Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jherara]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to the board, but I have a few quick questions. I've recently been offered a position in Suwon through Pagoda Academy recruiting at a Christian Mission School--Young Seng High. The hours are terrific: 20/week, as is the pay and other contract conditions--my questions:

Has anyone on this board worked for a private high school or this recruiter?

What is the political climate like right now in South Korea? I've read various opinions and accounts on this board, but really need an idea before I head over for a year?

Also, would it be unheard of to include a clause in my contract stipulating that if the situation with North Korea escalates quickly that I can return to my own country?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and any replies can be forwarded onto my e-mail at [email protected]

Thanks

[IconsFanatic]

If you're talking about the same Pagoda that I think you're talking about (teaching adults), keep in mind that you'll be working the mother of all split shifts.

Hope you can learn to nap during the middle of the day!

[jherara]

Really? I've been told that I'll only have a four hour work day b/c I will be primarily used to help with pronunciation.

[IconsFanatic]

Pagoda is likely the best chain in Korea, in regards to salary and how enjoyable the actual teaching is.

However, everytime I've heard of someone working there, they're doing horrible split shifts, such as 6-9am, then 8-11pm or the like.

If they're offering you shifts of four hours without splits, make sure you get it in writing. I've heard the recruting office in Seoul says one thing, and the school you end up with says another, so make sure you get ALL promises in writing. If it's not in your contract, put it in yourself, and make them sign that.

[jherara]

Below is the informatoin concerning salary, working hours, and overtime. During the interview I was told that I would only work the 20 hours although the school hours were 9:20-4:20, but now that I'm looking at these sections...in section five I could be required to work up that as overtime.

I think that they need to stipulate that "working hours" refers to the hours in which the school is actually open.

What do you think?

4. SALARY & OVERTIME

A monthly salary of 1.8 million won will be guaranteed for 20 teaching hours per week. Each teaching hour in excess of 20working hours a week is considered as overtime. The overtime pay will be 18,000 won per working hour. Attendance at scheduled staff meetings and workshops cannot be considered as Overtime.



5. WORKING HOURS

During the term of this Agreement, the Employee will be required to perform work assigned him/her by the Academic Supervisor for 20 classes each week. Workdays are from Monday to Friday from 9:20 am to 4:20pm.

[IconsFanatic]

Looks pretty good to me.

Yeah, they could make you work 7 hours per day, but that's not so bad, really. You'd get decent coin with overtime, and you'd only be putting in 35 hours per week maximum, without any split shifts.

Good luck!

[jherara]

Thanks--making decision later tonight

[kim jong il]

have you noticed that your overtime rate is a lower hourly rate than your regular-time rate? 1.8 million for 80 hours is 22500/hr.; this is illegal. korean law states that overtime has to be paid at 50% more than regular time. why is it called overtime?

regardless, the pay is decent assuming they're paying for housing, airfare, severence, etc. make sure you're getting free housing, as i've heard some pagodas don't provide housing.

[Lost Seoul]

Here are some previous posts about Pagoda hagwons:
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http://209.204.62.79/korea/index.cgi?read=123587
Re: Circus- burnout- act
Posted By: Johnny Corporate'
Date: Friday, 10 May 2002, at 10:01 a.m.
In Response To: Question on Pagoda (Oregon Duck)
Are you prepared to be a "performer" of sorts? Depending on the students and the day, your expected to have a steady variety of monologues and ample wardrobe once the snooze bar rings at 6AM. Are you a morning person? Can I refill your instant coffee? That's the invariable routine. I became a zombie over the course of my contact at Pagoda. But I left my mark for sure...
In terms of housing, think inside the box so to speak. Because, that's all you will be able to afford in terms of Kangnam. Shoe box. Unless you want to live in Itaewon the foreigner slum high on top of Namsan. Which means, getting up even earlier. It's a trade off. Insanity induced by constant Maxim refills conned off of your amicable students. The housing director, 3rd cousin to the Pagoda chairman is a real gem when it comes to picking real estate for your stay. Ask around, expect to pay five hundred thousand won for a shoe box you can call home.....keep it real hommie.
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http://209.204.62.79/korea/index.cgi?read=123606
Re: Question on Pagoda
Posted By: been there
Date: Friday, 10 May 2002, at 4:01 p.m.
In Response To: Question on Pagoda (Oregon Duck)
You have to take into account that your monthly rent will be about 300,000 - 400,000WON/month after the small key deposit they offer.
So, when looking at jobs, your salary is the same as other jobs posted that offer 300,000-400,000 won less.
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http://209.204.62.79/korea/index.cgi?read=129959
the Lowdown
Posted By: Ex Pagoda Person
Date: Friday, 14 June 2002, at 5:33 p.m.
In Response To: PAGODA - Pros and Cons? Is Kangnam good? (Smitty)
>I notice you pay your own housing. This is a good and bad thing I guess. Any advice?
Good and bad. On one hand you get to choose where you live. On the other you have to pay for it and you are looking to pay at least W400k a month for anything.
>What is with the one month of holidays? Does this include National holidays? Do you still get a contract bonus?
They are very good about the vacation. It is very smart of them but since they will work you like a dog you'll need it. You will teach 20 days a month. Also you will get national holidays off but you may have to work a Saturday.
You will still get your severance...it is not a bonus. Pagoda is excellent about paying what they owe you.
>The package seems borderline in many ways.
When it comes to money, it is very borderline. Kangnam is a fine place to work. The money at Pagoda might not be good but you will get paid and as long as you do your job, left alone.
Be warned that Pagoda is a professional operation. No hippy kid slack-assing is tolerated. It is a shirt and tie, well prepared lesson kind of place. If you are not toeing the line they will fire you. However, Pagoda people usually go straight into universities. I did. I learned a lot about teaching at Pagoda, mainly thru sheer volume of it and a professional atmosphere.
I also worked with a great bunch of people at Pagoda. I can honestly say the people I worked with there were more dedicated and professional than the people at my present university.
HTH,
Ex Pagoda Person
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710134485
Re: pagoda
Posted By: Briefcase Body
Date: Saturday, 27 July 2002, at 4:13 a.m.
In Response To: pagoda (kitsch)
Pagoda is becomming a sketchy place to work these days. While it is true that the teachers there were once looked after very well, that is not really the case at all nowadays. They are increasingly looking for "yes men" to abide by any policy that comes down the pipe. Any show of concern about changes to your job/work environment are shuffled under the table and through the maze of "managers" who don't have a clue about how to run a business. The management style consists of delaying every issue as long as possible, and creating stall tactics to kill issues quietly. If you are willing to eat whatever garbage is thrown your way, then you have nothing to worry about...if you are looking for a place where you actually have a say in what happens to your job/earnings, maybe keep looking around.
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710134624
Re: pagoda
Posted By: Donkey Hodey
Date: Saturday, 27 July 2002, at 9:23 p.m.
In Response To: Re: pagoda (Joel)
"They also don't go out of their way to screw you."
That may be true of years past, but it seems the last few months are a change of direction for them.
There's plenty of things being thrown at the teachers these days that they aren't happy with. And the thing it comes down to is money. They took away our Severence bonus for Saturday classes (this decision "supercedes the contract you signed"), they've limited the number of hours we can teach, long-time teachers (ie. teachers with big salaries) are being pushed out; 2 head teachers are GONE. The petition that was sent to management was met with a derisive snort and called "childish".
Pagoda is still heads and above any kiddie hogwon out there, but teachers are grumbling more and more in the teachers' area these days.
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710134621
Re: Popularity contest
Posted By: Donkey Hodey
Date: Saturday, 27 July 2002, at 9:14 p.m.
In Response To: Popularity contest (Hmmmmm.)
It's not "voting for your favourite teacher". It's "evaluating the way your teacher teaches" (in an ideal world, anyway). And yes, if you are in the lower 10% of the teachers for 3(?) consecutive months (ie. the worst 10% of teachers), they'll give you the boot.
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710143270
Pagoda Foreign Language Inst.
Posted By: Ian Long - [email protected]
Date: Thursday, 19 September 2002, at 12:10 p.m.
Just a word to the wise regarding this large and well-established employer of English teachers. This company may change the conditions of your contract, change the expectations stipulated in your contract, fire you without warning or reason, or fail to pay you money they owe you after they decide to fire you. In my case they did all of the above, even though I had worked for them for just under 4 years.
I would not recommend that anyone accept a contract from this company. There is no mutual respect, and no level of trust should be given them. If they were located in another country I would take them to court.
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710143332
Re: Pagoda Foreign Language Inst.
Posted By: scotty C
Date: Thursday, 19 September 2002, at 9:10 p.m.
In Response To: Pagoda Foreign Language Inst. (Ian Long)
and that's a fact...the Pag is becoming just like all the other 'bad' hogwans, probably end up being much worse if things proceed as they have been over the past short while...that's why they prefer innocent, naive, young teachers who don't know when they're being shafted....or who might know but are afraid to take action.
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710143423
Re: Pagoda Foreign Language Inst.
Posted By: Sanbon Pagoda Vet - [email protected]
Date: Friday, 20 September 2002, at 1:53 p.m.
In Response To: Pagoda Foreign Language Inst. (Ian Long)
Hi! Whilst working for the Sanbon Pagoda, I noticed that the woman who ran things, Mrs. Kim, was often quite touchy for no apparant reason at all. She also put us up in a cockroach infested apartment which took more than a couple of days to disinfest. All in all, Sanbon wasn't so bad but you could really do better than this school.
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710143514
Pagoda Foreign Lang. Inst.
Posted By: Ian Long - [email protected]
Date: Sunday, 22 September 2002, at 11:49 p.m.
For those teachers thinking of accepting a contract from this company, think again. It is a large company, with a good reputation in S. Korea; however; that doesn't seem to deter the company from treating its foreign teachers very poorly. This company likes to promote that they have teachers who are a cut above, but they treat those same teachers like garbage. Beyond the subtle disrespect, and disdain; they don't shy away from failing to pay their teachers, firing them for nothing at all, removing taxes to which they are not entitled, and I could go on forever. After almost four years of working for them I could spend the next year telling you things done to others or myself. When choosing a school to teach at, JUST SAY NO to Pagoda.
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http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710143694
Re: Pagoda
Posted By: emery
Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2002, at 3:25 a.m.
the Pag is becoming just like all the other 'bad' hogwans, probably end up being much worse if things proceed as they have been over the past short while...that's why they prefer innocent, naive, young teachers who don't know when they're being shafted....or who might know but are afraid to take action.

[jherara]

Thank you for your messages. I'm sending an e-mail first to Pagoda with questions concerning the contract and that although I am interested, I can't in good conscience sign the contract the way it is presently written. A good point was made concerning the "Overtime" rate. Also, the contract, though direct, leaves out how and when I should expect my monthly salary and contains vague and arguable information concerning my actual work hours. I also have questions concerning the 30 min prep time before each class (is that counted in the pay at all) since attendance at staff meetings and workshops are not, as is additional work that could be outlined by the Academic Supervisor.
I also found out by e-mail that the school is refunding me ticket after I get to Korea though it clearly states (or purhaps vague as well) that

7. TRANSPORTATION


The employer will provide a round trip ticket to and from Korea.

Andy at Pagoda originally said in his e-mail that they would cover my ticket and insurance. That then changed to 1/2 insurance in the contract--which I know know is normal. But I didn't find out about the ticket until today "How is the roundtrip ticket handled and the visa?
A. After getting an E-2 visa please book a air ticket and pay it. Your school is going
to reimburse you with the cost of your ticket within one week after you arrive. I will
let you know whether you book one way or roundtrip ticket after i contact your school.
I will let you know good travel agency in US which offers reasonable prices."

E-mailing now...let's keep our fingers crossed.

[Lost Seoul]

http://www.englishspectrum.com/form2.php3?table=news_blackbook
No.144 : PAGODA RIP_OFF
Name: RIP_OFF
Date: 2003-03-11 00:43:25

Job Description I went for an interview today for the vacancies currently being advertised by Pagoda. Here's the real deal: 'guaranteed minimum salary' 1.8 M, BUT the rent on your apartment of 4-500,000 per month comes out of your pay!!! So, the 'guaranteed minimum salary' is actually 1.3 M per month ;-( At least that's what they offered me (Master's degree, CELTA teaching cert., previous experience, excellent references. LOL!!! ) What kind of teachers are they hoping to attract? (Oh, did I mention the split shifts starting at 7 am and finishing late at night).
Masochists, the truly desperate and other poor souls please contact Jonathan Dozier - address somewhere on this site. The good news is that they have a great Christmas party...
E-Mail [email protected]