Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jdog2050]

Please describe your experience. If you haven't worked there in the past year or so, positive or negative, please don't post (no disrespect).

[piratebryan]

i work for ybm psa gaepo-dong. i like it alot. we have a bunch of foreign teachers and the work load isn't bad at all. of few of the western teachers have been at this school are on their third contract if that tells you anything...

plus, since its a big company, we don't to worry about getting paid on time.

[ChinaBoy]

weird.. well, different people, different experiences.. I worked at a few different ones (teaching children) and experienced the usual kind of management that ranged from emotionally unstable to controlling dictator. Workload seemed quite a bit for the money involved and could have done with better housing. I am sure it is probably different at every single branch, though.

Getting paid on time is a definite plus, from what I've read from people at other hogwons, though.

I guess overall it ain't so bad if you like the hogwan life, but you could make more money for less work elsewhere.

[Poemer]

If you are thinking of working for YBM, go over the contract they give you with a fine toothed comb. Make sure that everything is spelled out clearly. I'm having trouble right now with my YBM contract. For instance, having a 200,000 won security deposit taken out of my first three months pay, even though I have my own apt. and not school housing. I could go on. . .

[Chris_Dixon]

I'm with YBM ECC Daegu, have just extended my contract for another year, they have been very honest when it comes to money etc, and i have had absolutely no trouble as a teacher, the material is simple to teach.....I'm going home for a month holiday, paid for by them between contracts, have a nice apartment....cant complain at all really....have to be an idiot to have problems really.

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

Had all sorts of wonderful info but do not not fit the criteria specified. So, the OP can do without

[Poemer]

[definitely maybe]

poemer may have taken it all a bit personally, but he's keyed in on a few points that you should always keep in mind when searching out a new job. do read the contract, do inquire about housing, location, etc., and always talk to someone foreign at the schools you're considering. i have a suspicion that the op already knows this though. i always find it funny that people struggle with contracts here because they're so short! it's clear that poemer is dealing with an idiot who is trying to sidestep an obvious mistake.

my input, much like pan jan jo hamnida's, is a past the expiration date for the op. however, i can confidently say that my experiences at two different eccs were above board in every respect. management might get on your nerves at some point, but don't they always? just make sure to stick it out for the max salary. a year of experience in korea should warrant that, but the big hagwons and chains will try to lowball you.

[machellebelle]

I work for a company owned ECC now. Like others have said, go over the contract carefully. I think there are better places out there, personally. (here's to hindsight!)
My apartment is alright, my hours are decent, and other than my Korean co-workers being idiots and the academic director a bit bitchy, it's acceptable. I wish I had more vacation, but oh well.
Also, they only pay in a little over 3% into your pension. I have no idea why, apparently it's company policy. Yes, we brought it up that it should be over 4%, but there's some shit in the contract that says it can be "up to" 4.5% but as low as something else. Quite fishy.
I left the paper at school, but later, I can post the full notice they gave us regarding the pension plan.

[Ms.G]

Yeah I chose YBM because I thought pay would be more secure and I wanted to work in a hagwon for at least the first year to get some experience, but I'm going over my first paycheck now and it's not all good. Haven't sorted it out yet but I could let you know the outcome if you want. I actually really like my supervisor and it's a great work environment, but each school is different. Talk to the foreign teachers at the school you're looking to work at. I was very impressed when I got over here at how professional the company was with training, etc, (I'm at a company owned school) but this paycheck has kind of soured it. I'm still deciding what to do if the pay doesn't sort out, but I'd say if you have any teaching experience or training and you're confident in that, go for the public school job. Veterans on this board have those jobs for a reason.

Also, I don't know if you're looking at ECC but you should know that if you teach the older classes, you will probably be doing 8 classes without breaks. If you teach kindergarten, you will be doing the 8 classes with a lot of breaks and overall working more hours.

[NatalieIlsan]

My YBM is really horrible. We just got a new director who is driving everyone crazy. In the past 3 months, two korean teachers have left and a new one worked for one day and never came back. A teacher from Ireland did a midnight run about 3 weeks ago and no replacement has come. So we are down 3 staff members. And everyone is working overtime. I have 10 classes in a row MWF. And the managers aren't even nice to us.
Oh and even though we are all working overtime they keep taking on more and more one to one students and they are still planning to run summer intensives. Which means I will be working overtime until I finish.

I am so close to finshing my contract or else I would leave.

But I've heard good things about other YBM schools.
I also heard good things about this school, and the teacher I replaced loved the school, but things change.

In conclusion, don't do it!

[kass]

I'm at a YBM ECC, no complaints from here. The manager is really nice and helpful and everyone else is also.

[ruby_tuesday]

Is anyone with YBM's Gaepo International Academy?