ESL Jobs Forum

[canuckophile]

I'm over 50 (nearly 60), with 3+ years experience in Korea....

I've found a lot of age discrimination . Older women have the problem much more than older men... in my case,someone almost had to die for me to get my current uni job... the first teacher they hired was a 28 year old woman whose father was diagnosed with a terminal cancer only a couple of weeks before her contract started, and she suddenly went home, so the school was desperate, and I got a uni job.

I've met a fair number of black teachers, and most have reported no problems. Yet I know for a fact that many places will not hire black people. Sometimes it's pure and simple racism, but often it's also the (real? misplaced? dunno) fear that a black person will drive away students if it is a private school.

I'm now at a small college - there are 3 (white) western teachers. I asked my own students if they would have a problem with a black teacher. One girl, honest soul that she is, said the problem would be her mother. Some Koreans have told me they don't like blacks, but often (not always, but often) I think they mean American GI's.

I've met a fair number of black people working at unis though - the next hiring round is for September - you would start looking for jobs now, although most of the posts will be in June and July since Korea is the Land of the Last Minute.

I've been to Japan a few times on visa runs, and met plenty of people working there. I would agree that they are more racist than Koreans, but suggest (as someone else did) that you check the western-owned schools.

But you WILL get hired in Korea at some point if you keep applying - as I'm living proof (but on age rather than race.) That's because Korea has the largest demand for teachers (maybe China is now exceeding it) and so Koreans can't afford to be too picky, though their ideal teacher is definitely a 26 year old blond Canadian female with an MA Tesol and 12 years of teaching experience, plus big boobs .

So you could try both Korea and China - other posters are correct ... you're bound to get a job in China. I have friends who've gone there after Korea and liked it - others have come back to Korea.

G'luck. You WILL get a job, though maybe not in Japan.