Korean Job Discussion Forums

[GoshiwonGuy]

Hello,

I'm trying to put together my own phone teaching gig but don't know what the going rates are **to charge students**.

If anyone could help I'd really appreciate it. (If anyone with phone teaching experience could recommend some good materials to use, for diffeent ages/levels, I'd be so happy I'd fall over:)

I've noticed that to work as a phone teacher, employers usually pay
between 35,000-50,000 won per student, per month (10 min/day, 5 days a week).

This is pitiful for waking up very early or working late at night.

What do you think the students pay?

Thanks in advance,

GG

[canukteacher]

I did the phone teaching gig for a couple of months when I wanted some extra money for a vacation. I'd rather not do it again. In fact, I would probably rather have my finger nails pulled out one by one!

These companies advertise that you can make between 15 and 20,000 W per hour. Remember, you only make that if you have all your time slots filled. Students come and go, and often simply no shows. It's not a good feeling when you get up to teach some guy at 6am and he decides to unplug the phone. The next day he laughs, sorry too much soju.

I wish you luck with the teaching materials. If I were you I would try to be original, make your own lessons. What happened with me is that none of them wanted to use the terrible books provided by the company, but did not know what they wanted to talk about. Often it was like pulling teeth. The usual comment would be............Let's talk about what you talked about with the last guy! Also, if they are Christian you are apt to get alot of stuff about praying, etc.

I wish you luck!

CT

[phaedrus]

[GoshiwonGuy]

Thanks CT,

I actually do phone teaching now but it isn't a standard deal, which is why I don't know what students typically pay to a phone teaching company. (My students pay me direct).

The deal I have was passed to me by a friend. It was set up by a hogwan owner who is one of the most competent and forward thinking Koreans I have met.

He owns a school and any kids that go there are offered the chance to do phone teaching by someone who is also competent and reliable (me).

The owner takes nothing. That means that I make more than most phone teachers and, most likely, the students pay less than most 'phone students' pay, (and the owner is happy because he can offer an additional service, that doesn't cost him anything-I also cover supplied materials that supplement what is taught in his classes).

But now I need to find out what to charge new students I will eventually acquire.

The price, IMO, should be determined simply by figuring out what the market rates are, plus I would the probably reduce slightly as I am essentially cutting out the middle-man.

A good rate would also go well towards attracting students and keeping them happy...

Again, the rates that I've seen offered for most phone teaching gigs is between 35-50,000 won per student per month; that is, based on a 20 day month (10 minutes per day, 5 days per week), teachers will only make between 10,500-15,000 won per hour.

And this is the best case scenario (working 20 and not 22 days per month and having every hour fully blocked, ie. no dead time).

Based on everything I've seen the pay falls far short of the 15-18,000 won/hour that most companies claim their phone teachers will make.

Again, these are crap wages for waking up very early or working very late.

I've noticed a tendency for people to guard information related to phone teaching quite closely.

Or maybe it's a case of the phone teachers not knowing (or caring) what the students pay their employer-they just care what they make, and after realising it's not much, for what they are asked to do, they just quit before they've learned much about the business...

GG

[enchoo]

Accepting a phone school position is quite risky. I accepted my second phone position late last year and they folded or disappeared a few months ago. My first phone school position (another school) did not cover their final month's salary until I complained for 3 months. My students were quite satisfied with me and my teaching, and I was quite diligent to offer make up classes to my phone school students provided they notified me in advance. So, imagine the surprise when I inquire about my "10-day late" salary, and find out that their website is no longer active and they have not answered phone calls or emails to the phone school officefor the past 20 days.

I believe to answer your question, the going rate is probably around 120,000 or 140,000 won. Some companies offer discounts for 3 months, 6 months, or 1 year memberships. Also, many businessmen have reimbursement from their companies at 50% of the total tuition provided you give them a receipt of their tuition payment.

By the way, you need to watch your calls to Gyeonggi Province where many calls are charged as a typical within-country long-distance rate even though you live within Seoul but near the city limits.
Your phone bill might be to high to justify making any possible money or spending your quality mornings talking to students.

The whole business seems to be a high-risk venture with high competition, so you better know what you are doing if you are starting this business.

I hope this answers your questions and other possible questions.

[GoshiwonGuy]

Enchoo,

[Michelle]

I haven't had the best experience with it.

I would do it on my own if I had it a lot, but generally I think people expect moe then they can get, which is not good.

I tried it once, this Korean lady wanted to spend a lot of time with me showing me the phone office, website, etc and I taped an example of a lesson for them to put on their website.

So far I didn't mind.

My phone classes were so short and there were not many students, but they did have some regulars.

I had a regular and because I am not the best at 6am and I knew it had to be a Korean I answered the phone Yobo Seyo.

Before I knew it she (the student) was accusing me of being Korean.

If you don't trust the company and check it out, why do it?

Maybe I just also resented the 10 minute time slots that don't add up. and the early mornings.

'Helped' another teacher by giving him some phone classes. I guess I shouldn't have.

His phone work over the two days came to about 15,000W. What astounded me was that instead of giving him pay she turned up one day and said "I prepared a gift for him, a music CD, can you give it to him?."

Well, you can imagine how thrilled he was about that.

I just shook my head but I couldn't do much about it.