How To Get an English Teaching Job In South Korea

So in my last article (How To Internationalize On Someone Else's Dime) I discussed how English teaching could be an option for someone who wants to seize new opportunities. Well this week I want to share with you how to do it. Before continuing I just want to mention that while my focus in on South Korea (My home) most of this information can help with jobs in China, Japan, etc.

Another option, but harder to do as a new teacher is to become a university professor. I did this job for a couple of semesters. It was a great experience. Most universities have paid vacations for several weeks, even months sometimes. However the pay can vary from 2 million KRW to about 3.5 million KRW. the eligibility requirements are higher for a college professor than your typical English teacher. You usually need a Master's degree, a teaching/TESL certificate or some combination there of. Check Dave's ESL Café at eslcafe.com for a sample of the jobs available.There are other options such as the Korean Defense Language Institute, but the above are the basic public teaching jobs.

First, when applying for a job make sure you know what school you are getting hired for. There are two basic choices, public or private academies referred to as Hagwons.

Public schools are government schools are often desired for their perceived stability, and benefits. The most popular entry level program is probably EPIK (English Program In Korea). I started in this program and I really enjoyed my time with them. However, there have been some cut backs to the program in recent years with the program cutting positions in the cities and pushing teachers to the rural areas. Check for the latest information on EPIK before applying.

Another option, but harder to do as a new teacher is to become a university professor. I did this job for a couple of semesters. It was a great experience. Most universities have paid vacations for several weeks, even months sometimes. However the pay can vary from 2 million KRW to about 3.5 million KRW. the eligibility requirements are higher for a college professor than your typical English teacher. You usually need a Master's degree, a teaching/TESL certificate or some combination there of. Check Dave's ESL Cafe at eslcafe.com for a sample of the jobs available.There are other options such as the Korean Defense Language Institute, but the above are the basic public teaching jobs.

On the other side of the coin is the Hagwons. Hagwons are private academies, i.e. a business. Some are good, some are bad. Just do a Google search "For Korean Hagwon jobs" or "Hagwon horror stories" to get an idea of what's out there.

Follow this link for a sample job offering. http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=72136

If you're still reading this post than good, it's time to get into the details on how to get that coveted teaching job.

1. Find a job and apply. You can do this solo say by doing Google searches on jobs available or go through a recruiter. I went through footprints.com. Again look at eslcafe.com for some sample jobs, if you want to apply on your own.

2. You will at minimum need a bachelor's degree in something. Most positions DO NOT require a teaching degree. A degree in basket weaving is okay. But the more credentials you bring to the table the more opportunities, and money you will receive.

3. A criminal background check is a must. South Korea wants teacher with clean backgrounds. For Americans it's usually through the FBI. When I started teaching a background check by my county police was fine, but thanks to the "rampant" crimes caused by English teachers, it's usually a national level background check that is needed.

4. The Apostille Stamp. This one confuses a lot of people. Basically once you get all the documentation together you need for the job, you will need to get an apostille stamp/certification. Basically, your home government certifies that all your documents are legit. There are various companies that will handle this for you for a fee. You can follow this link for more information. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal-considerations/judicial/authentication-of-documents/notarial-and-authentication-apostille.html

5. The Passport. Your going to need a passport of course.

6. The Demonstration. Some jobs will want you to do a Skype interview where you will teach a mock lesson. See if your desired position wants a mock lesson and prepare for it.

Well that's it. Remember this post can't cover all the details or changes, but I sure hope it can help you. What do you think?