Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lorilou]

I had an interview yesterday with a job teaching in Daegu. It was with a teacher at the school, but was arranged through Longbridge Pacific recruiting. The interviewer only asked me two questions: whether I like children and how many hours my TEFL certification course was. The interview was literally 15 minutes, at the end of which she offered me the job. The school doesn't have a website, and the offer sounds a little too good to be true ($1800/month salary, paid accomodation, roundtrip prepaid airfare, etc). Is this normal for a school in Korea, or should I turn it down? I just graduated from college and this will be my first time teaching overseas. Any advice would be exteremly helpful!

[Carla]

[Lorilou]

Thanks, good advice! The school name is Junior Herald School in Daegu. I'm noticing that Longbridge Pacific hasn't gotten very good reviews elsewhere, which concerns me.

The salary was 2.2 million won, which according to xe.com exchanges to roughly $1780 a month.

[Chambertin]

Standard phone interview. My guess is they check your voice and attitude more than anything.

Pictures and paper (contract). Consider this job search your first fourre into internet dating. They can lie, and so can you. Get on the same page and make sure you and they know exactly what the deal is all about before you end up seeing each other.

Last thing either of you need is to regret talking to each other in the first place as you both invest alot into the deal before even meeting.

[DeliciousFish]

Your contract is very normal. It's standard to provide housing in Korea; mine last year was a very small studio apartment, and not great, but it was fine and at least free. Some of my friends have up to 2 bedrooms, living room, and kitchen, which were all still very small compared to the US, but it's Asia, where property is super-expensive.

2.2 million is about the low end for starting a hagwon (private) school job. If you have an English degree, experience in Asia, experience teaching, or a TESL certificate, it's possible to get more. The usual scale for private school jobs is 2.2 - 2.4, and some exceptional schools even pay 2.5 - 3.0. A public school job would offer 1.9 - 2.2 for most people with little or no experience, depending on what your degree is and various other factors, but they give quite a bit more vacation time. Public school caps around 2.7 but it only increases at 100,000 won a year and you usually have to stay at the same school for years to qualify.

Most schools do pay for your airfare, but you won't get it back until your first paycheck usually, which is after a month. It's a once a month paycheck in Korea. You need to stay with your school until your contract finishes in order to receive return airfare, and I believe you must teach at least 6 months or you'll be liable for your original airfare. Not a big deal though if you stay for the year.

Everything you listed is pretty standard in Korea. Issues to think about are your feelings about living in a strange place for a year or more, living in a nation that can be really difficult at times, living in a small space, dealing with urban blight, dealing with pollution, eating weird foods, probably not being able to speak to anyone, potentially having a volatile job setting, learning how to teach, and acclimating to a foreign culture.

Those are some of the downsides, but there are plenty of upsides too, and lots of people spend years in Korea. Good luck!

[frankly speaking]

since when is 2.2 low scale for Hagwon jobs? Daegu area usually pays 2 million for first time Hagwon positions.

I think that 2.2 isn't too bad for a first gig here.
I would make sure that my teaching schedule is in the contract. How many classes you will teach and the length of the classes.

Have them send photos of the apartment and ask them the size. If it is less than 10 pyeong, you will be a little cramped.

Hagwons usually pay your airfare for you, but some will reimburse. Most places that I have worked at pay back in the first week.

I would also ask them why the teacher you are replacing is leaving. Did they finish their contract?

As stated before: Always ask for the email or phone number of teachers
already there.

Good luck with the job. Sounds like a typical hagwon contract.