Job Discussion Forums

[johnnybgood]

Hi everyone,
I've read some of the articles on this forum and I think it's really great to see that there are so many kind individuals out there finding time to give some words of wisdom to others in need. I really hope that one day I can do the same for some new, or even 'old', teacher looking for help. For now, I've got a little dilemma of my own I was hoping you guys could help me with.
I've been working for the last 4 years at a language school in a small town close to Trieste. Two years ago I was appointed Director of Studies. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Here's the problem, after four solid years of teaching experience, two years experience as a Director of Studies and loads of appraisal from my students and colleagues.........I'm still earning pretty much the same money as I was the day I first started. Obviously, now as a director, I've got more of a workload, more responsibilities, more stress......and a boss who asks for more and more everyday but shows no intention of rewarding me.
Why am I silly enough to accept? Doing all of this extra work as a director was fine for me at first because I considered it valuable experience/ training for when I would hopefully takeover the school. Now, I've realised that running a school would be too much of a risk and not really what I'm looking for. I love teaching and (I don't mean to brag) my students really appreciate my work. However, at present I'm stuck in a situation where I'm working loads of hours for what could best be called a minimum wage.
Lots of students have aked me to give them lessons in private. Until now I've been declining beacause I have no time and it would mean 'stealing' customers from my boss. Now, however, my philosophy is: to hell with my boss as she's been stealing from me for 4 years. I'm going solo!
Okay, that's the situation. What I'd like to know is:
1) Is it better to work only with private students or to stay with my school and have private students on the side?
2) If I work as a freelance teacher, do I need to get a part. Iva or is the codice fiscale enough?
3) How do you guys deal with the long summer???!!!! Is it just a matter of saving up and being careful?
4) I'm a good teacher but my salary doesn't reflect this. Would freelance work make the difference or am I just risking everything?

I reeeeally appreciate your help everyone!

[Teacher in Rome]

I can sympathise with your situation! I don't think you'll ever get rich teaching / being DOS, but you should be able to improve your salary. Have you asked the boss for a raise? Do you know if the boss is in a position to give you a raise? Is there much other competition nearby? Are you in any way "irreplaceable"? Perhaps you can work out what would be an acceptable % given your responsibilities and what you bring to the school, and speak to your boss first.

If you think that there's enough demand locally for you to go freelance, then remember that you'll be in direct competition with your school, which may have other repercussions.

[johnnybgood]

Thanks a lot for the quick reply!
I'm not worried about breaching my contract in any way.....I don't have one! I'm still working with 'project contracts' (Co.Co. pro). I'm going to speak to my boss within the next few days but I know that it would be almost impossible for her to give me any form of a raise or a permanent contract. What I aim to do, which I think is completely fair, is to relieve myself of all my extra duties as director so that I can have more free time to do my own things.........until now I've been doing 7/8 hours of lessons a day PLUS another 3/4 hours preparation and other duties which are NOT paid for and I don't think my boss will ever be able to pay for these 'extra' duties. As I mentioned in the first mail, I've been doing these 'extra' duties as director because I wanted to but now I'm kind of fed up.
I'm not looking to directly steal customers from my boss. I think I'll slowly start advertising myself and see what happens. One way or another, I don't think I have anything to lose this way! I don't want to risk completely abandoning the school just to find out that working freelance is too difficult. I think my boss will agree to my conditions as I don't think she can completely afford to let me go. I wouldn't say that I'm irreplaceable but I do work in a small town where mother-tongue EFL teachers don't exactly grow on trees! There is a growing demand for English and I have become quite well known by now.
Are you working freelance? How did you start out?
Once again, thank you so much for your time and valuable advice!

[Teacher in Rome]

I don't want to second-guess your boss, but if I'd gone to my previous boss with a list of conditions, she'd probably have let me go rather than give me what she couldn't / didn't have the money for - it all depends on your boss.

Co co co contracts shouldn't exist any more. They should be contratto a progetto, or contratto dipendente, for example. In any case, be careful not to do anything which your contract forbids - such as working for other companies or for yourself.

I used to work in a training organisation, but became freelance when I moved from Rome. I also work for a small language school, but limit my availability to two afternoon / evenings a week. The rest of the time I work for other clients and for myself.

Good luck in your meeting with your boss - hope you can squeeze some extra money out of her!

[SueH]

I'm not surprised you're feeling tired with those hours! I'm a very part-timer as I don't rely on teaching pay, but I find teaching a tiring job, particularly with the kids I have in local scuole elementari.

You've had the experience so perhaps you can now withdraw from those unpaid jobs and give yourself time to consider your options. Try and develop some financial reserves for if you do go freelance.

Last summer I ended up working as a driver of a large mini-bus towing white water rafts to cover the summer gap, so a bit of flexibility can help! Another alternative might be to go back to the UK and do a summer school which you could combine with a holiday.

Start thinking about your networking, business cards etc, and funding your accommodation, which I presume is not provided. Are you mobile with a car or can you get a scooter? I go out to a number of local villages which although not far would be impossible without transport.

Look to local state schools, libraries running English courses, and any other sources of income where you'd benefit from cutting out the middle-man, and step up any informal networking you might be doing.

[johnnybgood]

Hi SueH and teacher in Rome!

I just wanted to say that I've found all the advice you both have given of extreme use. I'm going to speak to the big boss tomorrow to demand some free time..... I plan to start having at least 2 days off during the week to start doing "my own thing". Considering I'm Co.Co.Co. there's nothing she can really do about it! The financial difference shouldn't be such a big risk this way, even during this so called "crisis".

WISH ME LUCK!!! ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!

[Mike_2007]

Hi johnnybegood,

If you decide to go freelance you should do it properly. Find a way to issue invoices (either by setting yourself up with whatever passes as a freelancer in Italy, or working in conjunction with a friend/colleague who has a company). Once you can issue invoices you can offer language lessons to companies (meaning a more stable and predictable income).

I've been doing this for a while. This week I start contracts which I've negotiated with five companies and which run till the end of July. This means I'm pretty secure financially for at least that period. I have a couple of cash privates on top too, but I never like to depend on them. All my class are Monday to Friday between 10am and 6pm - no weekends, no evenings, no split shifts, no admin BS, no bosses - just planning and teaching with a little invoice work at the end of each month.

I say go for it, but do it properly and plan your transition carefully.

All the best!
Mike

[Kootvela]

If you don't want to risk it all at once, you might try to decrease your workload in the company and start securing your place with private students. Also, you will probbaly need a place to have them come unless you want to run around the city like crazy with your lessons. Surely, a few coroprate client groups would be great but that doesn't happen out of the blue.

I'm on my second year of being self-employed and it might take two years more until I am finally happy with my work.

[Teacher in Rome]

How did it go?

[johnnybgood]

.....could be better, could be worse! We had a loooong discussion where I bombarded my boss with all my problems. My boss sat there and listened patiently, which was something I wasn't expecting. Before the meeting, I had visions of my boss throwing me out of the window or bursting into tears because she can't pay.
Anyway, she seemed to understand my situation but wasn't happy with the idea of giving me two days off a week. So, in the end, we're in the process of trying to agree on some form of a proper contract (CNEL) but I don't think she's really willing to pay so much. The other solution, more likely I think, is that my boss will try to come up with some UNOFFICIAL way to give extra 'tuttele' ,as they're called, on the side. Does anybody know anything about the benefits/risks of having a private pension?
To be frank, If she doesn't offer a PROPER and LEGAL contract then I think I'll tell her that she can take the first option (me doing three days a week and having two days off to do my own thing) or else I'll be forced to look for another employer/ go private.
I think this negotiating process will take a while!

[Teacher in Rome]

Well, it sounds pretty good. The fact that she listened shows that she's at least interested in trying to find a way to help you.

I don't know about private pensions, but if you're on any sort of contract, then your pension contributions - whether state or private - should be paid anyway. None of it is "unofficial".

There are other perks that employers can offer, such as "buoni pasti", but that's only about �5 a day. Perhaps you could also try and get holiday pay paid into a project contract, so you can go away for two months in summer and work somewhere else. Or a bonus at end of contract... Just a few ideas that don't look like a pay rise per se, but might help in other ways.

[SueH]

Or, another idea... With her contacts could she get you one day a week where you are paid as an employee directly by a local school[s]. I do some hours at a couple of primary schools for �26 net: tax and insurance paid. In fact I'd budgeted to receive less but the INPS was less than expected based on the percentage calculation I'd done beforehand. Four hours in a day and you could take home around 100, which I imagine is more than usual? Even 3 hours would be over 70, and you might be able to do one or two private lessons in the rest of the day, or rest, which would be my preferred option!