Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Johnwayne]

I seem to recall a time not too long ago, where most of the major adult hagwon companies would provide at least a housing allowance, if not housing itself. However, it seems like all the ads I see lately are key money only.

Do they really have that many people clamoring for adult jobs that they can offer such a raw deal (taking into account split shifts and what not) or am I just imagining the fact that they used to offer a better housing option?

[Zaria32]

Other than the fact that you have to do the footwork to find a place, key money may not be a bad deal, depending entirely on how much it is and what area you're talking about. I've seen key money offers of 50,000,000 and really, that's not too shabby, even in Seoul.

[Netz]

It depends on exactly what he said, the amount of Jeonse. (Key money)

Truthfully, it would be a better deal if you get to choose where you live, rather than be stuck in housing you didn't like.

It could be worse, believe it or not, some contracts still try to offer shared housing.
(I'll never forget the time I had to throw my knife wielding American roomate down the stairs to keep him from causing "problems" inside the apartment, due to his apparent soju overdose....ahhhhh the memories).

[Ilsanman]

Have you taught Korean kids lately? I will suck up a loss like that to not teach kids anymore.

50 million won would get me a place to live in, rent free. That is savings of 300,000 a month. How much is the pay difference between the 2 jobs?

[Johnwayne]

Can't say I have seen an offer for 50 mil won key money as that would be a good deal. Most I have seen is 10 mil won.

Pay is on par with the average ESL teacher, which means not very good if you take into account the split shifts. I could overlook the pay and housing aspects, if not for the months on months (if not an entire year) of split shifts, ugh. Keep in mind I am talking about splits shifts of the kind where you start at 6-630 am and last class ends at 10 pm.

[Intrepid]

If your split shift is 6:30-8:30 a.m. and 6-10 p.m., and your housing is nearby, that is not a terrible schedule. I much preferred that to the 6:30-4 p.m. (got to hit the sack pretty early), or the 1-10 p.m. (sleep till 11, day then completely occupied with teaching).
On the "big split" I would finish, walk home and hang out, exercise, etc., before an early lunch then take an afternoon nap, and roll into work. Get home and chill out for a good while as the nap has bolstered me to need only 4-5 hours at night.
And, of course, ANYTHING is better than teaching the screaming hellions.

[Johnwayne]

Yeah, that was pretty much my plan. I just wasn't sure how much time I would actually have to nap after exercising (I'm easily in the gym for 1.5 - 2 hours on the days I do exercise) and eating lunch or whatever else.

I have no idea where my housing will be either, although work is in a pretty central location in Seoul, so I can't imagine it will be too far away.

[Ilsanman]

A lot of the adult hagwons offer housing in the very next building, or same building sometimes. As long as you don't act like a fuckwit on your time off, you can roll out of bed and be at work. If you have 1 hour break, you can go home.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[glimmer]

[ella]

[bezerkeley]

If you don't mind working at 7 am, coming back to work in the evening for a hour or two, and paying your own rent--which can average about 500,000 won, then go for it. I have taught in very depressing childrens hagwans as well as the most established adult hagwan in Korea, and, both sucked big time, the adult situation more so. Find a good established school that has set hours as least. Remember, hagwans in general offer you great conditions on the surface, but when you get down to it if you have to pay rent, then you will be forced to work weekends to see any real savings, with that in mind find a place that will pay your rent.

[cdninkorea]

Wall Street has block shifts; never split shifts.

[lastat06513]

For me, teaching children was the biggest headache because you needed SO MUCH energy to keep the children occupied and I always ended up so tired by the end of the day.
Teaching adults was the most interesting and fun for me (the one downside to it is that I was always preparing lesson material and lesson plans for 8-9 hours a month and then I had to xerox each one for the students, since the student IS the consumer in this case and the lesson plan was their expectation and probable result from the class), after I finished the initial lesson and started the conversation part of the class, it was cool to hear some of the stories and experiences the students had.

As for only getting key money....that sounds like something ELS, YBM, and Pagoda does. At my first job in Korea as a teacher, I taught at an adult hogwon and they gave my free accomodations. But I also notice in the ads, especially for Seoul, that alot of adult language schools are only offering key money and such.

But I do know that some adult language institutes in the provinces still offer single accomodations to their teachers. I would say take one of them if you don't want to worry about paying rent.

Actually, I found paying rent for my own place (I had my own place in Korea from 2001 all the way until I left in 2006) gave me alot of freedom and also, if you get canned, they can't hang the housing issue over your head, especially if you want to stay in Korea to teach at another place.

If you plan accordingly, you can manage to have your own place and still save money.

[glimmer]