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natashagwitt
Joined: 21 Apr 2014
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 Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 7:26 am Post subject: Reputable Jobs for Couples? |
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| I'm wondering if there really are reputable hagwon jobs for couples in South Korea? We've seen two contracts so far and they are crap! I know we are two late to get a public job for July/Aug/Sept and I'm starting to feel discouraged. Any suggestions?!! |
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natashagwitt
Joined: 21 Apr 2014
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 7:44 am Post subject: |
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| Do I ask them to make changes to contract - or will they just laugh / I don't want to work for them anyway ? |
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Keeper
Joined: 11 Jun 2012
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Can you define "reputable"? They will do everything they can to maximize profit while skirting the law. They have a large pool of resumes and people who are desperate enough to take the job/contract you refuse. I believe it will be very hard to find a place that will change the contract. It doesn't hurt to ask though. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 4:30 pm Post subject: Re: Reputable Jobs for Couples? |
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| natashagwitt wrote: |
| I'm wondering if there really are reputable hagwon jobs for couples in South Korea? We've seen two contracts so far and they are crap! I know we are two late to get a public job for July/Aug/Sept and I'm starting to feel discouraged. Any suggestions?!! |
"reputable" and hagwon is an oxymoron.
Can you find hagwons who will give you work, pay you regularly your assigned salary, complete the contracted employment term and provide your severance = yes.
Will you find hagwons who will meet the same labor standards as home = no.
The contract is the starting point. People who stand on their contracts are usually unemployed and on their way home soon enough. In much of Asia, it is about the working relationship you form with your employer.
The best you can do is mitigate a badly worded contract by talking to staff (when the boss isn't watching over their shoulder) to see what the conditions are really like and base your decision on that.
ALWAYS keep enough funds available to jump out of the country or to go home. Good hagwons get sold or change managers/owners. Staff changes will affect the work environment and corporate culture.
Korea is not the be-all-end-all of employment in Asia. There are other opportunities that, at the end of the day, will allow SAVINGS and a quality of living that is equal or better than you will find in Korea. It is not just about the base salary.
40k thb/month in Issan will allow you to live in a 3 bedroom house with all the mod cons and still save $500/month. 2 incomes and you have quality, travel throughout SE Asia and $2000/month to send home, spend on leisure or save.
What I am trying to say is to look at the whole picture, not just focus on a badly worded contract.
See what the situation really is AND MOST OF ALL - remember that Asia is NOT America.
People get into TEFL to see the world and learn about new cultures from within those cultures. If you want the same as home - stay home.
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faeriehazel
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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I would advise against couple jobs. Maybe it works for some people, but IMO it's not healthy for a couple to see each other 24/7. Also different people have different strengths, and you could probably get better pay by finding separate jobs that fit your respective backgrounds.
The only exception might be if both of you are certified teachers; some international schools prefer to hire couples as they see couples as more stable than single people (or something). |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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^^^ that was just funny.
There are LOTS of couples who work together in all sorts of businesses (including education).
The vast majority of SMEs have couples working together in the same business / company.
Oh, and you are not with each other 24/7 (unless you happen to co-teach the same classes in the same classroom at the same time).
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natashagwitt
Joined: 21 Apr 2014
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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| faeriehazel wrote: |
I would advise against couple jobs. Maybe it works for some people, but IMO it's not healthy for a couple to see each other 24/7. Also different people have different strengths, and you could probably get better pay by finding separate jobs that fit your respective backgrounds.
The only exception might be if both of you are certified teachers; some international schools prefer to hire couples as they see couples as more stable than single people (or something). |
My husband and I are married and have been together almost 7 years... we have worked together for long periods of time and have lived together for 5 years... I think we will be fine lol  |
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natashagwitt
Joined: 21 Apr 2014
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: Reputable Jobs for Couples? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| natashagwitt wrote: |
| I'm wondering if there really are reputable hagwon jobs for couples in South Korea? We've seen two contracts so far and they are crap! I know we are two late to get a public job for July/Aug/Sept and I'm starting to feel discouraged. Any suggestions?!! |
"reputable" and hagwon is an oxymoron.
Can you find hagwons who will give you work, pay you regularly your assigned salary, complete the contracted employment term and provide your severance = yes.
Will you find hagwons who will meet the same labor standards as home = no.
The contract is the starting point. People who stand on their contracts are usually unemployed and on their way home soon enough. In much of Asia, it is about the working relationship you form with your employer.
The best you can do is mitigate a badly worded contract by talking to staff (when the boss isn't watching over their shoulder) to see what the conditions are really like and base your decision on that.
ALWAYS keep enough funds available to jump out of the country or to go home. Good hagwons get sold or change managers/owners. Staff changes will affect the work environment and corporate culture.
Korea is not the be-all-end-all of employment in Asia. There are other opportunities that, at the end of the day, will allow SAVINGS and a quality of living that is equal or better than you will find in Korea. It is not just about the base salary.
40k thb/month in Issan will allow you to live in a 3 bedroom house with all the mod cons and still save $500/month. 2 incomes and you have quality, travel throughout SE Asia and $2000/month to send home, spend on leisure or save.
What I am trying to say is to look at the whole picture, not just focus on a badly worded contract.
See what the situation really is AND MOST OF ALL - remember that Asia is NOT America.
People get into TEFL to see the world and learn about new cultures from within those cultures. If you want the same as home - stay home.
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Thank you for this - good way to look at it. |
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faeriehazel
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
^^^ that was just funny.
There are LOTS of couples who work together in all sorts of businesses (including education).
The vast majority of SMEs have couples working together in the same business / company.
Oh, and you are not with each other 24/7 (unless you happen to co-teach the same classes in the same classroom at the same time).
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I didn't mean to say it never works, but a lot of couples I know have split up after working together at a hakwon. Maybe I should have been more specific - I was thinking of young couples (unmarried) working together at small private hakwons and probably living in cramped quarters provided by the school. |
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Troglodyte
Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I wouldn't recommend most couples jobs. You can make more money by working at separate job and one of you taking housing bonus. You'll also have more job security because if one of you loses your job (fired, laid off, etc.) then you won't both be out of work. Normally, if a hogwon fires one of you, they'll fire the other as well for various reasons. Also, the so-called 'couples apartments' are usually no bigger than what single teachers get. The rent on them is definitely not double what a single teacher would get. |
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