Korean Job Discussion Forums

[basplar]

I previously posted this on the 15 page long post "Attention F Series Visa Holders" The only person that replied was Mack. Maybe the forum was too long for anyone to see my post, so I'm gonna start a new one here using my previous post.


Hey one and all. I'm a newbie to this forum(at least I don't think I've ever posted on this forum.) I'm going on 9 months of marriage now with a wonderful Korean wife, who I love and adore. This forum has some really great info in it. I got my F2-1 just a few weeks after I got married, so, I'm legal(immigration wise) to work where I want. Been working my BUTT off at a high school in Seoul and looking to make a change and make some REAL money. This is my 3rd year of teaching and my 2nd year of teaching high school, plus I have a TEFL certification. I have experience doing privates, but because of my full time job, I haven't really done any privates in a while , and the wife wants me to try to get the ball rolling on getting privates/corporate work. I tried reading back through this thread, but after about 10 pages, it all starts to just blur together. Can anyone give me the skinny on what I need to do to make the transition from working at a high school in Seoul to strictly doing privates and corporate work. Just a brief overview would be really helpful. And I too, am interested in hooking up with all of you that are holding meetings in Seoul. I'm not up to 25 messages yet on Daves, so I can't send PM's yet.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[Unposter]

I'm no expert but I would say there isn't any secret. You need to knock on doors, read websites offering jobs, apply to them, make contacts, build your reputation and do a good job. If you do that, you will find, get, keep and be offered new jobs.

Some people have the misconception that the F-visa is some kind of lottery win full of riches. It just means that you have a family to take care of and you are willing to do what it takes to keep them from applying for Korean welfare.

A couple of things to becareful about: Just because you have an F visa doesn't mean that you don't have to pay taxes on all those classes. Privates are illegal without a private tutoring licence.

[cbclark4]

Because you are an anti-American bigot, I hope you fail miserably.

I find your avatar to be highly offensive.

For privates keep your day job, have your wife promote
your "specialized instruction" abilities around the neighborhood or into
the more lucrative neighborhoods, the ajumma network should take it
from there.

If you can build that business to 16 or 20 hours per week, then start to
work deals at the school to phase out from there help them find a new
teacher.

If your looking for corporate gigs bone up on business communications,
develop a syllabus and offer it to the local corporate offices. Expand that
to a technical writing and communications, learn the vocabulary for the
specific industry and go. Create templates and boiler-plates that your
students can use.

That's it and lose the avatar.

[basplar]

[cbclark4]

[basplar]

cbclark

Do you understand that I'm actually very PRO American, or are you just replying out of contempt. My AVATAR is not Anti-American and I certainly was NOT trying to personally offend you. That picture is symbolic. I just want people to open their eyes and try to stop the destruction of our country(which I love very much) by a small group of powerful world elites. Once again, sorry if your offended, and if you wanna talk about this more, just PM me.

[Captain Corea]

My advice:

Start building up a few classes while you are still at the High School. Sure, you'll be working a lot for a few months, but once you leave the HS, you'll have a bit of cushion to land on before you can fill out your schedule again.

Apply for late evening/early morning jobs but
a) don't take anything under 40,000 (shoot for at least 50)
b) put effort into what you're doing. It's easy to think that "Biz" classes are just about chatting, but if you approach them like that, you'll fail soon enough.

If you have any specific questions, PM me mate.

[jeffkim1972]

I put up flyers at the apartments, but it helps to have a Korean help answer the phone because many of the curious people that call are mothers that don't speak English.

I built up a good army of students and then i kind of got sick of it and now i don't do it anymore.

But you can also make up business cards, 500 of them for 15,000 won just stating your services.

You really need to do some legwork and then the people that you start with will also find others if you are really good.

One thing i did was the first 20 minute meeting was free. it was just to gauge the chemistry and level of the student. Everyone seemed to enjoy that. You have to show up with some plan also. Don't show up and present yourself as the english speaking person. Be a real educator, have some material or at least look organized and not as if you're just winging it.

Cater to all levels also.

It's just like any other business, it takes effort to start off. Your wife also should help out with the networking.

But if you're first starting off, you might have to take less than what others are saying here. Most important thing about privates is to treat each student at their own level and always keep them engaged by teaching something new. In a hagwon you can get away with being a boring teacher, but no one will pay you 50K for teaching them things they already know.

[jaderedux2]

I am an american and I LOVE THE AVATAR KEEP IT!

[PGF]

This is a good thread.

Business cards.-essential

Your wife is Korean, so flyers or is it fliers in English and Korean?

(why am up at 9 AM on a Saturday morning when I got home at 4 AM?)

Make sure you specify your experience/ and/or special skills- i.e., English degree or M.B.A. - experience with adults or 4 years with HS students....

Stress that you will teach in a SAFE environment. CCTV, whatever. If you don't have a web cam; buy one. You can stream your lessons on the web relatively cheaply and it's an advertising plus. "Watch me teach your kids!" -if you like to teach youngsters.

You've been married a while, so you probably have a good number of contacts and don't really know it. Your wife's friends and family are free advertisement for you.

Paper your neighborhood. You should have your wife's number available as well as yours- expect a LOT of phone calls.

Only advertise for the age range you feel comfortable with. I do not like teaching elementary/ or 1 and 2 middle school unless the kids are trying to get into a special language school or are going abroad.

Be prepared to provide books for a fee. All businesses require a start up fee and this one is no exception.

Do not be greedy.

If you can get a class of 5 students-who want to come three times a week, do not charge them $50/hour each. Unless you are the crack of the teaching world, it just won't work. Are you really worth 250,000 won/ hour?

one on ones are the exception. If you are giving one student THAT much attention for an hour, you deserve the $50.

Have a place to teach. Your living room can be the perfect place- buy a white board on rollers.....A white board even comes in handy for one on one adult students.

If you and your wife are a good team, you can have a small apt hagwon in no time (two months).

Good thread-

bush and cheney suckarsehole
draft dogging shadybastardsthat they is

[basplar]

Thanks everyone. I'm taking notes. Keep the knowledge rolling.

[MTinSEOUL]

How does one get the private teaching license? Is it necessary? I found some info on Gongbu Bongs and it seems like a lot of red tape.

[jeffkim1972]

My flyer was in Korean actually. But dont' make it sound as if you wrote it.

On the flyer, leave your WIFE's phone number or a korean speaking person.

Don't also give a hard figure for fees over the phone. Say it depends on the level of the person and what they are wanting to learn, which you must gauge in that first 20 minute meeting.

Warning: Some people that call up might be Korean teachers themselves checking out the competition.

I also made up an email address, and received some students that way also.

Some apartments charge you a fee to put up flyers at the front entrance. Depending on the size of the apartment complex.

You'll get some sharp students so make sure you have a good plan for grammar, writing, etc. never come in with a set plan and say "I will teach this way or the highway!" privates are all about customizing the lessons.

Expect to pick up students, lose students, even drop a few students. Be flexible in your pricing, especially with groups. But if you teach groups, make sure everyone is on a similar level.

About W300,000 investment for books, business cards, flyers, apartment bulletin posting fees, etc..

Your wife (or partner)needs to get this information before the meeting:

-Age of student
-what they want to focus on (reading, writing, grammar, etc)
-If they have previous private experience or hagwon experience
-And she will set up the meeting. Most of the time, she will come if it's a high school student or younger, but if it's an adult, might not be necessary.

you need to do your due diligence on the students as much as they are doing it on you to find their sweet spots. If they feel you are too easy, too difficult, not serious, not reliable in the long term or just a creepy person, they will walk.

[jeffkim1972]

[MissSeoul]

Keep your day job and make your livingroom like your own private hakwon. Good luck !