Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MUOhio82]

So why do people run instead of putting notice in? I understand the whole "screw or be screwed" concept, but personally, why?

Just curious as it came up in conversation today. Why do people do it? Do they do it because they're miserable and THEN come back to teach AGAIN? Consequences? Morals?

What gives?

[blaseblasphemener]

like the song says, "take the money and run"

[offtheoche]

Because lots of people who do things honestly and give notice, end up getting screwed, ie. with their last month's paycheck.

[asylum seeker]

Some people genuinely get screwed but some are just basket cases or useless pricks who can't handle real work and don't want to have to pay back their air fare or work their one-month notice period.

[mssinmymind]

I think some that choose to "run" have already decided that they're in a bad situation so they loose respect for those higher up and sometimes for the ones they're leaving to take care of things once they're gone. Those kind of feelings can leave one to feel trapped and a simple solution is to "get out while you can".

Others are more self absorbed and simply don't care what kind of mess they leave by "running".

JMHO

[Pojogae]

I did a runner many years ago from a job in China. One day I just woke up with a hangover and couldn't face rows of unblinking, unresponsive, and unthinking dead faces anymore. I managed to rationalize it by saying that it was the school's fault for cultivating absolutely no standards in their education services, treating me pretty much like a performing bear, and the certainty that any dialogue I offered them that might go some way towards mitigating any of these factors would be contemptuously ignored. In reality, I think it was more of a temp mental breakdown due to the frustrations arising from language problems and not having everything go entirely my way all the time with the local women. Looking back the job wasn't even that bad, and pretty soon I was back teaching in a situation that was worse.

The same applies around here. Teaching will simply drive you nuts if you do it six days a week and feel completely alienated by the environment outside. Furthermore, a lot of the hagwon owners get exactly what they deserve. As I've aged, however, I've come to really regret that midnight run though. It all seems so childish. I don't lose sleep over it, and certainly many of my points of complaint were valid, but I do wish I'd gone about things a different way.

[yingwenlaoshi]

People quit jobs all over the world without notice. And let's be honest, employers don't exactly make it a difficult decision to do so over here.

[Pojogae]

Has there ever been a thread on best Midnight Run stories?

[Bigfeet]

I can see it happening if people get stressed out for an extended period of time and there are no outlets. I like to think that I'm tough but I'm sure I'd do it too under the right circumstances.

[Bread]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[jkelly80]

Koreans don't comply with contracts AND they try to pass it off as cultural. You can't win against that mentality.