ESL Jobs Forum

[ridgerunner6]

I am a highly experienced ESL pro and am having problems finding work due to age discrimination. What is the situation like in the ROK? Is there an unofficial age ceiling for teachers?
Thanks for any input.

[canuckophile]

Yes, there is age discrimination in Korea. If your resume is strong, you will eventually find a job, but you may wait quite a while.

[PittsburghPete]

like there ain't discrimination anywhere you go holmes. you think that's not a factor 'unofficially' in the UK or the US? don't matter what those old forms say. they take one look at you and come up with something like "your overqualified sir"

[canuckophile]

Koreans are gravitating toward hiring mostly women - my school refuses to hire young men because of various recent scandals plus what they've heard from other schools about the young men they've hired. However, they prefer younger women over older women - 30's is not a problem - 40 plus tends to be a problem. Older men have not had as much problem getting hired in the past - not sure if the "younger men" scandals have affected them too. Again, you'll just have to apply for more jobs. My impression is that universities are better - want a more diverse teachers' group.

[ullimeng]

[susanmholman]

I was a single mom for many years. I decided that once both my kids were in college, I'd start my amazing career as an EFL teacher. Little did I know the descrimination I'd face. The school I chose said that it was easy for an American to get a job in Italy. American English, afterall, is rapidly becoming the 'world' language. Wrong! You have to have EU working papers to be employed in the EU. The Catch-22 is that you have to be employed in the EU before you can get EU working papers. The other item no one ever happened to mention is the age factor. I'm continuously told that I don't look my age and I have my photo on my cv (but not my birthdate.) I've had several offers from schools around the world until they saw the date on my passport, never to be heard from again. I'm only 47, but you'd think I was 100. Whatever happened to wisdom that comes with experience.
_________________
Susie

[IWearHighWaters]

Age discrimination occurs everywhere...when was the last time you heard about someone getting a job because they were the oldest candidate?

IWHW

[alisonboston]

[Wocca]

I teach at a government university in China.

In respect to teacher ages, there tends to
be three specific categories as follows ...

Young (under 30)

"Mid" age (30 - 55)

Old (over 55)

The ages given above are general guidelines
only. Individual "wear and tear" would also be
taken into consideration.

There seems to be a distinct preference for
"mid" age foreign teachers in China. Could
be associated with maturity, life experience
and stability.

Is this the same in other countries ?
_________________
Si hoc legere scis, nimium erudtionis habes

[alisonboston]

Wow, what a great avatar!!!

Tell me about that please.

As for age...I think I could say the same thing for Hungary. Mid age - thirties plus seem to be preferred here. That may be because the money is so bad, they are delighted that anyone over 19 would be willing to work for so little.
(I am being a tad sarcastic.)

I am in the middle years and I know I am in demand - and could do way more work than I have hours or inclination to do - providing I am willing to work for the money they wantt o pay - and there's the rub.

I feel my maturity and experience place me in a higher wage category than a younger teacher - yet I have to fight for that - and walk away from a lot of jobs because the schools don't get that they can get more for my services than a younger teacher.

Or they don't want to try to get more...

I would love to learn more about how things work with teachers in China.

I am dashing off now to some workshops here - music actually - but this is a topic of interest to me, so hope we can dialogue more early next week.

And please - tell me about that avatar!

Alison
_________________
Look at some art
Read some poetry
http://www.alisonboston.com

[Wocca]

[Wocca]

[lisa luchsinger]

I was let go from my job last year at age 45, I was not given any reason for it, and found out that they had hired a new college graduate in her 20s to replace me. The students were upset and worried about losing me and getting someone with so little experience. I have been job searching for over a year now with absolutely no results. People tell me I don't look my age (I look younger), but, once the administration sees my resume and graduation dates, I think it is all over. How do we find a job at this age when we are trying to pay for our own children's tuitions?

[unionjack]

Hello Lisa

Welcome to the forum

I would suggest that you teach in an all girls school, where blonde hair, blue eyes and age are not so important to the head teacher, who, more than likely, will not be a male.

You don't say where you were teaching but there are many single sex schools all over the world, advertising right now for teachers.

So start writing and don't give up.

UJ

[Lee Hobbs]