Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gmlkoreanna]

I got a call about a part time job offer, paying the "new low rate" of 30.000W per hour. After haggling with this guy (gawd, I felt like it was a afternoon at nam dae mun market) anyways, after going back and forth about raising the hourly rate, the guy tells me, that the company he is setting up English lessons for is only paying 40.000 won per hour. So he is unable to give anymore due to, his take being only 10.000 won and 30.000 won going to the isntructor? "yeah right"...Does that sound like a sane sacrifice any recruiting company would make? I know the "base" take commission they "try" to get is between 20-30% per hour? After declining to to accept this job offer, the guy tells me, "you know, dis isa good postion and a good pay. lots oba the people will now working for dis kind oba pay. Already, I hire 2 teachers just pay to them 25.000 per hour so dis isa good pay. I will give to you 30.000 per one hour dis isa good pay"
Ironically, one of my friends who is working for a large corporation in Seoul, just got in as the Director of the Human Resources Division. He is also in charge of getting contracts/bids from recruting comapnies to hire English lesson programs/instructors for the employees working at this corporation. He told me, that the minimum price that they pay is per class, not per student, which makes sense is (drum roll please) is 70.000 per hour plus a 7.000 won vat tax on top of that bringing the total to a whopping 77.000 won per hour. (for english lessons) Now I'm sure that all these recruting companies, go out for bid to get these English teaching contracts through these corporations, so I would imagine, that the price range and incentive deals vary, but he did say at the LEAST MINIMUM, they pay, is 70.000 per hour.
So are we, the instructors, now going to allow these recruiters to take the upper hand by paying out less than half of the contracted price they are receiving from these corporations? The minimum offered even 6 months to year ago, at these same corporations, was minimum of 45-50.000 won hourly. Perhaps, it will be the recruiters in the near future writing threads bragging about how much they are making for just sitting at their desks hooking up instructors to teach lessons at this unforgiving rate. Even though, the won has stregthened over the green back. Living costs haven't gotten any cheaper here in Korea, so every won earned does count! If things keep up at this rate, we could be offered 25.000 won per teaching hour. Don't be a disservice to yourself and this industry by settling for these insulting rates!! I'm interested in hearing if there is anyone else who has noticed this "falling trend" and what your take is on it. sorry for the typos... Have a great weekend as we only have 48 hours left til Monday

[Pak Yu Man]

If your extra time is worth 30 k an hour...take the job. I think anything less that 50k is a joke. I would be bothered for less that 70k if it's a company gig or 50k if it's a private.

[latinthrilla]

If you can legally do privates then 30 000 is joke, your visa status can rake in way more. Otherwise, you don't have much to complain about.

Also, think about the monthly total income (assuming you are here to make money). If you do 1 private per week at 50 000 that's only 200 000 a month. If you do 5 privates per week at 30 000 that's 600 000 a month (unless my quick math sucks). The difference may not seem like a lot if you make a lot of $ but if you make little then it's a big chunk.

How far is your travel time to the job too? If you travel 30 mins there and 30 back that is the same as an hour of work, so from 50 000 it's now = 25 000 per hour. If it's just down the street than 30 000 doesn't seem so shabby.

Realistically I think it all depends an individual's situation.

[gmlkoreanna]

I get your reasoning, with travel and all ect.. ect... but just think if you were to get 50.000 a gig at 5 times a week that's 1,000.000 won per month vs. the 30.000 they are offering at 600.000 won per month. It shouldn't matter where one lives or if it's a extra time gig. I'm just saying that the "new low rates" that are going out seem to be replacing the 45-50K that was once the standard. If the instructors allow themselves to be paid at such low rates, don't you think it will change the whole system, when it comes to your earnings? And the cost of living in Korea "aint" gettin any lower...

[tigerbluekitty]

Right. Never settle for less. That guy's such a bullsh1tter!

[latinthrilla]

What you get paid depends on how good you are. Don't expect 50 grand just because you can speak English. Don't settle for less if you are worth it, but not everyone is worth it. How on earth is that bull??

[postfundie]

there's lots of fish in the sea

[tigerbluekitty]

[gmlkoreanna]

no, they are not only getting 50.000 won to hook up with teachers who are native speakers. The price is, 70.000 won, per hour. That's alot of duckies! And yes, while you shouldn't expect to make a ton just because you are a native speaker, but hot damn, at least be fair about the hourly pay. As long as teachers accept the lower rates being offered, they will just be going lower. C'mon guys, supply and demand!!! holla...........

[Leavingkorea]

Gov't pays 60-65,000 per hour for teachers
Samsung is generally 70,000 per hour (sometimes 75,000)
Most Companies are in those ranges as well.

[Typhoon]

In my experience companies like Samsung are paying 100 000 and up. Most big companies in my area seem to understand that a thing called inflation exists and that wages they paid 5 years ago are no longer enough. If they want a really good teacher they know they need to pony up. If you are in the business of working for businesses make sure you are getting what you deserve. Whatever that may be.

[Leavingkorea]

[gmlkoreanna]

If you surf through some of these websites, workn play, english spectrum, ect..ect.. They are offering the teachers (partimers mostly for company teaching) rates starting as low as: [b]35.000 KRW per hour. These recruiting companies are still getting the 70.000 won and UP per hour for your teaching. I'm all for being fair, but hey, I did say FAIR!! Seems like the hagwons have been out bidded by these recruiting companies, as the recruits the only one making all the duckies anymore!! Whenever, they call to offer a position, I have to nickel and dime, and most of the times they don't budge!!(and if they do it's only by 1-2 thousand won more and thats only if you promise your first born guess it has something to do with "supply and demand" ? As long as there are teachers willing to work for these low prices, they will continue to go lower!!! They have already went down from 50.000 to 30.000. Most of the recruiting companies are telling you that they are only getting 10.000 won per hour on their side and paying the teacher 30.000? This is not the KOREA I know...So WTF??? It's time to have a reaction (most like the one the farmers had to the FTA).. Sheeyat..............[/b]

[gmlkoreanna]

some of you may also have noticed that the starting pay at schools and or hakwons are the same as they were 3 years ago. That 2.1-2.3 hasn't gone up with all the inflation. How can we demand or get better pay for our teaching and "dedication"??

[PRagic]

For what it's worth, I was making 50-70K/hour at companies in 1994. Supply and demand. There are more people here now, and nobody is concerned about the legalities of the situation. The recruiters don't care what your visa status is, the company doesn't care because their arss is covered by going through the recruiter, and teachers (the ones that work for less, at least) don't care because they are short-termers.

It seems that the biggest problem is the 'off the boat' mentality, wherein people think that 30 bucks an hour is great because it's more than they would be making back home. Here, however, you have to figure in transportation, the fact that you are not being paid benefits, retirement, or severance. No, you don't deserve more money just because you speak English. You do, however, deserve more money if you have teaching experience, have a background in business, or have a more flexible visa status. All of these make it easier for recruiters to market you.