Korean Job Discussion Forums

[beebay007]

I got sent some info from Berlitz Korea. It sounds like a really big organisation, but there are a few things about their contract that don't look too good to me. Here are a couple of bits:

" Salary-The salary is 11,500 won per teaching unit. A unit is 40 minutes of teaching time and a 5-minute break. The one-month's severance pay is included in the unit rate. Instructors teach 8-12 units a day on average and are guaranteed to be paid for 120 teaching units per month, but typically work between 160 and 210 units per month."

looks dodgy, you're only actually guaranteed 1.38 million won per month.

"Instructors are provided with accommodations for their first 3 months of employment. This will be provided through having the Instructor live in one of Berlitz's company apartments or a hostel/bed-and-breakfast type establishment."

and later:

"By the end of the 3-month period it will be necessary for the Instructor to find other living arrangements. A staff member is available to assist Instructors in dealing with local real estate agents and arranging a lease. Information on shops selling second-hand furniture is also available. For Instructors in their own housing, Berlitz provides a stipend of 300,000 won/month to help offset the cost of the rent and up to 5 million Won for a deposit on the apartment. "

they're the biggest 2 things that stood out as less than ideal. Do you people agree with me?

[ulsanchris]

I have never heard of this school, but you have some deffinate concerns here. Personally I wouldn't waste another second even thinking about working at this school. Most Schools will pay you around 2 mil a month and provide your lodging for the entire time you are in Korea.
I can't understand why the deal they are offering unless the job is part time.
Forget this school and go find another one.

[thegadfly]

Well, the "world famous Berlitz method" is indeed world famous....

My biggest problem with Berlitz is that it prefers NOT to have experienced teachers -- you are to do exactly what they train you to do, in the manner in which they train you. From what I have heard and read, if you are absolutely inexperienced, the training is excellent...but if you have anything like your own teaching philosophy, you will be butting heads from the start....

The salary and housing situation are VERY low on the scale, but then, they do not WANT experienced teachers, since folks who know what they are doing might not want to do it using the "world famous Berlitz method." You get in trouble for deviating from the lesson plan, to the point of being docked or fired -- at least in Japan, when I was inquiring a few years ago.

I would suggest avoiding them -- run far run fast -- YBM and Wonderland would be better....

[TECO]

Avoid Berlitz Korea.

First, in my opinion and in the opinion of others whom I've worked with at Berlitz Korea, the 2 people who manage the schools are incredibly deceitful.

The guy in charge of H.R. for Berlitz Korea is a Canadian named Gerald. Gerald has been working for Berlitz in excess of 10 years with a good part of those years spent working for Berlitz Japan.

The Berlitz regional director is a woman named Revital Golan, from Isreal. Revital works here in TAIWAN at the Berlitz in Taipei City. The teaching staff at the TAIWAN BERLITZ are alos overworked and underpaid and, as a result, there is a huge turn over. Morale is incredibly low.

I lived in BERLITZ HOUSING and it was so delapidated and dirty that one of my friends got a skin infection on his legs and had to move in with another teacher. The bathroom was sickening it was so stinky and dirty and falling apart (huge hole in the bathtub, shower head broken, etc, etc).
The housing was also located in an area with many prostitues and migrant labaourers drinking and fighting outside late at night.

Be very careful with Gerald Drabick, the Canadian head teacher. He is as greasy as they come. When I worked there in the late 90s, they had about 12 teachers quit in the span of about 1 month in the Kangnam school. Again, that was due to the Revital/Gerald style of management.

Revital Golan and Gerald Drabick also had teachers teaching for Berltiz with only C-2 (?) HOLIDAY VISAS and was paying them under the table and more money than the legally contracted teachers in Seoul. They had 3 or 4 teachers from Japan Berlitz come over and teach illegally in the schools in Seoul. The teachers were told by Gerald not to discuss this with any of the other teachers.

Immigration also came in and arrested about 3 instructors who were not working on legal visas.

Anyways, the stories go on and on with not only BERLTIZ KOREA but Berlitz around the World in general.

A school best avoided unless you are looking for headaches

Good luck either way, though.

[TECO]

This was taken from the BERLITZ JAPAN TEACHER Web site:
http://berlitz.generalunion.org/index.htm
There is a lot of info on how the company operates in Asia and other countries around the World.

Send in your grievances
[email protected]

Japan.
Berlitz Japan are failing to enrol and allow teachers onto the company pension scheme. Berlitz Japan are failing to register employees onto the National Pension, Health Insurance and Employment Insurance schemes. Berlitz Japan constantly violates Japanese Labour Laws and its own Work Rules and Policies.

Thailand.
A teacher in Thailand is fired from their job 1 month before they are due to retire. The teacher loses all pension rights. Berlitz Thailand fail to provide a reason for the firing.

Korea.
Berlitz Korea put its teachers in an illegal position by breaking immigration law with false contracts and paid travel units (units spent outside the building) that are illegal for teachers in Korea. Teachers are deported with a 2 million won fine when caught. Teachers report that Berlitz Korea are forcing them out of company housing and charging 7% above the base lending rate for key money on new apartments.

[Skarp]

I replied to a Berlitz ad. It only took a minute to dismiss them out of hand.

Skarp

[Holyjoe]

I know a guy who worked at Berlitz here until recently, perhaps it's his job that's on offer.

I think he tolerated it more than enjoyed it, but he absolutely didn't like the working hours. Because you're teaching corporate and business classes then you're looking at hours anytime between 6am and 10-11pm, which just didn't fit in with his lifestyle (he likes the odd beaker or ten of amber nectar ).
He enjoyed the teaching, but wasn't so keen on the hours.

If you want his email address then send me a PM, and you can ask him a wee bit about working for Berlitz in Korea.

[OiGirl]

[beebay007]

OK OK I get the picture - I'm not going to apply at Berlitz..