Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hopelesswanderer]

I am a current employee at ICEV. I would like to give a couple bits of information about the current working and living conditions at Incheon English Village. It will be difficult, but I will try to be as objective as possible. People deserve to know what to expect before making their decision.


LIVING:

New employees are no longer given apartments. They are assigned to dorm rooms in a building not too far from ICEV.

Your room comes with a bed (no bedding), a desk, a couple shelves, a couple closets, and an old style TV. These things must stay in your room. You are not allowed to move them, even if you don't use them.

The rooms are quite small and the bathroom is not western style (by this I mean your shower head hangs above your sink, so when you shower everything in the bathroom gets wet and the drain is on the floor. It would be next to impossible to create an area with a shower curtain)

Around 25 teachers live in this dorm (some from ICEV, some from the school next door, GEC) and share the laundry and kitchen facilities.

There are only 2 washers and two dryers shared between all of the teachers (there is no room in your room to set up a drying rack)
The washers are not attached to a hot water source.

The kitchen currently has only two burners. There is no oven. These burners are shared between the 25 teachers and around 10 bus drivers. The bus drivers cook dinner there every night so during this time you probably won't be able to cook.
The kitchen is not a heated area (you will need to bundle up to cook in the winter)

There are a couple microwaves in the building and several water stations (they have cold and hot water taps)

There is wired internet in each room, but no WiFi. The speed is usually very fast.

You don't pay any bills at the dorms.

WORK:

You will be working within 24 hours of your arrival. Some people are brought to work within hours of getting off the plane. This will be done if your arrival time and the school hours allow.

You will be required to work Monday through Saturday. Yes, six days a week, despite what you are told on the phone.
(Disclaimer: There are a couple programs in which a few teachers DO have a 5 day work-week from Tuesday to Saturday. These people still end up working overtime, just at different times. This is only for a select few, so don't count on it.)

Overtime is mandatory. You will be told it is optional during phone interviews. It is mandatory. Again, it IS NOT OPTIONAL.

You get a few weeks off per year, but other than that, there is nothing. There is no summer vacation. You will work on Christmas day. You will work every holiday (even Korean government holidays) unless it falls on the scheduled vacation weeks.

There are multiple mandatory, UNPAID events that you must attend. These are usually after working hours.

The work is not difficult. It's actually fun most of the time, but it depends on your attitude.

Now, to be a little less objective...
Korean work culture differs GREATLY from western work culture. This often causes conflict because both sides don't understand the other. Expect it.
Korean work culture expects appreciation for anything given to the employee. A western employee expects to be treated fairly, and with respect. A western employee is usually viewed as "always complaining" when all we want is to be treated fairly and with a little dignity.
Abstract Example (completely made-up!):
Korean way - You look tired. Drink some of the free coffee. You should be thankful for the coffee.
Western way - I was working all night last night so I was only able to sleep for 4 hours. I deserve fair working and living conditions.


Simple consideration for employees is not present here. This is a business and the bare minimum(in the eyes of westerners) is given to it's employees....and they expect you to be appreciative of it. It's a big cultural clash.
Your time outside of work will never be considered by ICEV. Work is all that matters to them. Work is life here.

Reply if you have specific questions and I will answer them if I can

Hopefully this helps someone!

[TheMeerkatLover]

Sounds like the classical bait & switch.

Say what you want to hear to get you here, then change the circumstances when you're not in a position to leave.

Pretty much standard practice for ESL businesses.

[Weigookin74]

[Lucas]

https://www.facebook.com/IncheonEnglishVillage#!/photo.php?fbid=551039908242488&set=a.384715731541574.98999.384707561542391&type=1&theater

I like the 'think less' one

[Sesame]

lol at people who work at english villages