Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ChinaChao1]

This was an ESL position not in Korea btw, so I hope you don't mind. Anyways, so there was an IB school who didn't want an Asian face. Okay, that's typical. Then they changed their mind and interviewed me and my white boyfriend. I nailed that interview and they even said so and offered me a very nice salary (well I made the negotiation). I didn't ask too many questions because (gasp the horror!!!) I had a recruiter and assumed that her job titles would involve getting me details about the job in question. She asked all of the questions I asked her but she probably did it one by one like I did to her... the school supposedly said they were annoyed by how many questions I asked and how I asked them. I admit, I got really annoyed by the recruiter and got a bit suspicious that I'd be working for another Jay/Sally for one year so I asked a lot of detailed questions about my contract (is that so wrong). I actually sent one email quite frustrated to my recruiter trying to explain what I wanted her to ask the school. She just forwarded that same less than ideal email to the school and that's supposedly how the mess began.

It first started after a week when I found out that it's 37.5 hours one week and 45 hours the next , (a Saturday) every other week repeated. Not too happy about that. My boyfriend took a position with less money but we ammended the contract to clearly state that he would have 22 teaching hours and 18 office hours, so 40. I told them I wanted the same thing and that's when it got all blown out of proportion. Instead of simply adding it like my boyfriend, a fair enough example. They send me all these different things about the actual schedule (they may have been confused or...) and this led me to more questions. I wanted to know the class size because this school had excellent benefits but I really did not want to have to make teaching aids for "over" 30 kindergarten students every single day (my worse nightmare and making my 45 hours into like 50 which is not worth the extra pay)...

So I'm asking... I was already kind of suspicious when the school said they needed the teacher by Sept 1st and even though I got a verbal acceptance that I got the job, around the 18th of August. I don't even see my contract until the 24th. Then my questions before I sign, etc. and if they needed me by that date, then why wouldn't they cooperate quicker in assisting me, or ha my "recruiter". They updated my boyfriend's contract but for some amazing reason did not understand my request for the same thing... Eventually after more miscommunication and the dumb recruiter forwarding my frustrated email (verbatim) that I had meant for her only, the school eventually drags it out another week until deciding that I don't think you're the right teacher for our school. And this was all after I got the final clause in the contract stating I would work 45 hours and 37.5 hours, I signed it and scanned it to them. It took almost two days for them to decide that oh we don't want you anymore, so I finally concluded they were all in on it. I conclude that they didn't want an Asian face (yet didn't tell me until they found someone else), cheaper pay, less questions so that maybe they can give that teacher extra kindergarten related work and that they were looking for other white teachers in the mean time of slowing dragging their feet with the answers (or maybe they were busy) and just screwed me over, which is something I definitely learned in this ESL business. There's so much screwing, shouldn't I have more satisfaction then? HAHA LoL, that was a joke to lighten the story.

What do you think?

[cruisemonkey]

As one who suffered through War And Peace in school, I think your post is too long to read.

[entity]

I think your suspicion is well founded. I have friend who�s an ethnic Korean, fluent in English. She was hired to teach at a hagwon, and, apparently, they waited till a native-speaking white teacher came along. They snatched the white teacher, and then promptly ditched my friend in mid-contract. Before, she was at another hagwon, discoraging becuase of the hours. But it was stable, and it didn't look like they were looking for anyone else because she was a good teacher.

But, at the same time, I also know a gyopo who�s at a high-end ESL teaching position here.

[sketcha]

they dont want an Asian face ... who asks too many questions, demands (and probably complains) too much, someone they can't control

in any case, if you didnt feel good about the school, perhaps it was best they didnt hire you. I'm sure there are a lot of other schools out there.

Having a potential employer not answering your questions is not a good sign, if they werent accommodating then, dont think they would be later -

well, but it does seem you may have 'dodge the bullet' (and maybe so have they)

[ChinaChao1]

Thank you all and even you who said my post was too long. It was but I had to elaborate. I think a part of it was that me and my boyfriend were so involved in the benefits that we may have overlooked the school itself. In the end it didn't work out, it is what it is, it wasn't meant to be, and I should have went with the gut feeling, so for that I am "greatful". Now that I think about it... it was way too many hours for that amount of pay anyways because now we found a job that is 20 hours (more than half the amount of hours and no Saturdays). It's better than the other job. Plus I get two months vacation in January and February, so you may see me in Korea.

[Juregen]

[Forward Observer]

[ChinaChao1]

LoL it wasn't Korea but Asia ESL seems to be pretty similar in the screwing or misunderstandings and what not.