Korean Job Discussion Forums

[air76]

My girlfriend will be returning to Korea after working 2 years in other countries....we have 3 years experience teaching ESL and CELTA certificates.....my question is what would be a reasonable salary for us to request from a Hagwan? We aren't interested in public schools, but just want to do a year at a Hagwan to make some money.

Please, I don't want to hear from you monkeys bragging about how much money CAN be made, and how you've banked 100 grand and pull in another 5,000,000 a month. I realize that really good money can be earned if you pull the right strings and work privates and moonlight at a second school, etc etc...but that's not what I'm asking. We're just looking for a plain old Hagwan job, 3-9, no weekends.

What I want to know is whether or not 2.5 million is reasonable (in a smaller town, not in Seoul or Busan) or if 2.3 million really is the top salary we can negotiate for regardless of experience.

Thanks.

[icnelly]

I have two friends who are working at my old hagwon who have about 2 + years of experience, no teaching certs, and they make 2.4 a month.

And, when I was applying for jobs in March, there was a hagwon in the same city that was also offering 2.4. (I had 2 years experience and 2 certs under my belt at the time).

[air76]

Cool....thanks for the info. I've just had a couple recruiters tell me that Hagwans aren't willing to pay more than 200,000 extra for experienced teachers and I didn't know if they were jerking my chain or if this was really the case.

[Bibbitybop]

Recruiters are just trying to place you as quickly as possible for their cut.

One good thing about public schools is that they have a standard pay scale and you don't have to worry about getting screwed by a school or recruiter. However, if you find a good hogwan and can negotiate, you aren't held back by a pay scale if you want more (you greedy, greedy man we all are.).

[Dome Vans]

You should be able to get 2.5 with CELTA and experience at a PS. This is level 1 pay.

Hogwans, it'll generally be more research for finding the better ones. If you're near Korea and can come here for the interviews then you can generally have a better bargaining position because a lot can be agreed face to face. Although the hogwan pitfalls are bigger than the PS ones. If you're wanting to make money for a year, you'll need to be weary of the 11 month firings etc or not being paid. Be warned.

Also seconding Bibbitybop, recruiters get their cut and then it's goodbye. They only really "deliver" you, that's their prime objective, but some do it better and more thoroughly than others.

[air76]

We've worked in Korea before, so we're well aware of all of the possible pitfalls working at a private school. If something goes awry we'll just have to stay teaching another 6 months. We don't have to hit our savings goals in a year, but we're just hoping to get out of the industry after one more tour of duty. ESL has been a love/hate relationship for me...on one hand the best job I've ever had and on the other hand not something I want to do as an actual career.

There are a couple reasons why we don't want to do public school jobs...although the vacation time and pay are great we have taught classes of 40 students before and it is very difficult, especially in Korea. Of course it is manageable, but if you really want to make any sort of progress with your students you need to work with 10 or less at a time.

We also actually miss the hagwan schedule...at the moment we work more of a 9-5 schedule and neither of us like it. I liked that when I worked at the hagwan I could sleep in, hit the gym, go out to lunch, take a 2 hour motorcycle ride, and all before work, plus if you want to go out during the week after work you don't have to stress about getting up early.

[Bibbitybop]

[expat2001]

[bassexpander]

I think the recruiters are correct.

Experience plus a CELTA would probably max out at around 2.4 (or 200,000 more than the average 2.2 pay range).

Sure, there might be exceptions, but they are probably jobs that will require you to work your tail off to get that extra amount. It's arguable whether or not such jobs are worth it, unless they involve some level of hourly pay, along with the chance to make closer to 3 million per month.

Good luck. You'll have to search very hard to find more than 2.4 for your CELTA (unless you take a job with many, many hours), or get hired by a decent uni once you are here.

[diablo3]

Well, if they try to pull you down while you are hearing otherwise, then don't take any job until you are completely satisfied.

Better still, wait until december and see who gets desperate when possible tighter regulations are introduced.

I can imagine these proposed new regulations will keep you paid low.

I think the recruiters and schools will get more desparate. Schools want you to come yesterday, and that will be more difficult.

Also, anyone can earn 3 million won per month with CDI, but don't imagine they are one of the better schools.

[Dome Vans]

bibbitybop. That's a very good list. I haven't seen that before. I was talking from the perspective of EPIK, not SMOE.

http://epik.knue.ac.kr/sub2/sub2_3_1.asp

I would have posted the table here but the tabs are all out. Sorry.

They've recently changed these again. I was adding on the provincial bonus to bring it up to 2.5. The OP could probably squeeze in as a Level 1, but it wouldn't be in a big city. I work out in the middle of nowhere and love it.

Expat2001, I was thinking more of finding jobs on here or by ear and generally going to the school yourself and bypassing the recruiter all together. The school won't have to pay the recruiter so therefore giving you a better bargaining position. But as usual with Hogwans this can be fraught with problems especially the visa process, but it seems to have worked for a lot of people on these boards. The OP seems to have their heads screwed on with what they want and how they'll get it. My apologies for not being too much help.

[air76]

Thank you very much everyone who added information to this thread. To tell the truth we don't really care THAT much whether we work for 2.3 or 2.5, I just wanted to make sure that we were negotiating for the market wage for our level of experience and training.

[GerryTulip]

Graduated this year, crashed through a CELTA and now heading to Korea to work for 2.2M at a Hagwon in Daegu. I dont think they really care about the CELTA to be honest, they just say "oooooooooooo 120hours" and then its forgotten.

[lastat06513]

A CELTA is not seen as being as prestigious in Korea as it is in other corners of the world and many teachers making their way into the public school system also already have 3-4+ years experience teaching under their belt....

[Kimchieluver]