to have scheduled video interviews with this school twice when they only accept in-person interviews? I was upset that he deceived me into thinking that the interviews with the Gangnam school were happening. In retrospect, after gaining more knowledge, I did realize the Gangnam hagwon was one of the "shady" schools that offered the optional pension plan (illegal). So perhaps I should be thankful I did not go through with the interview. Friend's experience: I recommended my colleague SK to Jeff (before the falsified interview dates). She has had several interviews with schools she really liked, all with decent salary and hours. She had decided to go with a hagwon offered by Jeff. However, his communication skills and ability to convey correct information was very questionable. Agencies that never responded after 1 month - AMS Korea (donpark53@gmail.com) - AppleTree Recruiting (appletreeedukorea@gmail.com) - Engkorea Agency (job@engkorea.com) - EZ Match (wowtaerim@naver.com) - HiKoreaEdu (hikoreaedu@naver.com) - Korea Global Connections (kgcabc@gmail.com) - OK Recruiting (ok@opportunitykorea.com) - Park English (parkenglish@parkenglish.com) - Prime Recruitment (primerecruitmentkorea@gmail.com) - Super ESL Recruitment (supereslrecruitment@gmail.com) - Teach Abroad Korea (teachabroad11@gmail.com) - Teaching Jobs Korea (teachingjobskorea123@gmail.com) - The One English (theoneeng1030@gmail.com) - Xperteachers Recruiting (xperteachers@gmail.com) Based on the number of agencies that did not respond to me, I have speculated that some recruiters may not respond for the following reasons:
Tips when applying to recruiting agencies:
 An e-mail I sent to a recruiter that received a response. I included a short snippet about me that I thought would grab the recruiter's attention. Also, I included their required information in a dedicated section of the e-mail.  An e-mail I sent to a school directly that received a response. I addressed the school director personally (his name was on the ad) and included a sentence about the details that appealed to me, based on the job description. Job BoardsNow, it's time to start looking for jobs either through a recruiting agency or directly through a school. Here are a list of links to find jobs (I only used Craigslist and Dave's ESL Cafe): If you have a basic literacy of Korean or have the guts to try navigating Korean websites, you can also use Naver (Korean Google) and search hagwons in specific cities. I recommend clicking on a school's website on Naver's map (map.naver.com) and finding an e-mail address. Note: this means you will be going through the school directly and not through a recruiter. I've linked a few search queries with hagwons from popular cities for you. Good luck! The InterviewNow comes the hard part, or so you think. I've noticed that interviews aren't very intensive and rarely last longer than 30 minutes. One school only asked questions for about 2 minutes and I ended up taking the next 10 to ask mine. Quick Facts:
Tips to Prepare:
During the Interview:
After the Interview:
I have outlined my specific experiences in interviews, along with a few questions that were asked of me. It is not an exhaustive summary, so I recommend doing your own research as well. Gyeyang global language center
Location: Incheon
Hours: 2:00pm ~ 8:05pm Interviewer: School Director Duration of Interview: 30 minutes # of Interviews: 1 Extra Assessment(s): No Talked with a current/former teacher? Yes Used a Recruiter? No Interview Questions
Big heart christian school
Location: Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 8:10am ~ 4:20pm Interviewer: Curriculum Coordinator Duration of Interview: 23 minutes # of Interviews: 1 (Expected 2) Extra Assessment(s): Yes - Application Questionnaire (regarding my Christianity) Talked with a current/former teacher? No Used a Recruiter? Yes Interview Questions
gimpo topia
Location: Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 2:00pm ~ 10:15pm Interviewer: School Manager, School Director Duration of Interview: 15 minutes, 23 minutes # of Interviews: 2 Extra Assessment(s): No Talked with a current/former teacher? No Used a Recruiter? Yes Interview Questions
aclipse (chundahm learning institute)
Location: Varies
Hours: Varies Interviewer: Recruiter Duration of Interview: 40 minutes # of Interviews: 1 Extra Assessment(s): Yes - 5 minute role playing (stopped at 4 minutes) Talked with a current/former teacher? No Used a Recruiter? Yes Interview Questions
Miltan english academy
Location: Incheon
Hours: 2:00pm ~ 10:00pm Interviewer: School Director & Teacher Duration of Interview: 15 minutes (they gave me a video tour of the school!) # of Interviews: 1 Extra Assessment(s): No Talked with a current/former teacher? Yes Used a Recruiter? No Interview Questions
Minute Plus Language Institute
Location: Gyeonggi-do (?)
Hours: (?) Interviewer: School Director Duration of Interview: 22 minutes # of Interviews: 1 Extra Assessment(s): No Talked with a current/former teacher? No Used a Recruiter? No ** I can't remember much about this interview because it was so vague. The only thing that stood out was the reason the current teacher's position was being vacated. I also responded before receiving an answer because I had chosen a school by the time the director would have gotten back to me. Interview Questions
Dux Academy
Location: Gangnam
Hours: 3:00pm ~ 9:00pm Interviewer: School Director Duration of Interview: 30 minutes # of Interviews: 1 Extra Assessment(s): No Talked with a current/former teacher? No Used a Recruiter? Yes ** Note: They describe themselves as a "literature" academy and are only accepting teachers with a degree in English Literature. ** Note 2: A lot of the interview was about books. Interview Questions
iSpeak (PeAI)
Location: Gangnam
Hours: 1:30pm ~ 8:30pm Interviewer: School Manager Duration of Interview: Expected 60 min+ # of Interviews: 1 Extra Assessment(s): Yes - written assessment about teaching philosophy Talked with a current/former teacher? No Used a Recruiter? No I did not actually go through with the interview because I saw several red flags. Unpaid training for 2 weeks, no vacation days, no sick days, no housing. After passing the initial written assessment, we scheduled an interview with 40 minutes of a teaching demo (yellow flag). What really upset me was the fact that the manager had 3 days to provide me with any specific instruction about the teaching subject for the demo (I gave him a list of subjects I could showcase). He said I had full freedom to choose a topic, and left it at that. I prepared materials over the weekend and called family members about a 1.5-hour drive away to be my "students," since it was hard to find children on such short notice. Literally, as I was about to drive down to my family (2 hours before the interview), the manager said he had thought I would follow his teaching guidelines - which were nothing but questions that you would normally ask in a typical interview. He also claimed that the students should have been provided homework, which he did not attach. He sends a poorly formatted e-mail with a list of 5 questions under the guise of "Teaching Guidelines" with only 90 minutes to spare. The lack of organization, teaching principles, and benefits made me wary. Our communication beforehand seemed as though the demo interview was only courtesy of formal procedure of their school, but otherwise I was "perfect on paper" for the position. However, the last minute details and overall disarray made me not want to pursue the opportunity. Contract DetailsFinally, you have an offer! But the work isn't finished yet. It's important to review each clause in your contract very carefully. Every contract will differ from school to school, but there are a few statements that should always be visible and clear.
"Working Hours"
Monthly Taxes & Government Fees
** Some people say that an exact income tax rate of 3.3% should raise a red flag because teachers under an "Independent Contractor" status will be charged a 3.3% tax rate. Independent Contractors are not employees and therefore not granted the pension plan, national medical insurance, and severance benefits that employees are normally given. It could be a sign that a hagwon is "sketchy" because they want to cut corners. However, income tax rate is between 3~7% so 3.3% might just be a coincidence. Just call your local tax office in Korea to make sure they are paying your taxes as an employee and not an Independent Contractor. Housing
Other Paid Days
Other Benefits
Other Clauses
12/24/2017
Korea Teach to Learn #1: The Basics When I decided to teach in Korea about 3 weeks ago, there were some basic things that I had to understand. Some I researched beforehand, while others I learned during the application process. One thing I knew for sure was that teaching at a hagwon would help me accomplish my goals. Before you start applying, it's important to solidify your knowledge on a few topics. Why Teach in Korea?Identify your motivations. This will be the key to enduring all the hardships you'll experience in the next year. Homesickness, culture shock, long working hours, ostracism, xenophobia, extreme weather conditions, etc. are all very common difficulties that foreigners face. Will your ambitions push you through them for 12 months? My Backstory & circumstances
I have been job hopping for the past few years, while freelancing as an artist on the side. Ultimately, my end goal is to work as an artist at a video game studio. Not at Blizzard or Riot Games, but somewhere that welcomes a more Asian oriented art style ("anime"). Think Puzzle & Dragons and Sid Story. I have been drawing art for indie visual novel games for several years, but I want to level up my skills and join a talented team of game developers in a full-time capacity, not as a contractor or freelancer.
You may ask how this ties into teaching abroad. Korea is well known for their factory of hagwons available everywhere. They have hagwons for subjects like English, Coding, Design, Math, TOEIC, and Art. The school I want to attend is called Dream Factory. Their level of artists is phenomenal and utilize the techniques I hope to learn. However, to attend an art academy, I would need to be able to pay for housing, transportation, and daily necessities. Hagwons give me the flexibility, salary, and benefits that will allow me to see through my long-term vision. Eligibility If you want to teach in Korea, you will need to obtain something called a "Visa." This is a document that grants you government "permission" to stay in a country for a longer time. Korea will place a Visa on your passport in the form of a sticker. To be eligible for a Korean visa, you must meet certain requirements. Nationality Requirements You must hold a passport from one of the following 7 countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the United States. Residents from these 4 countries may be eligible to apply to teach, but the standards are stricter: India, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore. Academic Requirements You must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited 3 or 4 year university. Visa TypesMost foreigners fall under an "E-2" type visa, allowing a person to teach at a school (including hagwons) for 1 year before they need to renew their visa or leave. However, for those with Korean parents, you would be eligible for an "F-4" type visa, which has many more lenient restrictions and allows you to stay for 2 years before needing to renew. There are other types of visas, but 99% of foreigners interested in teaching in Korea will apply for an E-2 or F-4 visa. Regardless of which visa you're getting, you'll need the following materials:
An Apostille is a vetting system done at the state (diploma) or federal (criminal background check) level in which an authoritative figure will claim that all the information is true. These items are necessary to obtain an E-2, but are also submitted to the Ministry of Education to prove that you meet the minimum requirements to teach. F-4 visa applicants will need them as well. 
Visa DocumentsHow to get Passport Photos Bigger grocery stores like Walgreens and CVS will have that service readily available. They cost about $7 for 2 photos. How to get an Apostilled Diploma
* If you've misplaced it, ask your school for a replacement diploma for a fee. ** Most universities also accept your diploma copy via mail, fax or e-mail (for out-of-state graduates). Contact your school to ask about their notarization process. How to get an Apostilled Criminal Background Check (CBC) (Other Names: FBI Background Check, FBI Criminal Background Record, National Criminal Record Check, Identity History Summary Check, Criminal History Record, Rap Sheet) Get a Criminal Background Check from the FBI See full instructions here.
Authenticate your Criminal Background Check with an Apostille See full instructions here. Once you receive your criminal background check from the FBI or an FBI-Approved Channeler, you will need to send it to the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. to get an apostille.
Still Confused? This was my best attempt to give you a simplified summary for a complicated apostille process. You can read more detailed explanations on the following links: Visa ProcedureOnce you've gotten your Apostilled Diploma and Apostilled Criminal Background Check, you've completed about 90% of the work to obtain an E-2 visa! E-2 Visa Personally, I am not getting an E-2 Visa, so I'm not too familiar with the process. I highly recommend calling your local Korean Consulate (if available) and asking what is standard procedure. Below are links that go over the steps.
Procedure A school did give me a very brief rundown of what to expect after gathering my Apostille documents. "[O]ur school should submit your diploma and FBI background check to the immigration office and then we have to wait about one week to get VISA application number. After I get VISA application number from the immigration office, I should give it to you so that you can apply for E2 VISA with the number. It will also take about another one week to receive E2 VISA." - Gyeyang Global Language Center F-4 Visa What's great about the F-4 is that the process is somewhat straightforward and does not require interviews like the E-2 does. Essentially, you have to prove you are Korean. Required Documents
* If your parents have NOT renounced (gotten rid of) their Korean citizenship, that is a separate process that will need to be done in person at your local Korean Consulate office. It may take up to 3 months. Procedure
The "Korean" Job HuntWhen I started my job hunt, there were a lot of minor things I've noticed about the application process. Knowing them might be helpful before you start seeking a teaching job. Finding a Job
Applying
The Interview
How to ResearchKnowing where to look for resources and help during the entire application process is essential to making well-informed decisions. And there are many available, if you know where to look. Below is a list of links I've visited frequently.
General Help & Information:
Taxes:
Government Related Information: Korean Schools: Culture Blogs If all else fails and you still can't find what you're looking for, good ol' Google is the way to go.
12/23/2017
Korea Teach to Learn #0: Getting Started Welcome to my blog series "Korea Teach to Learn," dedicated to my teaching plans at a hagwon (private after school program) in Korea. The first few posts will outline my background, motivations, and pre-hagwon processes. There are so many resources that will help you make a decision if you're on the fence about teaching in Korea. My blog will be a little different because my reasoning is obscure, and I'll talk mostly about my day to day life with updates on my own learning experiences. Hopefully, you'll enjoy a thing or two during my journey as I live in a completely new environment overseas! Who Am I?Hello! My name is Sora and I decided to pursue an opportunity to teach in Korea a few weeks ago. A month later, here I am, signed on to teach at a hagwon for a year. Don't get me wrong, the idea has been brewing at the back of my mind for a couple years, but I never took full reign over the thought until now. What makes me different than most teachers is my motivation to go abroad. I will be teaching at a hagwon to learn at a hagwon. A majority of people choose Korea for reasons like saving money, experiencing life abroad, the culture and food, career change, having the time of your life, and so on. I'm here to be a student by day and teacher at night. Hagwon or Public SchoolsOne of the biggest debates if you're contemplating on teaching English in Korea is to decide where to teach. There are two main types of education in Korea. The first is called a hagwon (a private for-profit institutional education program), and the other is your typical public school (schools funded by the government). There are a lot of things to weigh when you decide one or the other, such as benefits, location, salary, students, class sizes, etc. Truth be told, I chose a hagwon because 1) you can choose your own location, and 2) I sort of decided this on a tiny whim, so it was difficult to nab a recommendation letter on short notice. Only public schools require LOR. Which one would be best for you? It differs by person.
I recommend doing a quick Google search on the pros and cons of teaching at either types of schools. Here's a couple: The Pros & Cons of Working at a Hagwon and Private vs. Public Schools, What's Better? Where to StartThere are lots of things to consider when teaching in Korea. The next few blog posts will go over the following topics specifically for hagwons. Because I knew that a hagwon would best fit my needs, all my research is based around them.
|
|
RSS Feed