Posts tagged career planning
UO PR Grads Who Now…Teach English in Korea
Oct 2nd
Since February of 2009, three of my fellow graduates from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication‘s public relations program have all begun teaching English in South Korea. All three students were interested in international cultures while in college and active in public relations on campus, specifically the Oregon Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. I felt the phenomenon was worth blogging about and interviewed them for this post.
Branden Johnson graduated in 2008. He served on the UO PRSSA Executive Board as PRSA Liason and directed our student-run firm, Allen Hall Public Relations, both during his final year.
Regina Mitchell also graduated in 2008. She participated in Allen Hall Public Relations and served as the guest services manager for the 2008 UO PRSSA Regional Activity.
Bryan Saxton graduated in 2009. He served as the 2008-2009 Web Chair on the UO PRSSA Executive Board and as 2007-2008 Public Relations Officer for International Student Association, one of the most active groups on campus.
Now, for the interview:
What made you decide to take up teaching English in Korea?
BJ: I was working at a small marketing agency in Portland last fall when I was laid off due to the increasingly dire economy. Teaching abroad was something I had wanted to do for years. Korea never would have been my first choice, but I found a Seattle-based recruiter on CraigsList, and had a job offer in less than a month. As opposed to a lot of other countries, the money and benefits in Korea are some of the best you’ll find right out of college. I have cheap health insurance, a generous salary, a pension plan, and my school pays my rent. They paid for my flight, helped me take alll of the necessary procedures to become a resident alien, and provided me with a furnished apartment in a nice area.
RM: I am going to be completely honest when I say the first thing that caught my eye about teaching in Korea was, well, the money. Korea is so wonderful and generous to their foreign teachers and offer the greatest benefits– free accomodation, high stipend for enrollment and finished contracts and a solid salary. Also, I figured it would be more worthwhile to immerse myself into a country I knew little about. I always wanted to travel and so all of this was made possible with the program I entered!
BS: MONEY! That, and the opportunity to travel. This is the most cost-effective way I know to run around Asia. I also have a lot of friends in South Korea, and it will be nice to reconnect with them. Other reasons include: living in a big city, adventure, doing something with my life that I didn’t see myself doing 5 years ago, ect.
Do you think your education in the J-school/PR program has helped you in your new job? If so, how?
BJ: I think my journalism degree has definitely helped in terms of being an effective English teacher. I am confident in my writing and comprehension of grammar, which were both fine-tuned in the J school. I also think that my leadership roles on campus contributed to my teaching abilities. Classrooms — especially kindergarten classrooms — are dynamic places that present unique and often challenging situations. A teacher has to be flexible yet maintain control and respect. It’s not easy, but my college experience prepared me in ways I never expected.
BJ: I think my journalism degree has definitely helped in terms of being an effective English teacher. I am confident in my writing and comprehension of grammar, which were both fine-tuned in the J school. I also think that my leadership roles on campus contributed to my teaching abilities. Classrooms — especially kindergarten classrooms — are dynamic places that present unique and often challenging situations. A teacher has to be flexible yet maintain control and respect. It’s not easy, but my college experience prepared me in ways I never expected.
RM: If there are a few things that I can thank the Journalism school for, it’s definitely the writing and public speaking practice. I’ve been challenged a few times on things such as English grammar, and I continually have to present lessons that are exciting. As a public relations major, it was essential to impress a client and perform to your best while connecting to your audience. The same is true with teaching.
BS: Not sure yet as I haven’t started working. But I’m pretty sure our command of grammar, punctuation and writing conventions will be helpful because we’ll be able to teach those to students.
What do you want to do after your contract is up (if you know)?
BJ: I’m still undecided about my future after next February. I met my boyfriend here, and a lot of the decision depends on his plans. I would be willing to stay another year or two, but I’m also anxious to get back to the States. I want to go back to get my master’s in elementary education, but first I have to do another year of undergrad to finish some prerequisites. Coming to Korea has taught me to let life take you where it will. This has been an amazing experience and I don’t want it to end. But, it has prepared me to take the next challenging steps in my life and career, and for that I am excited to move forward.
RM: After the contract, I will move back to Seattle and spend some time thinking of my next steps. During that “down” time, I could see myself either coming back or continuing ESL teaching abroad in another country. There’s a lot out there!
BS: Not sure yet. Work in PR? That’s what I want now, but that could change in a year or two. Right now I just want to travel, save up a bit of money and have some fun.
Some final words from Branden:
“Get out there and find what makes you happy. I graduated with a job in marketing and now I teach kindergarten halfway around the world. And I love it.”
An Update on my Professional Life
Sep 28th
I know I’ve been a bit hard to keep track of the past 15 months, frequently changing my jobs, internships, projects, and such. I thought the most recent change deserved a bit more attention because it’s the most drastic and also provides an opportunity to briefly reflect on my first year of work in China.
Since college graduation, I’ve been trying out and crossing off opportunities that I thought would be perfect for me but turned out not to be. Maybe working at a commercial art gallery, for example, is not my cup of tea, or maybe that’s only the case in China. There’s no way for me to know that right now because the only place I’ve worked since graduation is Beijing.
This month, I began working as an ESL teacher at a private university in the outskirts of Beijing called Beijing Geely University. An unpredictable drop in enrollment has led to few class hours for me, giving me the opportunity to come up with new classes, clubs, and events such as Creative Writing Club and a Halloween party. I’m also taking advantage of the extra time to study Chinese on my own. After my schedule finalizes in October or November, I plan on looking for freelance or volunteer work in the arts or writing fields in Beijing.
I’ve learned that working in China as a foreigner is usually unpredictable, which is both exciting and stressful. Some challenges specific to my first year of work in China:
- High turnover in all industries
- Confusing and costly immigration regulations
- Shrinking economy, especially in fields I’m most qualified for
- Lots of startups, which doesn’t guarantee that one’s employer or clients are well-run or going to prosper in the future. (This is not specific to anyone I’ve worked with, just a general observation.)
My new job appears to address these problems and provide me with stability that makes living overseas long-term more enjoyable. I additionally receive perks inherent with university work in China, such as a free apartment, paid vacation, and medical insurance.
I want to thank those who have mentored me in public relations and the arts. I’m pretty sure that I’m not going to be a teacher for the rest of my life. I am planning on trying to get a job at a worldwide public relations agency in Beijing in the next couple of years to make myself more marketable once I eventually return to North America. I see myself working in big agency public relations before eventually working in-house at an art organization or cause I’m passionate about, but that plan could change.
Along the same lines as this post, I know three other University of Oregon public relations graduates who are all currently teaching English in South Korea. They will be the subjects of one of my upcoming posts.
Tips for Students on Finding Post-Grad Jobs Abroad – Part 3: Once You’re There
Mar 3rd
This is the conclusion of a three-part series inspired by students’ and recent graduates’ requests for my advice on how to get a job offers abroad immediately after graduation. The series topics are Before You Leave, Visa Advice and Once You’re There, in that order.
Part 3: Once You’re There
Maintain whatever human capital got you the job.
Native English speaking ability often plays a heavy role in this. If this is the case, make sure you’re really good at English. Listen to Grammar Girl. For me, I knew that my native English speaking ability combined with basic social media knowledge was unique and valuable, so I kept using social media the way I learned to in my Advanced Public Relations Writing course. This landed me a sweet freelancing gig when I wasn’t even looking for one.
Who you hang out with matters.
I recommend a mix of locals and expatriates who plan to stay in your new home for a while. People in the latter group tend to have a positive view of and experience in the local culture but a foreigner’s view on useful matters such as visa issues. Go to a local Tweetup to meet both kinds of friends.
Keep in touch.
In addition to your friends and family, stay in touch with your professional contacts back home, especially the ones who were instrumental in helping you get abroad. Answer the questions of and share your stories with those interested in working abroad.
Throw everyone’s advice out the window…
…including my own. Living abroad requires you to be like bamboo: strong but flexible. So many unexpected things will happen, and your experience and decisions are ultimately your own.
Tips for Students on Finding Post-Grad Jobs Abroad – Part 2: Visa Advice
Feb 6th
This is the second installment of a three-part series inspired by students’ and recent graduates’ requests for my advice on how to get a job offers abroad immediately after graduation. The series topics are Before You Leave, Visa Advice and Once You’re There, in that order.
Part 2: Visa Advice
Can you even work legally?
Looking into visa regulations in your country of choice is just as important as job searching. Visa policies will have a large impact on what kind of jobs you can get abroad. Find out what is required for whatever visas you need to work legally, how easy it is to switch between visa types, and how easy it is for people to work illegally. For example, in China, foreigners need to either be 25 or have worked outside China for two years in order to get a work visa, but most foreigners work illegally, even in office jobs.
Wait until you’re there, if possible.
If it’s either possible for you to get a work visa after arriving in your country of choice or easy to work without one, then I suggest you wait until you get there before you accept an offer. You will find out about a lot more opportunities after you arrive. You can use the networking tips in Part 1 to line up people to meet with once you get to your destination. It’s also ideal for any job that you get to see the office and meet the employees before you accept an offer. All that said, if you need a work visa in order to enter the country, then you obviously should aim to get an offer while still in your home country.
Don’t rely on official government sources for this information; ask expats in similar situations to you and visit online forums. For China, a good source is The Beijinger Visa Issues forum.
Tips for Students on Finding Post-Grad Jobs Abroad – Part 1: Before You Leave
Jan 15th
This is the beginning of a three-part series inspired by students’ and recent graduates’ requests for my advice on how to get a job offers abroad immediately after graduation. The series topics are Before You Leave, Visa Advice and Once You’re There, in that order.
Update 12/28/2010: Jessica Lomelin of my blogroll also wrote a post on finding work abroad, specific to her job at Invisible Children in Uganda. You can view the post on her blog here.
Part 1: Before You Leave
Be specific about what you want.
Finding a job abroad will be easier if you are more specific than “I want to work abroad after graduation.” Try to come up with an industry or job title as well as a local language, if not the exact city you want to work in. For example, my goal was “a job in the arts in Beijing.”
It’s all about networking, in a fun way.
Seek out students and professors at your university who are from where you want to work and get to know them. Many universities have a student group for international students, and sometimes they have groups for international students from specific regions or countries. Some universities and cities have a group that arranges language partnerships. At the University of Oregon, this is the Friendship Foundation for International Students. People will usually be flattered you want to work in their home country and want to help you as much as possible.
Your university might also have student groups specifically for Americans who want to work abroad and international students who want to work in the U.S. At the University of Oregon, I recommend the International Business and Economic Club.
Tell people what you want.
Make sure that as many people in the above groups plus mentors and professors who like you, especially in your major and language classes, know that you want to work abroad and what kind of jobs you want. Last year, I let my major’s department head, Pat Curtin, know I got an internship in Beijing. The internship ended up falling through, and I didn’t tell many people I got another job in Beijing. The day I graduated, I got an e-mail from a student who knew Pat letting me know a really good job lead in Beijing. This would have never happened had Pat not known I wanted to work there.
Make sure that as many people in the above groups plus mentors and professors who like you, especially in your major and language classes, know that you want to work abroad and what kind of jobs you want. Last year, I let my major’s department head, Pat Curtin, know I got an internship in Beijing. The internship ended up falling through, and I didn’t tell many people I got another job in Beijing. The day I graduated, I got an e-mail from a student who knew Pat letting me know a really good job lead in Beijing. This would have never happened had Pat not known I wanted to work there.
How to Survive the Undergraduate to Post-Graduate Transition
Oct 9th
My friend who is graduating in 2010 just wrote a lengthy Facebook note asking for advice on his options for after graduation. I’ve been reflecting on my own college experience as it relates to my current stage in life, so I thought it might be worth sharing my thoughts with those of you who also feel his anxiety.
For me, the most difficult transition was not going from full-time student to full-time employee, but becoming financially independent. (For those of you financing your own college education, good job! You’ve already completed this step.) This has really tested my priorities and might lead me to change the career path I’ve followed for the past five years. For this reason, I recommend not going to graduate school immediately after undergraduate unless you are sure you want to work for and have experience in a profession that requires an advanced degree, such as law, education or medicine.
Start doing things that young professionals do while you’re still in college, such as interning and going to professional association events. The specific organizations, companies, or both you participate in don’t matter so much as the confidence and practice you’ll gain. Entry-level jobs are pretty much like internships except better paid and more likely to be full time.
Don’t ever let anyone convince you that you’re not good enough for your career goals, but be realistic if they are tough to achieve. You set your own standard for success. Difficult goals often require a relatively long and nonlinear route but are still attainable. Mentors, friends and colleagues occasionally shot down my goal of working in New York’s arts market. However, due to my persistence, I’m now working someplace I love that’s a perfect stepping stone to that goal.
Some of the best career advice I’ve ever heard, from the career services coordinator in my major, is that you have to do what makes you happy now. I would also add that’s okay to compromise your happiness just a tad if you think it will eventually make you even happier after graduation. You’re more likely to succeed at something when you’re motivated by joy. The problem for most of us is figuring out exactly what makes us happy.
Lastly, remember my unique perspective on this advice. I’ve had pretty much the same career plan since I was 17. My first job after graduation is across an ocean from my home and where I went to college. My family has not strongly urged me to pursue a particular major or job. I’d love to hear questions and advice from those of you with different perspectives.
Recent Comments