Korean Job Discussion Forums

[drk76]

I'm about to come up to my third contract. And I really don't know if I have it good where I am or if I could do better. I have to decide soon as they are pressuring me to sign the new contract.

Jung Chul Adult Institute
Pay 2.5
All the usual benefits provided
teaching 6 classes of adults
Have to be at work for 8 hours a day.
Time 6:20am-2:30 pm or 1-9pm

Good points.
I am one of only 3 native teachers hired by Jung Chul's adult institute, they don't really know what to do with us, so we usually get our way.
Not to much conflict, just the usual stuff.
Teaching is not to difficult. I do some prep and planning but not to the point where I have to work overtime. Maybe once a week.
No split shift.

Bad points:
Last native teacher stuck around for 5 years but never got a pay raise.
I've been at 2.5 for the past 2 years. I really don't see them giving me a raise. They started us high from the first year and don't seem to see why it should go up anymore.

Bottom line is am I stupid to stay around a third year for 2.5. Should I expect better for my 3rd year of teaching? Or do I still have it pretty good for a 3rd year teacher? Where can I find these rumored 3-4 million won jobs?

Thanks for the advice!!

[ChilgokBlackHole]

Jung Chul is pretty big, and that's a decent salary. If you like the job.. I dunno, I might stick with it.

[air76]

[maingman]

Who's awhile?

[BoholDiver]

I'd ask for a pay raise, and see what happens. If they like you enough, they may feel like you will leave if they refuse. If they refuse, you can cross that bridge when you get there.

It sounds like a nice job overall for someone who doesn't have an F-2 visa. Do you get red days off an 10 or more vacation days a year?

[the_beaver]

I've always felt that the best route was to work your way up through the hagwon/public school system, into unigwon/low tier university jobs, and then into the better university jobs.

[Lionman]

We'll I've got one of those high paying deals. Don't know if I count since I now have residency here, (F5 visa) but there might be some useful bits I can offer.

I lived in Seoul for about 5 years before I got contacted by an agency to teach at a company about an hour outside of Seoul.

I taught part time there 2 hours a day for a year at around 80,000 an hour before taxes.

The 80,000 included transportation which would sometimes total over 200,000 a month just going to and fro. I also assumed they were paying more since it was such an out-of-the-way location.

Fast forward one year. I made a deal with the company to work directly with them.

The agency was pissed and of course asked for a settlement from me.

The company paid the settlement for me and I started working there weekdays from 2-7pm.

They paid me salary, just over 4 mil a month after taxes.

After one year I asked for fewer hours at the same pay. They refused but agreed to a counter offer of mine for 2 weeks paid vacation instead of the standard 1 week for all employees.

So, if I were you I might ask for the raise and if they deny that ask for some sort of other benefit, more vacation time, reimbursement for transportation, or something that might be just as good as cash, free meals, gift certificates on major holidays.

It doesn't hurt to ask.