money and getting to korea

[Jen]

Hi Dan and anyone out there,

Just a few questions.. if thats okay.

How much money should I have when I arrive in Korea? Do I really have to sell my car? :oops:

If I wanted to plan to get a job in Korea, Gwangju in particular, say about July, when would they be recruiting?

And how quickly does everything evolve, with the job applying and the whole visa application etc, before I need to leave?

Thanks in adavance,

Jen

[Dan Henrickson]

Hi Jen.

I usually suggest to people that they bring about $500usd (converted into Korean won if possible) when they come. This is because it might be 2-4 weeks before you get paid. It will cover your basic food costs, maybe the odd thing for your apartment, and ok...a beer on Saturday! You can bring more for sure, but that should cover you. You can also ask for an advance if you really need it, most schools are understanding here.

I do suggest getting a credit card, even with a small limit for emergency situations. Make sure you can get a cash advance on it.

I suggest that you confirm with your bank before you come that your bank card (debit card) will allow you to take out cash in Korea. Not all bank machines are international, but many are. Someone from your school, or myself, can point you in the right direction. Make sure your bank card has only a 4 digit PIn #.

Notify your bank so they aren't surprised with international purchases.

The job market im July should be pretty good. Many contracts will be finishing at that time of year, so lots of openings. I suggest that you send your resume and photo at least 2 months in advance, as I show my current resumes to all schools, each time I meet them. Some great jobs never even make it to the job board because the school chooses from an applicant I have in hand.

I also am constantly working with schools to start the process sooner...and it seems to be working!!! I have some requests for teachers in August already, and even one for my school in July that I haven't posted yet.

The length of the process can really vary, which can be stressful. Sometimes a teacher applies, and they sign within 24 hours, sometimes a teacher applies, and waits 2+ months before they get something. Usually this is an older applicant, but I've been successful in finding jobs for almost all applicants so far which is good.

Once you say "Yes!" to a contract, the visa process takes about 3 weeks until you can leave.

In some cases, the school will want a teacher to come sooner, so they will not only pay for your ticket to Korea, but they will also pay for a "Japan Visa run" a few weeks after you arrive. This is a simple trip.

Let me know if you have any more questions!