FAQ's about Working in Korea

Why am I writing about FAQ's of Working in Korea, you ask? Well, because I have gotten a number of e-mails from people who want to try and find a job teaching English in Korea. They ask my advice and about my experiences here. I try to answer as many people as I can individually but since lately time is in short supply for me and since most people want to know the same things - at least initially I decided to do a posting about FAQ's [Frequently Asked Questions] about working in Korea.

Here are some of the questions I have gotten and my answers:

1. How did you find your first teaching job in Korea?
I had a friend who was teaching here and I used her recruiter. He was a Canadian guy who lived in Ottawa, Canada and had taught here in Korea a number of years himself. However, from my experiences I think it is better to use a Korean recruiter because someone back home in Canada [or USA or Britain or wherever] can't help you much once you get to Korea. They are usually a very long and expensive phone call away.

2. Did you [does one have to] pay for your flight over to Korea?
No, I have NEVER paid for my flight to Korea. I know some people who have paid for their own flights to Korea with the "promise" that they would be reimbursed when they got here but in a majority of these cases they never received their money back. I consider it a bad sign if the school either doesn't have enough money or enough faith in me [their new Employee] to front the cost of the ticket.

That said, most contracts only provide you with a one way ticket so I advise everyone to have either enough money in travelers' cheques or a credit card with a high enough credit limit on it that in an emergency a plane ticket home can be purchased.

Moreover, most contracts state that if you don't stay and complete the first 6 months of the one year contract you must reimburse the school that hired you for the money they spent on the airfare to fly you over to Korea.

3. Can I apply from here at home [Canada, USA, Britain, etc.]?
Yes, you can. It's quite easy actually. There are a number of websites that list job openings in Korea. Using a computer and e-mail and a telephone you can apply and get a signed contract all before ever leaving the comfort and safety of your own home.

4. What is required to teach in Korea?
You must have a Bachelors Degree [the major doesn't matter - they like English majors but that is considered a bonus if you have that it is NOT A REQUIREMENT]. You have to have a valid passport that will remain valid for more than 6 months [the Department of Immigration makes the 6 month validity requirement - not the schools so this is not negotiable]. You, must be a NATIVE English speaker. *** That said I know some people who are actually French Canadians who teach here and do very well but I wouldn't advise it.***
You need to be from Canada, USA, Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, or South Africa [However, at this time Korean Employers prefer Native Speakers who have a North American accent but again this is a preference NOT a requirement].

5. How much money can I make working in Korea?
You can expect to make anywhere from 1.9 million won to 2.5 million won although the average salary is now about 2.0 to 2.1 million won. The lower salary would be for an inexperienced teacher and the higher salary for someone who has more experience and/or more qualifications [like a TEFL or TESL Certificate or a Bachelor of Education Degree]. The exchange rate varies from day to day but this is more than 2,000 dollars Canadian a month and your apartment is provided free of charge [you pay utilities] so you can save a lot of money. To check out exactly how much money this is check out this currency conversion website.

Currency Exchange Website

6. Why do so many people go to Korea for their first time teaching over-seas?
I can't speak for everyone but there are some general reasons that Korea is a good first job overseas. For one, you don't have to pay your own airfare to get over here. Secondly, your housing is provided free of charge [you pay your own utilities of course but you are living rent-free]. This means that you can save a lot of money to pay off student loans or save to travel to other countries. Thirdly, Korea - although not exactly a first-world country - is pretty civilized so that medical care and technology are on par with what they would be in most "western" countries.

7. How do I apply for a job in Korea?
You can apply on-line through websites like Dave's ESL Cafe or Pusanweb. I am attaching the links here.

Pusanweb

Dave's ESL Cafe

Also, you can apply directly to a recruiting company. I recommend Kim N' Joe Recruiting. They are a company I have used twice. They are located in Busan, South Korea and they have helped me from everything from picking me up at the airport to helping me get cell phone service. I realize more and more how fortunate I am to have connected with such a good company. Having read horror stories on the internet makes me realize how rare it is to have such a good relationship with my recruiting company. Here's the link to them. Their website has lots of information about what is required to work in Korea and lots of helpful links.

My Recruiting Company

Here are some pictures of the staff of my recruiting company Kim N' Joe. I still have contact with them and I let me tell you how nice it is to see friendly faces who understand my job and can help me with everything from Culture Shock to everyday living problems. I go every couple of weeks to their office and have lunch with them and they always make me feel so welcome. I have noticed lots of other teachers they have placed stopping by, too.

I admit, I am not entirely unbiased but I do have the experience of having used another recruiter for my first job in Korea so I do have something to base my comparison on.

Below is the Kim N' Joe Staff:

Amy at work.


Mini at work.


Jessie at work with Simpson in the background.

Kelly at work.