Korean Job Discussion Forums

[th3]

Is it normal to be paid lower than the agreed amount for the 1st few months as you are in "training" and "orientation"?

My intuition tells me its a F#@!ing rip off and turn it down

[Keeper]

That sounds like a red flag to me. You would be right to turn that one down.

[Smithington]

[Porksta]

He may or may not be trying to rip you off. It is pretty standard in Korea to work at a reduced rate your first couple of months. However, hagwons don't do this, so there is no reason to accept this job when literally no other hagwon does this. I have seen unpaid training in other contracts, but not a reduced monthly pay.

[Weigookin74]

Job market is flipping here quickly and lots of folks will get out as the won to US dollar rate starts tanking. So, you don't have to be desperate and take any old job that comes along. Maybe sit tight for a few more months and you'll see some better positions opening.

[wonkavite62]

It's a scam, because neither I nor my friends had this kind of problem in South Korea. No nonsense about reduced pay. So in reply to one of your correspondents, no it's not pretty standard to be ripped off in this way.
However, I distinctly remember that in conservative Japan, the recruiters and schools all remarked about how conservative Japan was, and how serious, and how the expense was part of the culture. It would not be sufficient for us to pay our monthly rent, high though that was. No, we also had to pay the Honourable God of key money. It felt like a scam. Japanese people ppaid less than foreigners.
In Korea you should be getting your full salary from day one! Anyone who tries to pay less is cheating. Your boss may also be hoping that as a foreigner you are too naïve to know any better and will just bow when your boss says "it's the custom."

[BigBuds]

[schwa]

[Porksta]

[wooden nickels]

[wooden nickels]

[hogwonguy1979]

hogwon's were trying to pull this scam as far back as 1996 when we were first looking for a job, we were offered a "training wage" of 1.0 million/won month moving up to 1.2 mill in the 3rd month. Of course then the exchange rate was 800/dollar, cabs started at 1,000 won and the subway started at 300 won.

anybody offers you a "training wage" tell them to stick it and run. Sad thing is somebody will take these crap jobs

[Fallacy]

[beentheredonethat777]

[Coltronator]

No, it is true. When my wife worked at her consignment company and in her contract she got a ~200k salary raise after 2 months and another ~200k after 6 months. Then normal yearly ~100-200 that the manager decided everyone was getting each year.