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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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untouchable_88
Joined: 05 Jun 2011
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 Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:01 am Post subject: more info |
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thanks guys for these great replies  . Please more help on finding jobs would be swell |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| Are you talking about GEPIK (who changed the pay scale for the worse) or EPIK (who did some changing for the worse with vacation and pay, but not as bad). I thought EPIK gave 1.3 for flights (and took away the first 1.3 recently for people applying from within Korea). Are they down to 1 mil now? Such a shame. But it is to be expected. Gangnam public schools took away flight money completely. This with an increased workload (more mandatory unpaid camp hours, less vacation, more paperwork, etc. >_<) all across the board for foreign public school teachers. |
EPIK... Actaully, it's 1.3 million at the start and 1.3 million when you finish your contract. Plus 2 million 'bonus'. The 1.3 x 2 million is intended to be your flight money, but EPIK doesn't care how you spend it now. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Not entirely correct. If you get the 2 million, you don't get the second 1.3. The renewel bonus is then 700,000. Also, for most provinces in EPIK (pretty much for all of EPIK), you only get the initial 1.3 if you are living in another country (not Korea) when you apply and then are hired. Did you see the new contracts? Starting in the spring of 2013, the renewal vacation incentive bonus was halved from ten days to five days (the purpose of which is to make room for more summer camp days- meaning more work for you with no additional compensation). What do you think of that? |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| Not entirely correct. If you get the 2 million, you don't get the second 1.3. The renewel bonus is then 700,000. Also, for most provinces in EPIK (pretty much for all of EPIK), you only get the initial 1.3 if you are living in another country (not Korea) when you apply and then are hired. Did you see the new contracts? Starting in the spring of 2013, the renewal vacation incentive bonus was halved from ten days to five days (the purpose of which is to make room for more summer camp days- meaning more work for you with no additional compensation). What do you think of that? |
Just browsed the contract, the renewal 'bonus' is 2 million. In the past that was basically your flight money, my tickets usually being in the 1.6 million range or under. And whenever you actually end with EPIK that's when you get an 'exit' allowance.
As for what I think. Disappointed with the cuts in vacation, but I'm still fine with it. The holidays are still more than what I would have had back home after 10 years, where 7 days is standard for the first few years, basically get incremented up a few days every few years. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| The renewal bonus is 700,000 because one can chose the two million option to renew or the 1.3 option when leaving. You can't get both. Back home after ten years on a job (I take it you've been in Korea at least that long), how many vacation days would you get? I'm thinking quite a few. What country are you from? Certainly the salary would be much, much higher than what you make here. But yeah, money's not everything. I'm just surprised you defend Korea to such an absurb degree on this board. You can do what you like, as it is your right, but just remember, the more you elevate Korea and put down the West (on threads with several hundred to several thousand views), the more the market becomes flooded, and the more your wages and conditions continue to decline. If you are fine with that because it's still better than you could do back home then so be it. |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| Back home after ten years on a job (I take it you've been in Korea at least that long), how many vacation days would you get? I'm thinking quite a few. What country are you from? Certainly the salary would be much, much higher than what you make here. |
I'd figure between 10-ish days (Canada) as a E-Engineer/developer. But developers are known to 'love' work and hardly take vacations. It can drive some crazy... ehem... And it seems a way higher percentage of Asians outside of their ancestral lands are major workhorses, and a lot time their work really well. When I was a green new-grad, this one Indian grad literally stayed at work all night for a few days to work. I couldn't do that.
Quite a few Koreans too, of the Korean and gyopo variety. And they worked hard, and drank hard. Most of us white guys were a bit lazy and didn't really start working until near dead-line time. That's when we worked tons of OT. But most of the Asians would do their work bit-by-bit, so it seemed they didn't do much on a daily basis, but all their work was there in the end. However, I guess managers don't notice that and only notice people working OT near deadlines and guess who gets promoted more often.... Also it was strange, most of the Canadian-born-Chinese hardly drank, but most of the other Asians, and Chinese-Chinese, drank a lot. I wonder why Chinese-Canadians seem to lay off the sauce? Sorry for the aside...
Anyways, the salary would probably be in that 80k-100k range minus 50%-taxes, 1200/month rent/mortgage and car payments.
If I wasn't here, I probably would've had a mental breakdown and thrown myself in-front of a bus, or something, or have major liver problems... I kind of kid... yet not really... |
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jkrishnamurtidotorg
Joined: 04 Oct 2012
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:21 am Post subject: our school too |
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My hagwon is replacing a current teacher. The new teacher is coming in March. I helped to hire this new teacher, and the director informed me that this new policy is going to be the new standard next year.
Who knows if this is just a push to see what hagwon owners of Korea can get away with and save some money. I just wanted to mention that the new teacher also has to pay her way here, but will get her return flight paid for by the school. She said an association of hagwon owners are going to do this from next year. The new teachers pay is starting 100,000 less as well. |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 4:10 am Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| The renewal bonus is 700,000 because one can chose the two million option to renew or the 1.3 option when leaving. You can't get both. |
News to me. That would be contrary to my epik contract.
Also, I wouldnt be surprised if hagwon owners were organizing to lower contract perks in the current economic climate. "Standard" conditions arent carved in stone. |
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EZE
Joined: 05 May 2012
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 5:21 am Post subject: |
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| A few years ago, the compensation package in Korea was drastically superior to those of other countries in Asia. With the flights being cut out and pension & health insurance becoming voluntary for schools to provide, the only thing that's left is the apartment. China's pay package is on the verge of surpassing Korea's, which would've seemed unthinkable even five years ago. |
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Marquis
Joined: 25 Jul 2013
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:16 am Post subject: |
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| EZE wrote: |
| A few years ago, the compensation package in Korea was drastically superior to those of other countries in Asia. With the flights being cut out and pension & health insurance becoming voluntary for schools to provide, the only thing that's left is the apartment. China's pay package is on the verge of surpassing Korea's, which would've seemed unthinkable even five years ago. |
Funny enough, I was considering a China job. The pay was a factor, came out to some $1200 USD? but also my lack of knowledge of the area they offered me. |
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EZE
Joined: 05 May 2012
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:30 am Post subject: |
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| Marquis wrote: |
| Funny enough, I was considering a China job. The pay was a factor, came out to some $1200 USD? but also my lack of knowledge of the area they offered me. |
I was making 12,000 RMB (around $2000) in Tianjin. It was at a hagwon and they pay significantly more than universities in China, but the hours are also a lot more. I can't believe how little the universities in China pay, and I wonder why anyone would take such a job. Maybe it's old retirees with fat government pensions in their homelands...but I don't know. |
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Ginormousaurus
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:15 am Post subject: |
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| jvalmer wrote: |
| The holidays are still more than what I would have had back home after 10 years, where 7 days is standard for the first few years, basically get incremented up a few days every few years. |
I'm surprised to read this. Is 7 days really the standard for engineers (I recall you saying you are/were an engineer)?
My company starts people with 3 weeks of vacation plus 20 additional "personal time off" days plus 7 extra scheduled days off. In total, regular full time employees basically get 6 weeks off* right from the start of their careers with the company.
*I'm not bragging here as I'm not eligible for these perks. I don't get any vacation time since I'm a student employee. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:34 am Post subject: |
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| schwa wrote: |
| World Traveler wrote: |
| The renewal bonus is 700,000 because one can chose the two million option to renew or the 1.3 option when leaving. You can't get both. |
News to me. That would be contrary to my epik contract.
Also, I wouldnt be surprised if hagwon owners were organizing to lower contract perks in the current economic climate. "Standard" conditions arent carved in stone. |
That is quite true. Standards change with the market, the economy, demographics...
In Korea for most entry-level positions or mass-hire positions, the packages have pretty much stagnated for the few years and in some ways have deteriorated in terms of savings potential due to higher costs.
Government-sponsored programs (like EPIK) are quite vulnerable to cuts in any sort of fiscally restricted environment. If the economy slows or other factors put pressure on a program (ex: demographics) then you can be sure public programs may be the first to get cuts in terms of budget, resources and jobs. Public programs financing the hiring for foreign labor may be doubly vulnerable. |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Ginormousaurus wrote: |
| jvalmer wrote: |
| The holidays are still more than what I would have had back home after 10 years, where 7 days is standard for the first few years, basically get incremented up a few days every few years. |
I'm surprised to read this. Is 7 days really the standard for engineers (I recall you saying you are/were an engineer)?
My company starts people with 3 weeks of vacation plus 20 additional "personal time off" days plus 7 extra scheduled days off. In total, regular full time employees basically get 6 weeks off* right from the start of their careers with the company.
*I'm not bragging here as I'm not eligible for these perks. I don't get any vacation time since I'm a student employee. |
http://www.livingin-canada.com/holiday-entitlement.html
That link is pretty much in-line of what my friends are getting. Although sick days are often used (unlike Korea... lol)
Well, aside from your basic holidays which range from 5-10 days, there limited perks. Usually a Christmas shutdown from the Dec 24th-ish to Jan 3rd-ish. And a lot of work revolves around projects. Sometimes they'll give you a few days after a project ends, depends.
Sometimes I wished I started off in customer delivery. Even though it's a hassle flying with literally a few hour notice, they are quite understanding about the jet lag when you come back... |
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