Korean Job Discussion Forums

[OChapman]

Hi,

About a month ago whilst I was getting ally my E2 documents together, my talks with YBM (Danny Kim) had been productive, he seemed enthusiastic but as at the time my documents were not complete he told me to email him when they were. Now I have everything (and paid for all the notarising costs!!) I can't get a response out of him on either of the emails he seems to use.

Is this a dead end now? I'm not above calling him if I could find a phone number to chase things up

[modernseoul]

Firstly the notarizing costs would be our responsibility regardless of the school ybm or another.

Secondly as you have your documents in hand you can contact a whole host of different recruiters who'll be happy to set you up. This is one of the biggest hiring points of the year and therefore the best time to get hired.

Finally unless you've sign contracts they're completely within their rights to change their minds. (even with contracts in some cases).

Good luck

[ghostrider]

[Chaparrastique]

[OChapman]

[Chaparrastique]

[PRagic]

So now you have your docs together.

Pepper EVERY RECRUITER you can find and let them know 1) where you'd like to work (e.g. Seoul, Pusan, Daegu, Daejeon...), 2) the age of the students you'd like to teach (e.g. kindy, elem, mid, hs, or adult), and 3) any other stipulations or concerns you might have (housing included or housing allowance, round trip air...).

Slap your CV up on every board you can find, too. Can't hurt.

No need to get overly picky and specific until you get some offers with details about the employment conditions. THEN you'll want to go ahead and contact current or past teachers from the school.

[goat]

[goat]

Steal_ails 5.. 4.. 3..

He is foaming at the mouth to reply.

[Chaparrastique]

[PRagic]

What we're seeing here is a blanket insistance that all situations be handled in the western context. You can keep beating your head against that cultural wall, or you can learn from everything that's been posted here thus far.

Concerning holidays. You're not working for Dell in Texas or Tesco in the UK. Yes, you get 'holidays', but at Korean institutions, those are at the discretion of the employer. Sure, go ahead and cite some labour law or something, but this is the deal and the education market is different.

The trump card is the smooth operation of the class over the course of the month. So, no, taking a Friday off when YOU want is normally not going to fly, or, if it does fly, it'll mean that you'll need to get someone to cover your class (and maybe even have to pay them out of pocket)

Do you have a set number of 'teaching days' per month? Many institutes do, and in these cases, you'll wind up with a 3 or 4 day weekend in at least a few months over the course of your contract. THOSE are your vacation days as they DON'T screw up the classes for which the customers have paid.

You also have a certain number of 'sick days'. Call in and take your chances if you want to go that route. In this culture, though, that'll most likely mean that someone will be knocking at your door to check up on you and to see if they can get you any medical attention. Calling in sick and getting caught out on the town will get you written up and violate the Korean perception of trust. And in this culture, THAT IS A BIG DEAL.

Now, concerning the issue of Koreans wanting you to jump through hoops at a moment's notice, while your requests are met with a buzzing hum. It's an extremely hierarchal culture and, for the most part, the younger you are, the more you're expected to jump through those hoops.

Like it or not, and this especially goes for new college grads or those under, say, 30, you're going to be dealing with people older than you who don't feel that they 'have to' do anything at the drop of your dime. Concerning recuiters specifically, remember that they don't work for you, they work for the place that might hire you; if someone else fills a slot, you become a non-entity unless another position comes up. You're a pay check.

Or use the cultural input to your favour. If recruiters are annoying you, let the call go to the answering machine and get to it when you want. Get to the paperwork or dealing with them at your leisure. You do this, of course, at the risk of missing out on a job.

As for your boss? You're just expected to do those 'extra' things within reason. You don't want to be a patsy and do all kinds of overtime for free, but you don't want to rock the hierarchy boat, either. Choose your battles well and handle the situation without being rude or overly emotional, especially when you're just beginning your contract.

Here's where some will chime in, "...but THEY'VE hired a westerner, so THEY have to know how we do things." Bullocks. Once you're here, you're playing in their home court. It takes years of experience to come to the understanding of what actually constitutes 'the Korean way' as opposed to someone using that line to push you around a bit. That's comes with the territory.

[wonkavite62]

Yes, PRagic, I understand you. But your tone seems just a wee bit harsh. I mean there is such a thing as exploitation. It does exist, in spite of cultural relativism. This is one reason why it helps to talk to the western teachers at that school before signing the contract. I am sure you did so before signing yours. There is exploitation, but I find that a lot depends on the aims and attitudes of the management in each school. That's why I like to know about that before I go.
There is something to be said for understanding the culture, however. You can do favours to an extent, especially if it's something important. And let your boss see.
But exploitation was the major part of life during the economic miracle of dictator Park Chung Hee. Factory workers were treated as disposable goods. Over work, working to death was a patriotic duty. One of the heroes of Korea's trade union movement-yes, it does exist-was the one factory worker who protested got killed for it. Some Koreans pretend to forget how harsh the dictatorship was, and it still colours the habits, prejudices and so on of Koreans.
Confucian hierarchy is a fact of life. Young people are subject to too much pressure, and this creates tension passive aggressive anger. Maybe also depression. A practical consequence when the pressure continues into your professional life is that you do not have so much time, energy or money to have children as you should. That's very important for us. A low birthrate means fewer jobs for us at kindergartens, hagwons, and public schools. So there is some practical reason to be concerned about it.

[tiger fancini]

[Chaparrastique]

[tiger fancini]