Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wonkavite62]

I am gathering all my documents for the E-2 visa. I know that I'm very unlikely to get into a public school before March. That's too long to wait, so I am likely to choose a hagwon..
Someone on this forum said that people in hagwons are definitely more likely to complete contracts that in the past. The big problem nowadays, he said, is being fired just before your contract expires.
But I have read a couple of hagwon contracts. They all say that if you get fired before 6 months have passed, the boss will claw back the cost of your flight to Korea. So, looking at the teachers you know, how often do you reckon teachers get fired before the 6-month point? How many made it to 9 months?
My big fear is of being fired at 6 months, although I completed most contracts.

[sulperman]

Almost everybody makes it through the year just fine. I've known just three people who have been fired- two definitely deserved it, and the third lost the job because the school didn't have enough money. She contacted her recruiter who found her another job to finish out the year (she had maybe four months left at that point.) Bad things could certainly happen, but it's not likely, and anybody with a tenth of a brain (which unfortunately excludes many people here) can find more work from here if their job comes to a sudden end.

Schools don't fire towards the end of the contract like they used to. Just google your potential employers, that'll give you all the info/dirt you need to make your decision.

Don't worry so much!

[northway]

It does happen, but it's far from the norm. You have to screw up pretty badly to get fired within the first six months.

[viciousdinosaur]

Be aware that of the people I've seen get fired (around 7) almost all were because of their appearance. Good-looking people don't get fired. Ugly people who are good at their job don't get fired. But ugly people who are also bad at their job usually get fired in my experience.

[northway]

[catman]

Good looking foreigners usually don't come to Korea.

[JustinC]

[viciousdinosaur]

[wonkavite62]

I only wanted serious answers to my topic.

[schwa]

[Zackback]

Don't know if it is all too common. I don't know of any friends that this has happened to because I really don't have any friends but the teachers that I knew of no one was let go before the 6th month. I do know though that I was let go. I took it too easy at this one place and I didn't really care. I acted like the joke that it was. I was able to transfer to another school though. Even though the boss fired me he did allow me to do this.

[JustinC]

[luckylady]

[12ax7]

Most people make it through a year. Most often, those who get fired deserved to get fired or were working for a hagwon that was already a sinking ship before they got there. The people I know who who worked at universities and public schools that deserved to get fired simply didn't receive an offer to have their contracts renewed.

[young_clinton]

Wow I must be a handsome little devil. I was finished two contracts! Oh wait...........I worked at a public school. That's different.