Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PatrickGHBusan]

oh boy...

Where did I say a the manager of a company school does not have his inprint on the school????

You talk about my people skills...well perhaps your reading and comprehension skills need some work.

So to be extra clear for you:

Company schools do their hiring from headquarters, use the same books and for the most part the same basic work contract.

Franchise schools: only have the YBM name and use their own contracts, do their own hiring and use their own books...hence there will be MORE variation.

Now the MANAGER of EACH school is different...so MANAGEMENT STYLE will also differ as can hours for example.

The company schools are just a safer bet overal because they work on the same basic guidelines. Franchises on the other hand are independant of this.

So odds is what I am talking about...not certainty.

And of course, a bad boss can happen in a company school and a good boss in a franchise school.

Glad you know people with positive experiences in both and negative experiences in both...same here. Overall, the company schools just offer a more stable and similar product for Teachers.

End of story for me on this one.

[darrenjzy]

Hi Danofthepeople,

I can't PM yet, so any news on YBM ECC Geumjeong? I'm in the hiring process as well.

Thanks

[Whitey Otez]

[burtonvapor]

Does anyone have any information about the YBM ECC Sanggye branch?
Please PM me or I'll PM you if you can't send one.
Thank you!!

[Tigerstyleone]

Oh telephone teaching, yeah I forgot about that one. They started telephone teaching the last 2 months I was there. The students knew it was me calling and they'd just not answer but the director insisted I dial for the full 40 minutes until my next class.
I should let it go as I've moved on now, but it was the worst year of my whole life and I can't forget it.

[Dude Ranch]

ECC DongJak campus http://www.ybmecc.com/dongjac

Anyone know anything about this branch? Judging from this board it looks like there is some pretty conflicting opinions about ECC.

I've been looking for a job in seoul the past three months and it seems like there the competition is really tough. The details of this look ok so far, but I want to know if anyone has worked at that branch.[/i]

[Tigerstyleone]

Korean parents love the ECC brand. They love all the ridiculous paperwork like diaries, speaking tests, writing test, phone test, monthly consultation calls.
Its all designed to keep the parents happy and paying for another month.
The students hate going there. The teachers hate working there.
But the owner gets the benefit of the ECC brand and all the advertising and support from the corporate office plus they make money on text books too.
I was much happier at a small hagwon where the director let me chose my own books and pretty much trust me to do what I wanted. The students were happy and respectful and enjoyed my classes much more that the ECC slave camp.
You never know sometimes a small hagwon will decide to become a franchise and that can change everything.

[misslongstocking]

Does anybody have any information about the YBM ECC branch Seodaemun, Seoul campus? I've been offered an interview for a position here.

The basic parameters seem pretty generous and it seems like many problems people have could be at least minimized by getting things outlined in contract (though maybe that assumption is naive on my part).

[Dude Ranch]

[Mr. BlackCat]

I really don't mean this in a condescending way, but people (especially those who have already done a year here) taking jobs at ECC is the reason why wages and conditions in hogwans in Korea will never improve.

ECC isn't terrible, you'll get paid and all that. But it is TONS of work, the hours might start off nice, but don't expect that to last. ECC will boil you like a lobster and before you know it you're dedicating most of your waking hours to them. First it's just a Saturday here, a few journals there. Then 100+ progress reports. Then a school function on a Sunday. Then this, then that, next thing you know you're moving their offices for free on a national holiday.

I've known people who stayed there for 2 even 3 years thinking it was the poop because all they heard were horror stories about other places. Now that we all have better jobs we laugh at how stupid we were. And we have proper vacations and see each other on the weekends outside the office.

I don't know, if you're coming here blind it's not so bad. But if you've been here already there's really no excuse to go to ECC. Unless you feel like you have too much free time, disposable income and vacation time already.

[the ireland]

[PatrickGHBusan]

Blackcat it really depends on each person.

It may be evident to you and easy to find work with better conditions in other schools. Some people seem to have a problem doing this in Korea and prefer safety and stability, hence the re-sign with ECC.

Numerous ECCs offer great conditions, many however pay lower than the average and have a very heavy workload. It is pick and choose really.

[Dude Ranch]

The one I had an interview with had 150 40 minute classes a month! and the director on the phone was trying to get me to do overtime at 160 classes a month! she said this is normal for seoul hagwons

[MattAwesome]

I worked for a company owned franchise in bundang. the good news is, everything was run pretty well. you got what you expected from yoru contract.
they will work you as hard as the contract allows. was 120 hours a month i believe. the bad news that they can work you 20 hours a week. and get you up the butt the next. which is sadly the case when intensives run around. when us nice deskwarming public school teachers are running around vacation.
you should get a bunch of NET to socialize with in and out of work.
would I do it again def not. it wasnt as bad or as good as many of the other hagwon stories. i worked for my pay definitely, but nothing negative to speak of.
private franchises, have a lot more flexibility. something that is bad in hagwon town. stay away. i agree with everyone else. stay away or get a positive personal referral from someone that has worked there. dont risk it.

[Mr. BlackCat]