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Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea
#1

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Teaching ESL in South Korea 101

So you have decided you want to go teach in South Korea, here is a step by step guide in securing your first gig.

These two sites will serve as your life-line to everything ESL in Korea

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea
http://waygook.org

*To even be eligible you must be from a native english speaking country and have a 4 year college degree*

1) Apply for your FBI Criminal Background Check

This is the absolute first thing you need to do as it take the longest amount of time. (4-8 weeks)

This is the FBI's page on the criminal background check

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks

Here is the actual application you need to fill out and mail to them.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/backgro...ation-form

After that you need to go to your local police / sheriff's office and get your fingerprints done.

Now you will be ready to mail off your application.

*IMPORTANT*

Include a note saying you need the official seal of authentication for apostille (Korea).

Go ahead and get TWO copies.

2) Prepare your resume, get your diploma, and take a professional shoulder up picture. The picture is CRUCIAL. Id recommend a button up with a black blazer. SMILE. You will have to email your resume and picture to recruiters.

3) Start doing research and decide where you want to live. To be honest there is only two options for a young single guy. Thats Seoul and Busan. Seoul is like the New York of Korea. It has the most women, and the best nightlife. Weather and air pollution is not that great. Busan is considered the west coast of Korea. A sort of more laid back Cali vibe going on. It has the beach and the mountains in the back drop. Good nightlife, cheap seafood, lots of outdoor activities. It is not as big as Seoul but with over 4 million people that shouldnt be an issue. You can make more money starting out in Seoul, but I think the deciding factor is whether or not you like/want to live at the beach.

4) Next you need to decide what type of school you want to work at. As a NET (New English Teacher) you generally have two options. Hagwons and Public Schools. Hagwons are private English Language Institutes. Small class sizes. Generally at night. Public School are large classes with a regular 8-5 schedule. Id recommend a Hagwon, for a newb as they usually assist you more in the teaching and you will have other foreign teachers working with you. Most public schools only have one foreign teacher, so making friends can be an issue sometimes.

5) Start getting in contact with recruiters. Recruiters will be your link for getting a job in Korea and communicating with prospective schools. Many people will be like who should I use and if they are good ect. They are all the same. You need to contact as many as possible because the more you contact the more jobs you will have available to you. If you decide to go the public school route you should only use one recruiter, because they have been known to disqualify you from the running. I will say this in regards to recruiters, find recruiters that specialize in the city you want to teach. I found two in Busan that had TONS of jobs. Tell them what you want. Pay, hours, location, ect. Average starting pay is 2.1 mil won but you can easily find jobs for 2.2 and 2.3 mil won. DONT work any stupid hours, I recommend finding a job that is 5 hours a day teaching 6 total. 7 hours max. Do not agree to work any job that is 8-10 hours a day for the normal starting wage. They will tell you bullshit lies to try and get you to take jobs outside of the main 2 cities as they are harder to fill. Dont listen to that rubbish. Tell them you know there is plenty of jobs in Seoul and Busan and that if they cant find you a job than you will find another recruiter.

* Interviewing Tip *

They will ask you why you want to teach in Korea. This is the PROPER answer.

"I LOVE teaching and working with kids"

5) The offers will start rolling in. You must go over the contracts in detail making sure they are up to par ie include national healthcare, pension, severance, exact working schedule and max hours per week. The standard 10 vacation days. If something isnt in the contract tell the recruiter and alot of times she will have the school rewrite it and get it in writing.

6) After finding a contract that meets all your requirements You need to ask to speak to a current and/or former teacher. Get their email and then put that in facebook to make sure they are a real person. Best to get their number and speak to them over the phone. Ask about the working conditions, if the pay is on time, ask about the apartment (make them send you pictures).

7) After speaking to people that work there and no red flags arise then email the recruiter and say you will accept the position. Next step is mailing off all your documents to the recruiter. They will then apply for a visa pin number which you will use to apply for your actual E-2 working visa. Takes about a week for them to get the number.

8) Now that you have the visa pin number its time to finally apply for your actual visa. First thing is to find out which Korean Consulate handles your state. Look here for that.

http://www.asia-pacific-connections.com/...fices.html

After than you need to arrange all the documents to mail off to them.

Which is as follows...

One official transcript OR a notarized copy of your diploma

Visa confirmation number

Copy of employment contract (does not need to be signed by the employer)

Completed Visa Application

Completed Consul Checklist

Completed Health Statement

One passport size photo

Passport- YOU MUST SEND YOUR ACTUAL PASSPORT. THE VISA ISSUING OFFICER MUST STAMP DIRECTLY IN TO THE PASSPORT.

$45 (cash or money orders only made payable to Korean Consulate. Personal checks are NOT acceptable)

Resume detailing your work/teaching experience including all experience in Korea

Postage paid self-addressed Express Mail (USPS) or FedEx envelope for return of your documents & visa- (if you are picking up your visa then you do not need to send the envelope)

Mailing in Your Required Documents

You must send a pre-paid self-addressed express mail (USPS) or FedEx envelope for return of your documents. We will not accept FedEx envelopes that have the credit card information written in; they must be pre-paid

All documents must be sent via express mail or any other service that can be tracked. Plain envelopes with stamps are not acceptable.
If you plan to pick up your visa, then you do not need to send the envelope.

Getting your passport & visa back take 4-7 days.

You are finally done and ready to board a plane!

Biggest advice I can give is to come with an OPEN mind. Go out and make friends. Join local city groups and clubs. Dont just hangout with other foreign teachers. Make Korean friends. Try to build a stable of women (korean & foreign chicks) Make the most of it, and have fun!

Hope this can help some of you cats looking to do the same thing. I think this covers everything. Feel free to ask me any questions!
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#2

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Thanks for breaking it down for us bro. I assume we do this for pretty much any country.
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#3

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (08-15-2011 11:55 AM)JofSuperman Wrote:  

Thanks for breaking it down for us bro. I assume we do this for pretty much any country.

each country differs but it will be similar.

Health checks, visa paper work, diploma, teaching certs, passport photos is the basic things you need.

I taught abroad for a few years
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#4

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

@JofSuperman

As redneckpunk pointed out each country is different. The difference can be ALOT.

My advise is to check http://www.ESLCafe.com It has pretty much every country, so go there to see what you need and the 411 on the country your interested in.
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#5

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Thanks for the details Dash, this was a great guide. I'm curious would a person earn that more money if they were willing to go to a smaller city?

Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen! -John Mason (The Rock)
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#6

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

@Wizard

No prob bro. Yes you can command a higher salary out in the sticks. Not anything crazy though but def 100-300 more a month for a newbee.
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#7

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (08-15-2011 03:39 PM)Dash Global Wrote:  

@Wizard

No prob bro. Yes you can command a higher salary out in the sticks. Not anything crazy though but def 100-300 more a month for a newbee.

Is there any advantage of the women out in the sticks, or would that area be more conservative and the girls worried about appearance as opposed to girls in the big cities?

By the way I appreciate the insights.

Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen! -John Mason (The Rock)
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#8

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Many countries are nothing like Korea as far as teaching English. I'm working in Colombia, and if you're not on the ground here, you're probably not getting hired. VERY few international schools have recruiting efforts in the U.S., and in fact I only met 1 person in a whole year who had been contracted outside of the country.

Really depends, no one is preparing anything for you before your arrival in Latin America unless you are contracted by a top level international school.
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#9

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Nice guide Dash! It's clear you did your research! Good stuff man.
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#10

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

@Wizard

You are at a large disadvantage in the sticks as the people are alot more conservative and keep to korean traditions. If a korean girl is seen with a foreign dude in a small town that will def get back to her family and it would cause problems. You want to find chicks that are "westernized". Seoul will have the most number of them type females.
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#11

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (08-15-2011 05:52 PM)Dash Global Wrote:  

@Wizard

You are at a large disadvantage in the sticks as the people are alot more conservative and keep to korean traditions. If a korean girl is seen with a foreign dude in a small town that will def get back to her family and it would cause problems. You want to find chicks that are "westernized". Seoul will have the most number of them type females.

@Dash
Thanks for all the insights into the locals man, and good luck over there. I look forward to reading about your exploits.

Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen! -John Mason (The Rock)
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#12

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

This guide is pretty much spot on, well written. But I'd like to add two small tips of my own:

Tip 1: ONLY teach in Seoul. Do not settle for any other city. Not Busan, not Daegu. It HAS to be Seoul. I went out plenty of times in Busan. IMO There's nothing going on there on a Saturday night (unless you like dancing on tables with Beta western guys and fat girls).

Tip 2: When you've had enough of Korea, jump over to Taipei. I'm making more money than I did in Korea and my sanity is FAR FAR FAR greater. Much nicer country. All you need is a degree. No criminal record check, no reference, no prior visa. An easy transfer.

The westerners in Korea are really weird. Most of the western guys are wet, and most of the western girls are docile. Most English teachers like living there because they get to go hiking and eat chicken gristle on Saturday. Everyone seems to have a wanky blog that documents their 'Asian Adventure'. In reality, going to Korea for an 'Asian Adventure' is like going to Germany for a beach holiday.

It is not a suitable country for a person who frequents this forum. Unless you are very easily pleased, Korea will wear you down. You are seen as lower than the 'pure-blooded' Koreans (a bullshit arbitrary jingoism, for a start they descend from Mongolia!). You only realise how low your expectations are in that country when you leave it.

However, with that said. I am certain you can have success there with online game. I did, and it seems that Dash had a lot of success with it.
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#13

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (05-14-2013 10:39 AM)LeightonBlackstock Wrote:  

This guide is pretty much spot on, well written. But I'd like to add two small tips of my own:

<snip>

However, with that said. I am certain you can have success there with online game. I did, and it seems that Dash had a lot of success with it.

I feel bad for new guys coming on the forum and falling in these traps.
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#14

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

People....there's a reason his name is crossed, and it's not because of a fancy customization.
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#15

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (05-14-2013 11:26 AM)Vicious Wrote:  

Quote: (05-14-2013 10:39 AM)LeightonBlackstock Wrote:  

This guide is pretty much spot on, well written. But I'd like to add two small tips of my own:

<snip>

However, with that said. I am certain you can have success there with online game. I did, and it seems that Dash had a lot of success with it.

I feel bad for new guys coming on the forum and falling in these traps.

To be honest, half of me was just being nice, and the other half was leaving it to the reader to judge whether or not I was being sarcastic. I've seen and laughed at many of his threads. The girl from the Philippiens he 'fucked' that turned out to be a Japanese model was my favourite haha

Plus, no one is going to convince me that you can pull anyone in Korea outside of Itaewon. Does not happen.
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#16

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (05-14-2013 01:01 PM)LeightonBlackstock Wrote:  

Quote: (05-14-2013 11:26 AM)Vicious Wrote:  

Quote: (05-14-2013 10:39 AM)LeightonBlackstock Wrote:  

This guide is pretty much spot on, well written. But I'd like to add two small tips of my own:

<snip>

However, with that said. I am certain you can have success there with online game. I did, and it seems that Dash had a lot of success with it.

I feel bad for new guys coming on the forum and falling in these traps.

To be honest, half of me was just being nice, and the other half was leaving it to the reader to judge whether or not I was being sarcastic. I've seen and laughed at many of his threads. The girl from the Philippiens he 'fucked' that turned out to be a Japanese model was my favourite haha

Plus, no one is going to convince me that you can pull anyone in Korea outside of Itaewon. Does not happen.

I pulled in Gangnam!!! I 100% swear on my life, haha. But it was after about 50 blowouts there 2-3 nights in a row. And she was certainly pretty average. I was pretty damn proud of it though given the environment.

Great info on Taiwan btw. Cool that you can make good money there, thats something I wanted to check out.
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#17

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (05-14-2013 03:54 PM)RichieP Wrote:  

Quote: (05-14-2013 01:01 PM)LeightonBlackstock Wrote:  

Quote: (05-14-2013 11:26 AM)Vicious Wrote:  

Quote: (05-14-2013 10:39 AM)LeightonBlackstock Wrote:  

This guide is pretty much spot on, well written. But I'd like to add two small tips of my own:

<snip>

However, with that said. I am certain you can have success there with online game. I did, and it seems that Dash had a lot of success with it.

I feel bad for new guys coming on the forum and falling in these traps.

To be honest, half of me was just being nice, and the other half was leaving it to the reader to judge whether or not I was being sarcastic. I've seen and laughed at many of his threads. The girl from the Philippiens he 'fucked' that turned out to be a Japanese model was my favourite haha

Plus, no one is going to convince me that you can pull anyone in Korea outside of Itaewon. Does not happen.

I pulled in Gangnam!!! I 100% swear on my life, haha. But it was after about 50 blowouts there 2-3 nights in a row. And she was certainly pretty average. I was pretty damn proud of it though given the environment.

Great info on Taiwan btw. Cool that you can make good money there, thats something I wanted to check out.

Ok, I would say that Itaewon is the best bet, but Gangnam and Hongdae present some possibility. You have to be either monumentally good looking, prepared to make 1000 approaches or have great language skills to do it in a club I would say. Still a skill pulling a Korean woman, even if she was average, well done. My Taiwanese flag was nothing to ride home about, but it's much easier to pull here, and ridiculously easy to make out with someone (Just need my Canadian friend to leave the country so I can finally get my own apartment!!)

I lived in the 7th biggest city in Korea (Ulsan, felt like living in a fucking village). I had a nightmare there, so maybe I'm not the greatest judge. One Korean laid in seven months *plays violin*. (Although she was 11 years older than me and was easily an 8/10 *honks horn*)

I will be doing a runner from Taiwan at some point later this year (Enjoy it here but I want to live in as many countries as possible before I hit 40). I work at a great school with abnormally low hours for a full salary, so if anyone is looking for a job in Taipei around September/October I will give you a tip off
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#18

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

For the record, I met Dash a couple of months ago in Manila, I expected some kind of monster but we had beers and he's a actually a decent guy.
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#19

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (05-15-2013 09:21 AM)scotian Wrote:  

For the record, I met Dash a couple of months ago in Manila, I expected some kind of monster but we had beers and he's a actually a decent guy.
I would love to meet that dude. Please tell us more...
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#20

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

Quote: (05-15-2013 09:25 AM)el mechanico Wrote:  

Quote: (05-15-2013 09:21 AM)scotian Wrote:  

For the record, I met Dash a couple of months ago in Manila, I expected some kind of monster but we had beers and he's a actually a decent guy.
I would love to meet that dude. Please tell us more...

Nothing too exciting happened because we didn't meet up for long, it was a funny situation because 20nation and I were busy with two girls in our rooms when Dash arrived, once we were done, Dash was in the lobby with THC, we all met up, had a beer then bounced to a near by strip club. We had a few more beers there but nothing too crazy happened, it was around 6pm on a Sunday and him and 20nation had flights to catch out of Manila that evening.

Basically Dash reminded me of a typical USA style frat guy; he was wearing a ball cap, jeans and tee shirt, casual, just like the rest of us. He's a good looking white guy, about 6'0, the kind of guy who would clean up in the Philippines. Despite is dubious presence on the RVF, he was pretty chill in real life, actually quite a bit reserved compared to what I was expecting. If Dash and I are ever in the same city again, I wouldn't hesitate to meet up with him for beers again.
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#21

Dash's Guide to Teaching English in South Korea

I say he gets amnesty
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