Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zasoukup]

I'm looking at a possible position with Poly. I've heard they can be brutal but worth the trouble. That's about all I got. Anyone have any experience? I'll have a years worth of experience, the schedule is 9:00-7:30 (6.5 teaching hours), "offer" is 2.4 to 2.5mil.

[cedarseoul]

9-7:30 for 2.4/2.5? I thought POLY standard was 2.75+ for the long shift.

That's much too low for such a long day, regardless of the number of "teaching hours."

[northway]

My buddy worked there because the pay was a bit higher and ended up really regretting it. Consider that you are going to spend more than ten hours a day at work. I don't think it makes sense for experienced teachers to take these jobs.

[Mr. BlackCat]

A couple of friends of mine worked there. That 6.5 hours is a bit misleading. First, those are actual hours, not classes. They also had TONS of extra stuff to do. I thought it was bad at ECC when I was there. Poly worked them like dogs, they often stayed later than their schedules and brought work home. Apparently Poly also did some tricky accounting, giving them a low base salary and then adding everything on as "OT", thereby not having to pay full severance and pension (I'm not completely clear on this, but I'd investigate it more).

The good part was the good pay and nice apartment. Also, everything is above board in that you won't get fired in the 11th month or not paid. My friends don't regret it too much as a first job in Korea.

[The Sultan of Seoul]

6.5 hours of teaching 5 days a week is brutal. 2.5 for that cracks me up.

I used to teach 4 forty min classes a day at a public school job and then teach three hours in the evenings at a hakwan three times a week mon / wed / fri. So total around 5 hours on those three days and 4 forty min classes tues / thurs and I cleared 3.7mil plus all benefits.

My advice would in all honesty be to look for a smaller hakwan gig where the contract might say 30 hrs teaching a week but they don't have a full schedule and only have you doing around 20 - 25 hrs a week for less money, say 2.2 or 2.3mil. That equals a happier and healthier you for only a few hundy less.

[midgic]

Poly "School" is the most horrible place I've ever worked in my life.
The students were mostly great but the management was mostly horrible.

Also, do they still rip teachers off with their system of "bonus" contracts?

[luckylady]

they are definitely low-balling you with that salary - I did a stint with poly in 2005 and was paid 2.7 for 9:30-7 - so if nothing else, you need to get a higher salary.

poly does have a higher standard of English speaking students but as stated, mgmt is brutal and all-business, not edu centered

generally you will have help for the younger students, which is good

parents are usually great but put demands on your time as they will speak English and want to meet with you

field trips are the best part and are actually fun

you can make some money there but it's hard work so just be prepared in case that's not exactly what you want.

they do pay on time and no problems with health care, etc.

which location are you looking at?

[cedarseoul]

These days, the POLY contract does provide full severance / pension (not the "bonus" system previously utilized). However, as several posters have said--POLY is a lot of work. Great kids, and a decent curriculum, but I can't imagine putting in those long hours for only 2.4/2.5.

OP, if you want to work at POLY--at the very least, counter-offer on salary.

[northway]

[luckylady]

[northway]

[luckylady]

[mollayo]

I have several friends who work for Poly. 9-7 or 7:30 are their usual hours, and by the time the weekend comes around, they are usually burned out. They all love the students but complain about unnecessary busy work. They all get paid either 2.7 or 2.8 million.

[hacheondo]

I was just offered a job at Poly. I've been teaching for nine years. They offered 2.3. Same hours and workload.

[World Traveler]