Korean Job Discussion Forums

[eac02]

I just received my contract from SMOE (I already posted my questions about it under the contract sticky) and have some points I would like clarified before I sign.
I assume I should contact SMOE directly and not go through the recruiter who emailed me the contract, correct? Also are SMOE's contracts set in stone? I've heard they are non-negotiable but some people still reccomend negoitating.

Has anyone successfully negotiated a contract with SMOE? If so please P.M. me to give me some details.

I'm not demanding much from them, just stuff like knowing my overtime rate, what type of furnishings I can expect, sat/sun workdays, etc...

[swigs]

I too am interested to know this answer...

[spliff]

Ask for 50,000 OT rate.

[esetters21]

SMOE clearly has a sliding scale that determines what your salary will be. When I interviewed with them, the director pulled it out and told me what my salary would be based on my qualifications. Overtime was explained this way: You have the ability to work overtime if you choose to. You can do this at any school that is part of the SMOE system; it doesn't have to be your FT school. I don't know exactly what the OT rate is. I haven't heard of anyone working Saturdays or Sundays. Maybe those that already work in the system can give clear cut answers as to OT.

Here is that payment scale from their site:

Level H: 1.8 million won per month

A Bachelor�s degree from an accredited university in one of major English-speaking countries with the instructions taught in English.

Level G: 2.0 million won per month
Must have one of the following qualifications:

A valid teacher certification for either elementary or secondary level schools.
A Bachelor�s degree in Education.
A Bachelor�s degree in English, English Education, English Literature, or Linguistics.
A TESOL/TEFL or an English Teaching Certificate comprised of a minimum of 100 course hours.
A Master's degree.
A Bachelor's degree with at least ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.

Level F: 2.2 million won per month
Must have one of the following qualifications:

In addition to one of the requirements for Level G, ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions including at the SMOE.
A teacher certification with specialization in English Education.
A Master�s degree in Education.

Level E: 2.3 million won per month
Must have one of the following qualifications:

Meet the Level G qualification with at least TWO (2) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
Employed as Level F at the SMOE for ONE (1) full year.
A Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English Education.

Level D: 2.4 million won per month
Employed as Level E at the SMOE for ONE (1) full year.

At least ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions with Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English education.
A Bachelor�s degree in English education with at least THREE (3) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
A teacher certification with specialization in English education with at least TWO (2) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.

Level C: 2.5 million won per month

At least TWO (2) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions with Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English education.
A teacher certification with specialization in English education with at least THREE (3) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions.
Employed as Level D at the SMOE for TWO (2) full years.

Level B: 2.6 million won per month

At least THREE (3) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions with Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English education.
At least THREE (3) full years of English teaching experience as a present public or private school teacher with a recommendation by the superintendent or the school principal.
Employed as Level D at the SMOE for THREE (3) full years.

Level A: 2.7 million won per month

At least FOUR (4) full years of English teaching experience at accredited institutions with Master's degree in TESOL/TEFL or in English education.
At least FOUR (4) full years of English teaching experience as a present public or private school teacher with a recommendation by the superintendent or the school principal.
C. Contract term and other conditions

The term of the contract is for 52 weeks (one year).

The NSET shall work 8 hours per day, 5 calendar days per week excluding Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays (approx. 14 days) of the Republic of Korea. The work hours of NSET may follow the normal work schedule of Korean teachers.

Actual class instruction hours of NSET shall not exceed 22 hours per week. (If exceeded, NSET will be entitled a supplementary class instruction pay). The person in charge of the work place may require NSET to work overtime in addition to normal workdays and work hours. In this case, overtime pay will be provided.

If NSET should desire to resign and thereby terminate the contract, he/she must give SMOE a one-month prior written notice of resignation and will not be able to have or seek employment in other institutes. (Letter of release will not be provided.)

[Bibbitybop]

Don't try to negotiate with a recruiter. They aren't SMOE officials.

Overtime teaching rate is 20,000 an hour minimum. My school pays me 25,000 an hour, my afterschool school pays me 35,000 an hour. This can be negotiable depending on the situation.

SMOE sticks to the contract 95% of the time and negotiations for extra things are usually done by re-signing teachers. There have been cases of very qualified teachers already in Korea, but new to SMOE, negotiating things like housing or location.

Unless you are re-signing, you'll get the pay according to the payscale. You might be able to make a case for yourself to be in a higher payscale depending on your background, but 95% of the time, it's cut and dry.

The contract also states you do NOT work on Saturdays. Some schools are oblivious to this at first because they didn't take the time to read your contract. Keep a copy of it on hand to show the administrators whenever they are wrong.

Apartments come furnished (unless you find your own) and you can expect a kitchen with fridge, microwave, maybe dishes or other things like a blender, you can expect a bed, a desk, most people get a TV, some chairs, lamps, etc. If you have a good school or are taking over a previous teacher's apartment, you might get kitchen supplies, towels, a computer and other things, but most teachers have to buy these things themselves.

[Figure8]

Speaking of SMOE contracts.... I have a G level to sign and send in the next few days. Should I bother posting it for review? They are standard, I would assume. Looks to have all of the necessary and expected provisions.

[Bibbitybop]

[Figure8]

Thanks. Just needed to hear that. I won't post it.

[Lekker]

SMOE can kiss my ass.

I went for an interview with them, in particular a Kyopo named John from the States. I have never in my life been so insulted during a job interview to the point where I got up and walked out. Not only was he concrete on a salary that was so low, he also pretty much told me that my experience here along with my degree were pretty much worthless. "Yeah, we start people with the art degrees at the bottom..."

"Even though I have been here in Korea for almost two years?"

He told me that his honest opinion was that I should pretty much pack my bags and go back to the States, as well as insult the recruiter who arranged the interview, who is a good friend of mine.

Have fun John. Your life has really got to suck. Anyhow, I landed a way better job than what you had in mind, so you can go F yourself.

[Bibbitybop]

[Clemmens]

Level F: 2.2 million won per month
Must have one of the following qualifications:

In addition to one of the requirements for Level G, ONE (1) full year of English teaching experience at accredited institutions including at the SMOE.
A teacher certification with specialization in English Education.
A Master�s degree in Education.


So come Aug., I will be a newbie to Korea, SMOE and life in general; just graduated. If I'm coming into the SMOE contract as a level G, the determining factor being nothing more than a BA in English and tutoring work at various hakwon-type schools for rich kids in my town, would a quick TEFL certification bump me up to the next pay bracket...? The "F"n Big Bucks...? Or would my lack of the seemingly obligatory "full year" of teaching experience at an accredited institution bum my trip? Is "G" as good as it's gonna get for me this first year? I'm not an especially greedy person... but all my kids' momz are bleeding me dry and I could use the extra dough. So any info would be a great help. Thanks.

[esetters21]

[pkang0202]

Tutoring counts as teaching?

Tutoring a couple kids a few times a week doesn't seem comparable to being in a classroom setting 22+ class hours a week.

[Clemmens]

[Clemmens]

BTW...

Dude(Pkang0202), you have a Tookie Williams avatar. How badd azzz is that? You're probably like the only dude on this board with a convicted killer as their avatar. I was thinking of putting one up myself... but I don't know how yet. And I can't think of any good killers. Manson, Dahmer, Gacy, they're all way over the top, ya know. I want a more quaint killer... maybe one who's shown some signs of redemption. But killed two, bare minimum. If you have any advice, I'd definitely appreciate it. Thanks dude.