Korean Job Discussion Forums

tfunk · Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland

Scenario: A prospective teacher is referred by a recruiter to your email address. In your heart, you don't recommend the job.

How do you respond?

a. Spill your guts about how your negative experiences in your current situation.

OR

b. Answer the questions as objectively as possible while avoiding casting the job in a negative light.

Note that option A may cause you forfeiting your 3 million won bonus. Also, even if you think it is the 'honest' answer it is also subjective, colored as much as your personality as anything else. You could be wrong (in their opinion) about your judgment and the worst a new teacher will have to lose is their flight home (1 million won).

Kikomom · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:03 am Post subject:

tfunk, you have finally voiced the catch-22 of ESL. Seems that for their business' sake they can't fire you if they don't have a replacement inbound?

But good luck with answers to this one.

Karea · Joined: 07 Jul 2009

Yeah. Tell them all it's terrible, scare the replacements away so you can keep drinking soju in your school colouring book classes. Razz

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I've never worked at a place that had absolutely NO even slightly positive features. Well, there was that one guy ... but the boss at that school knew better than let e near anyone he had on the line.

Me, I try to think of 3 positives and 3 negatives. Thing is, some of the positive things for me might not appeal to someone else, and even some of the negatives might not seem that terrible to someone else. All this is assuming the school pays on time and doesn't ask the teachers to break the law or some carp like that.

The Gipkik · Joined: 30 Mar 2009

Yes, good advice. Be objective and tell this prospect what you like and don't like about the job, but from a more impartial perspective. The question is how impartial you really want to be. That is for you to decide based on your unique experiences. Remember this though: different people interact in completely different ways with different people. Chemistry and personality affect experience in titanically different ways. Your experience may actually tell you more about yourself than you want to know.

SFValley · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

I was so thankful to get the email I did from one of the teachers at a school wanting to hire me. The teacher, male, was very objective and listed the positive as well as negative aspects to the job. He was very candid as he realized the situation I was in (trying to decide between PS or private school) and understood my need to have some honest answers. After his initial email I emailed back with some specific questions and he answered them straight away. It gave me an idea of exactly what I would be signing on to and helped me make my decision. He even went so far to say the things that bothered some of the other coworkers which he didn't mind so much but he mentioned in case they might be something noteworthy for me to consider.

To the OP, from someone who was just recently there, just be honest and state the objective facts of what the work conditions are like. I like the other poster's idea of listing 3 good and 3 bad aspects to the job.

seonsengnimble · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 8:16 am Post subject:

Generally, I try to be honest to a certain extent. Each of their questions are answered honestly. If the job is generally good, I give a very good review of the school. If the job is mediocre, I mention the good aspects and the bad aspects. If the job is terrible, and my pay is dependent upon finding a replacement, I will answer their questions honestly, let them know how many classes and how much prep time to expect, but don't mention the things that made me want to leave. I know this is lying by omission, but if they can weigh the hours vs. pay and I stand to lose a lot of money, I have to watch my own back first.
Overall, I'd say just tell them the straight facts, omit personal feelings and let them make their choice. If, for example, the director told them they'd be teaching 80 hours a month, and you tell them they'll be teaching exactly 120 hours a month, they can judge for themselves the honesty of the director.

SFValley · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

You get money for finding a replacement for yourself? Are you then acting as a recruiter of sorts when you're sending emails to prospective teachers? I'm confused as to how this works and why you'd get paid for sending positive emails.

Kikomom · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:06 am Post subject:

I thought he was talking about losing his severance pay with an eleventh month firing for giving them a bad rap? Of course if they didn't come up with a replacement, they'd have to keep him on to keep students. Then at twelve months, the bonus is required by law.

alphakennyone · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Location: city heights

The tone of your writing can go a long way. I've had schools who let me contact teachers with 6 years experience and who are in a bit of a managerial role (the school doesn't mention this, but google does) and you can tell it's more PR.

But if you can talk to a normal teacher who is answering objectively, I think a lot of people can "read between the lines" and tell just how enthusiastic/unenthusiastic he or she is about the job.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

seonsengnimble · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:44 am Post subject:

I guess I should have been a bit clearer in my post. I was once in a position where I quit after the first month. I lost a bit of money due to moving expenses, visa costs and several other factors. I was told that I would not receive pay for the month unless I found another teacher.
I could have taken the issue up with the labor board and everything, but I just wanted to be done with this school and start on my next one asap, rather than drawing the whole process out and being stuck in immigration limbo for several months while dealing with the anus I had been working for.

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

I have received emails from potential teachers and in my last job one particular teacher emailed particular questions (there were over 20 of them) and I answered them to the best of my ability. I tried to remain impartial but also highlighted the positives as well as the negatives (there were few).

Nonetheless, I would encourage anyone to provide feedback from any potential teachers with an organisation. However, there will always be many different kinds of people in a company; the moaners (they moan about anything), the serious (who everything to be perfect), the relaxed (don't really care about anything and potential timewasters at work) and naive (those that don't know a thing about Korea, the laws and work).

Micelf · Joined: 14 Jul 2009

NightSky · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

imo there's also some responsibility on the part of the incoming teacher to ask pertinent questions, whether it's a private email discussion or a phone discussion where there may be listeners around.

I've had people ask me "so what's the job like?" what am I supposed to say? "well, I've been fine with a few problems so far but my co-workers hate it and rave and rant about our boss every chance they get?"

it's much better if they can say "how many hours a week are you currently working?" and I can say "20, but my coworkers are doing 25, because I negotiated a different contract from them".

questions like: "is your boss honest?" are also not that helpful. better to ask "have you always been paid on time? did you get everything you asked for?" and that sort of thing.

if you ask me a direct question I will give you a direct answer. but if you expect me to fill in the blanks for you, no, I will not do it, not if my own ass is on the line.