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Is this unreasonable?

 
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Voyeur



Joined: 19 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 9:05 am    Post subject: Is this unreasonable? Reply with quote

I'm applying right now and I am juggling several schools and recruiters who have offers or are looking for me. This is my first real influx but I am in a rush to get over to Korea. I don't want to settle but I don't want to hold out for offers that are unlikely to come.

I'm 31. I just finished 6 years as an Investment Manager at Merrill Lynch where I also did a lot of corporate training and held a lot of public seminars. I'm burnt out and taking 2 years to teach and save some cash for starting whatever my next career will be. Don't ask me where the money went...just don't ask Smile I have worked for a Cabinet Minister as a speechwriter and another Cabinet Minister (Canadian) as a correspondence assistant i.e. business letter writing. I have a BA in Business and Philosophy, and my TESOL. I'm no underwear model but am tall, broad shouldered and wear a suit well so no one can see I don't have no 6 pack Smile (I'm still working on getting past my 2-pack and have been stuck there for yyears now - lol baby steps). I'm clean cut with no piercings and short brown hair. Several recruiters have asked for more pictures saying that I have the kind of looks Hogwan directors like. That may not be great for getting babes maybe but hopefully it helps with a job. Who knows, who cares - whatever hepls helps. My overall resume/refernces/photos/etc... initial presentation is very good.

**SUMMARY OF TEACHING RELATED EXPERIENCE**

100+ HOURS: taught canoeing, letter writing, and swimming to children ages 8-12 at summer camp

50+ HOURS: tutored new Canadian Citizens or their families (children ages 6 to 16) in basic English and Canadian customs

100+ HOURS: tutored new Canadian citizens or their families (adults) in basic English and Canadian customs

30+ HOURS: taught the Canadian Securities Course to small classes of corporate students

150+ HOURS: tutored individual candidates for the Canadian Securities Course and the Canadian Conducts and Practices Course

100+ HOURS: conducted seminars teaching various groups about investing and financial planning


***What I am Looking For***

Must Have Elements:

-Single accomodation fully paid for
-Airfare paid up-front
-Location in Central Seoul proper - not suburbs and a decent area
-No weekends
-No split-shifts
-Financially stable school - they can be bastards but I don't want them to be broke bastards lol

Priorities:

-Salary: 2.0 Million for standard contract length (108 -120 hours). But I could go lower even down to 1.7 if everything else was right
-Ability to walk to work i.e. within 20-25 minutes walking (I'm from Ottawa - I can walk 25 minutes in a Korean Winter NO PROBLEM Smile )
-Not too much Kindy
-Fairly tight schedule with hope for it to get better as year goes on

We all know how very little time is given to consider offers so you sometimes have to reject on faith that you can do better. Two recruiters that I trust have told me that I am not unreasonable but that since this is the hardest time to get hired now it could take a month. (people think there is more demand now so everyone applies but in fact demand is fairly constant thus a glut of applications - this I have heard from 3 people. Could be wrong.) I trust these guys only so far but their professionalism, things they have been willing to admit and say, and fact that they are not inudating me with offers has been a good sign.

Anyways, do I have my head way up in the clouds here? I have also been told that this kind of job is what everyone wants and that you get it in your second year with one year experience and having worked in country to secure it for several months ahead of time. I want to go to Korea and save some money in my first year but don't need to save a ton either. I'm a big city person - I like being where the fun and action is and not having to take a bus 1 hour to get to and from the clubs on the weekends. But maybe I need t think about the suburbs more.

I know this is kinda long and may be too much info. I'm just looking for basically yes or no commments as to whether I need to tone down my request. Anything more elaborate is great but I figure if you have got this far enough of your time has been wasted Smile Thanks.
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Voyeur



Joined: 19 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, if the first post is annoyingly long or contains lots of things that really are not necessary to know in order to answer my question then let me know and I'll edit it right down to the bare bones.
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Son Deureo!



Joined: 30 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds reasonable to me. You wouldn't be the first person to get all of this in their first year, but it may take a bit of luck to get all of it.
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Bubbliee



Joined: 03 Jul 2003
Location: Kelowna, BC Canada

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think it is unreasonable at all. I am heading to Korea in less than 2 weeks for my first year. I got job in Seoul, pay is 2.2 per month (120 hours), Single fully paid accomadation, 10 days paid vacation in additon to all national holidays, no saturday classes, airfare upfront, no split shifts, and teaching elementary and middle school children. It is possible to get what you want.
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saint_moi



Joined: 06 Apr 2003
Location: That little place where I'm meant to be.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's in no way unreasonable at all! I reckon you could pick that kind of job up without any hardwork.

Peice of cake I'd say.

The saint.
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The Cube



Joined: 01 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:34 am    Post subject: Re: Is this unreasonable? Reply with quote

..

Last edited by The Cube on Sat Nov 29, 2008 3:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Arthur Fonzerelli



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Location: Suwon

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

you'll end up teaching kindergarten brats...working 30 hours a week at a job you hate....

welcome to korea.
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hadeshorn



Joined: 30 Jul 2003

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 9:17 am    Post subject: I have a pretty good school. Reply with quote

I have a pretty good school where I do my hours and get the hell out of there. I dont have any really bad classes and im quick as a whip when a kid pisses me off.

I have a class next to me where the foreign teacher and the korean teacher are waging a losing battle with the monsters but I would so love to go in there and whip em in to shape.

But you know what they say be careful of what you wish for...
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Voyeur



Joined: 19 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the advice.

I had already spiced up my resume with a little exageration in terms of English teaching - I will try even more. I know that is what they care about but fact is that while I have done a fair bit of teaching and tutoring the bulk of it was corporate stuff not English per se. Still, the point is well taken that they do not care about anything but English so maybe all my other teaching stuff actually crowds out the English teaching exp. I do have. I'll either drop the non-English of condense it all into one big category.


Thanks all for the negotiating tips too.

Hopefully I'll find something and be over soon !!
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marcy



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kindergarden isn't so bad, in fact I was surprised to find myself enjoying it more than some of my elementary classes... also if you don't want kindergarden your schedule is more likely to be from afternoon to evening rather than morning to afternoon, which can be a plus or minus depending on what you want to do after work...

good luck
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Saxiif



Joined: 15 May 2003
Location: Seongnam

PostPosted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just get your EXACT hours written into your contract or they won't count your few-minute breaks as work (it adds up) and you'll get handed split shifts...
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rosewood



Joined: 15 Mar 2003
Location: Wonju

PostPosted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 5:25 am    Post subject: and Reply with quote

...what about an air conditioner. I made them promise me one.
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Voyeur



Joined: 19 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What about this offer:

72 x 80 min classes per mo.

2.0 Million moth

Located in Seodaemun - very central.

Studio apartment, single, with Air Conditioner! Smile

BUT they do take $200 000 per month for the first 3 months as a utility deposit and I have to pay the monthly utilities and maintenance fee.

Says that I am expected to devote no less than 2.5 hours per day to lesson planning though at the institute so in the end they are getting a 40 hour work week.

Overtime is at 1.5 times the normal rate and capped at 88 x 80 min sessions unless both parties agree i.e. they do own my azz carpet but they will have to pay for it Smile

No Kindy anywhere in the building.

Downside is that it is an SLP only opened for one year. I really liked the teacher and the director but heh, that only means so much. It is only a pair of phone calls. My recruiter has been one I have stuck with for awhile because I liked his candor and professional manner and he likes the school - but heh, that only goes so far. Some would say that so far = not at all Smile

But dammit I am feeling lucky so I might just go for it if I get the offer (just interviewed).
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marcy



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Everything except for the utilities deposit sounds great. The deposit however sounds like a lot, especially since not everyone has to pay one. If I were you I would express my eagerness to accept this position if the deposit at least cut in half if not forgotten...

Good luck
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rosewood



Joined: 15 Mar 2003
Location: Wonju

PostPosted: Tue Aug 19, 2003 4:35 am    Post subject: well, not sure Reply with quote

For me the beauty of Korea has been working 27 hours a week. 40 would be too much like working in Canada. Your decision.
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