Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SFValley]

Apparently, it is said to be the biggest English teaching institution in Korea. Their website looks really nice. Does anyone teach there currently or know of someone who has or is? I'm trying to find out if it'll be a good place to work at.

[fraukoch]

I'm sure that an institution which plagiarised its name from one of the most mediocre of Thai English institutes could only provide the best quality of conditions for completely ignorant and inexperienced teachers it convinces to travel half-way round the world to work here.

[SFValley]

[Theo]

Working for YBM one year ago, was the single worst experience of my life (and I'm old) -- and that was AFTER five very challenging years in mainland China.

DO NOT WORK FOR YBM -- look elsewhere.

[soviet_man]

Always take 2009 posters' advice with a grain of salt.

YBM is a big company. I worked for YBM ECC in 2005-2006.

Firstly understand it has a number of different divisions: kinder, elementary, middle school, high school, adults, they have a Chinese, Korean and Japanese program, they have a flight attendant school, they do a lot of stuff with TOEFL and TOEIC testing, there is a 1 on 1 program, a gifted and talented program, a pre-elementary program .... it goes on and on.

Basically it does a lot.

Some of the above things are actually OK and mildly useful from a consumer point of view. In so far as, it is not all bad. But a lot of it is mediocre with poor content choices and a lot comes down to the ability of the actual instructor who teaches it.

It is true that the pay is low, the schedule is skitsophrenic, the vacation time is well below the average and a lot of the materials are pretty dire.

Some branches are also franchised and run like a mom and pop store (not by head office) who become a law unto themselves. Some wongjangnims also rule with an iron fist and you do get nasty experiences.

Would I work there again? No. One year was enough.

But is it passable for someone who is completely new to ESL in kimchi land? I'd actually say if you got a company-owned branch in downtown Seoul with a block 3-9pm schedule and a nice apartment-ugh with relatively minimal expectations, it might be passable for some people.

[Theo]

soviet_man makes another point. He worked for YBM ECC, the children's school division of YBM. I worked for YBM ESL, also known as YBM-Sisa, the adult division in Seoul.

What age group will you be teaching? Both divisions of YBM receive lots of complaints from FTs/expats, but often for different reasons.

By the way, when I working for the adult division in 2008, YBM phased out the 1 on 1 program.

[fraukoch]

[Kikomom]

Is it possible to post the website link?

[romano812]

Too big of a company to comment on. Some schools are great, some are OK, othes are slave labor camps. Some even go from great to terrible with the change of a director. This is not uncommon, my first year the school went through 4 directors, my second year the school went through 2 directors.
I can speak of my own personal experince and tell you YBM I.A. is not that great. The housing is terrible, the workload during regular session is heavy, during intensives, ridiculous. There is little to no overtime pay, even if they tell you otherwise. Goes on and on... but like I said someof the others are probably great.

[DeLaRed]

company owned YBM ECC`s will pay you on time etc but franchises are hit and miss.

YBM ECC will work you to the bone though

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

I made a few lifelong friends when I worked for YBM years ago. Otherwise, I had good and bad times. My pay was always on time, the hours were long and a few of the co-workers were lazy. I'd chance It over a no name hagwon.

[Intrepid]

ELS can be a nice place to work--when you get off the split shift. The big schools like Jongno and Gangnam have daytime intensive classes, so splits are not necessary after the first few months. Then, it's teaching adults, which is much better than kids imho. Work 1-9, or 2-10, no weekends, minimal prep, use their 10 million key money to get a decent-ish place, and you can just coast along. A great place to put in some resume building time if you're interested in EFL longer-term.
The pay, of course, is ridiculously low, but YBM classes gave me some of my best teaching days in Korea.

[CPT]

I've worked at two different YBM ECCs and I don't mind working there.

It all depends on the specific school though.

[Fat_Elvis]

[SFValley]