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What kind of starting salary should I expect?

 
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wjf1



Joined: 14 Apr 2010

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 1:44 pm    Post subject: What kind of starting salary should I expect? Reply with quote

I finished my TEFL certificate at the end of March and I am now arranging my visa/finding work through a recruitment agency. However, I am wondering what kind of starting salary I should be expecting (or demanding) for my first teaching job in Korea. I will be 24 years old when I arrive. Here are my qualifications/experience: -

-B.A. Honours in English Studies.
-M.A. in Film Studies with Screenwriting.
-TEFL certificate (180 hours) with 6 hours assessed teaching practice.
-Lots of volunteer experience in editing, writing and working with young people.

Based on what I have read it seems that 1.7 million won a month is the minimum for a starting teacher in Korea. Could I expect a little bit more with my qualifications/experience?

Thanks.


Last edited by wjf1 on Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:29 pm; edited 1 time in total
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sesyeux



Joined: 20 Jul 2009
Location: king 'arrys

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

2.2-2.4 i'd say, but it all depends on if you go public / private, then on the location etc
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crsandus



Joined: 05 Oct 2004

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think you got your numbers mixed up. No one I know makes less than 2 million a month let alone 1.7 million in a year.
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wjf1



Joined: 14 Apr 2010

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, I meant 1.7 a month.
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bocceman



Joined: 30 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

where'd you get the b.a. and m.a.?

there's a huge difference in salary you can expect between harvard and podunk city college.
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wjf1



Joined: 14 Apr 2010

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bocceman wrote:
where'd you get the b.a. and m.a.?

there's a huge difference in salary you can expect between harvard and podunk city college.

I got the B.A. and M.A. at Sheffield Hallam University in England.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At a public school your base will be 2.3m /mo. (pay scale based on qualifications).
Add in a few afternoon classes and you will end up with about 2.8-3.0m/mo.
+ 6 weeks holiday, medical, pension, severance, housing, airfare, etc.

Private school (NOT hakwon) with no experience - about the same as a PS.

Private ACADEMY (after school (2-10pm) or kindy/ele (10am-7pm) ) AKA hakwon/hagwan; whatever you can negotiate for. If your accent is not too thick then 2.2-2.5. If your accent is hard for them to understand 2.0-2.2.
+airfare, housing, 2 weeks holiday, severance. Unlikely to get medical or pension in spite of them being in the contract and required by law.

You are not qualified to teach at an international school (teachers certification required.)

You can add about 100k per month for each year of classroom experience you gain.

.


Last edited by ttompatz on Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Aoisagi



Joined: 21 Jul 2009

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ttompatz may you explain the difference between a private school and a private academy? Are they both similar? Are there similar problems with a private school (not getting paid on time, less vacation time etc)?

Edit: Sorry for hijacking your thread.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aoisagi wrote:
ttompatz may you explain the difference between a private school and a private academy? Are they both similar? Are there similar problems with a private school (not getting paid on time, less vacation time etc)?


Private school teaches all subjects and operates from 8:30-4:30.
It teaches to the national curriculum. It uses POE licensed teachers.
It is similar to a public school except that collects tuition and can have higher entrance standards. It may be bilingual rather than Korean monolingual.

An academy or hakwon is run AFTER the students finish school (unless they run a kindergarten program). It is a business. It is licensed as a business. It is education for profit (focus on profit - not education).
They usually occupy 1 or 2 floors in an office building although occasionally they are setup in a converted house.
This is the one that you often hear all the problems about (pay, medical, pension, etc).

.
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Aoisagi



Joined: 21 Jul 2009

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that. So private schools hire Korean teachers mainly (those who earned their teaching degree in Korea)?
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aoisagi wrote:
Thanks for that. So private schools hire Korean teachers mainly (those who earned their teaching degree in Korea)?


With a few exceptions, YES.

.
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jvalmer



Joined: 06 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ttompatz wrote:
Aoisagi wrote:
ttompatz may you explain the difference between a private school and a private academy? Are they both similar? Are there similar problems with a private school (not getting paid on time, less vacation time etc)?


Private school teaches all subjects and operates from 8:30-4:30.
It teaches to the national curriculum. It uses POE licensed teachers.
It is similar to a public school except that collects tuition and can have higher entrance standards. It may be bilingual rather than Korean monolingual.

An academy or hakwon is run AFTER the students finish school (unless they run a kindergarten program). It is a business. It is licensed as a business. It is education for profit (focus on profit - not education).
They usually occupy 1 or 2 floors in an office building although occasionally they are setup in a converted house.
This is the one that you often hear all the problems about (pay, medical, pension, etc).


ttompatz is mostly right about private/public schools.

Private and public schools are basically the same. The biggest difference is that private schools have more leeway on the who they hire. As for what schools have better academic standards, or reputations, that's all based on the history of the areas you're in. Sometimes a public school is considered the top academic school, other times it's a private school, it varies town to town. In the end the Local Office of Education is in charge, approves teacher hiring and firings, sets rules on how students are put into schools and tuition rates.
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Goon-Yang



Joined: 28 May 2009
Location: Duh

PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep...it seems you are worth 1.7 mil a month.

Of course I made 1.8 mil a month 11 years ago, but take what you can get OP.
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wjf1



Joined: 14 Apr 2010

PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your replies. I will try to get at least 2.2 a month in a hagwon.
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