A friend and I were talking this weekend about the spare cash situation – in short, she has it and I don’t.   I asked her just how she was getting all this dough and she simply replied, “Privates.”  I was intrigued. 

What’s a “private?”  Who can do it?  Who can’t?  What’s the going rate?  How do I find these privates teaching ESL or private English-language lesson conversation partners?  What about these ostensible 100,000 won an hour privates?  Where are they held?  Home?  Cafe?  Sauna?  No rae bang? (True story).

“Ok, listen up,” she finally continued, shaking her head.  She then proceeded to give me the deets on how to garner up some privates and, with them, some big time spending cash.  

First, she said, go to one of the finer ESL teaching websites like HiExpat.com (or IaminKorea.com; Craigslist.com; etc.) and search under “part-time jobs.”   These jobs are the babies usually posted by recruiters or private individuals that usually give you what you need to know.  I say usually, because some clueless recruiters like to post the following job description:

“7 to 8, Wednesday Suji adult.”  

Ok, that just ain't gonna cut it.  I mean, AM or PM?  One time shot on Wednesday?  Or every Wednesday?  Suji as in the location or as in the adult female student I’m going to be teaching?  Is it convo?  Reading & Writing?  And the question of highest consequence:  How much?

The best job postings will tell you basics on what you need to know – where, when, who, and usually hourly wage.  When posted by a recruiter, the cheapos will typically hit you for 35,000 won an hour.  Not bad, but when you consider they may be getting an extra taste off the top, you may want to hold out for at least 40,000 to 50,000 won an hour.  

Once you find the job you are interested in, make sure you look at where it is located and when.  If you live in Sinchon, you are not going to make it to Gangnam Station at 7:30 on a Wednesday morning – trust me, just don’t apply.  Also, make sure you know who you are going to teach: adults, children, businessmen, housewives or teens. If you don’t get along with kids, again, don’t apply.  Don’t like talking about the stock market or the next great Korean sports hero, don’t apply for the office English jobs.  My friend’s degree is in business, so she tells me that she usually applies for business conversation jobs. 

Ok, now the key:  cover letter.  First, send the cover letter in an email through the website you found the job on; makes it easy for the recruiter to track the job (they have 100s of privates they’ll post at one time. 

Second:  introduce yourself as a person, but treat this email like a normal cover letter; you are applying for a job, not a Korean pen pal.  Describe your educational background, public and private teaching experience, and home country.  Many private students (and their Mom’s) are looking to develop specific accents. 

Third, tell them what job you are interested in specifically -- my friend normally copies and pastes the advertisement into the email.  

Fourth, let them know the site you found the ad -- even if its not HiExpat.com; they pay for these ads, it’s just common courtesy.    

Next, tell the recruiter or conversation partner why you are a good fit to teach as a private tutor.  Maybe you have a flex schedule, maybe you are close to the location, but the best call is to say that you are focused, enthusiastic and disciplined in your approach to learning.  Then follow up on it.

Finally, make sure you attach a copy of your resume and photo.   By photo I don’t mean draw a picture of yourself.  I mean a clean cut, smiling and professional photo.  Hit the subway photo stall by your house or go to the teen dream photo club for a snapshot.  Just lose the pink background with the yellow bubbles or the photo shopped shooting stars.

Alright, you introduced yourself, sent a copy of your resume, now you wait. My friend tells me that she sends out an email for every job that she is available for, even if they have conflicting times with each other.  Her success rate of a call back is about 1 in 5.  

This means you need to get organized!  Yes, you’ve heard that before, but she warned me that she has to keep a strict schedule on hand, as teaching ESL in a private session requires a lot of time juggling hours.  You miss a class or come tardy frequently, and word gets around.  Your first private may very well be your last.

Have an interesting story apply to or teaching privates?  Lemme know!  I’d like to post it up for the world to see!

Next up – What to do with your Privates.

About me:  How did a mid-West gal end up in Korea?   A tale of revenge, pure and simple.   Last year, my Korean-American (gyopo) boyfriend asked me to move with him to Seoul for the sole purpose of proving what its like to live "different" in modern society.    Sure, I laughed when he used to count the number of Asians he sees while visiting my family in Ohio (nine, on our last visit, all together going into a baseball game).  And I chuckled and shook my head when he threatened to show me first-hand what it might feel like to be in his shoes, sitting as the only white girl at his Korean-family gatherings.  


I scoffed back then--but now I know.  The past 8 months living in Seoul have been a roller coaster of emotions, embarrassments and learning experiences.   In my blogs, I hope to share what I, a homegrown Ohio native, by way of Seattle, 28 year-old (30!! Korean age) woman, has learned in this great and giant city of Seoul!

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