Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Soju erner]

I'm a korean-american living in Busan. I just got here about 3 weeks ago and have had sorry luck in finding a job here. I did just have an interview today at a school, English Channel. They want me to work 30 teaching hours each week, though i would have to actually be at the hogwan for 40. Also every other saturday I would have to work for 4 hours. They would provide housing and the pay is 1.8 million. They want me to make a decision as to whether I would accept this job or not today!! I feel that for working 160+ hours a month for only 1.8 million is really not that good of a deal, but I am beginning to wonder if this is as good as it will get for a Korean-American in Korea?? Please I'm calling on all Vets here to lend me some of your wisdom. SHould i accept this job or tell them they should look elsewhere..

oh, the reason I have to decide today is they just lost their last employee to Pneumonia? and they start classes again on Monday. The person interviewing me also said 1.8 was the highest the director would go. I told her that since I already paid for my airfare here, and that I don't have to go on a Visa run (i'm getting an F-4), that really i'm saving the school a good sum of money. She didn't seem impressed though.

What are your opionions here? Thanks in advance.

SE

[Jaundiced Jonz]

Sounds like a pretty poor deal to me.

Demand housing, especially if they're in a tight spot. You should have some bargaining power. Things seem better in Seoul these days, maybe you should try your luck up here.

[Soju erner]

Jaundiced-

Thanks for your post. They actually are offering housing, so does that make the offer worth taking? I haven't seen the place, and don't really know what amenities it has/needs. If I do crumble and accept this job, I will make sure that it at least has a wasing machine. I don't think i can use a washboard forever...

thanks again,

SE

[slump]

As a Korean-American, it seems to me that most employers will try to treat you as they would a Korean, which definitely means bad working conditions. Do you speak Korean by the way?
Anyhow, I think Korean-Americans here get the worst of both sides..

PS I've never seen washboards in appartments!!

[Soju erner]

I tend to agree that Korean-Americans don't get a fair shake here. But yea, I don't speak korean, I know that would help. So were you saying that was as good as it gets for KA's? Are you KA by the way or were you just making an observation?

Thanks for the post.

SE

Didn't see that part bout washboards when I first replied.. hehe, its sorta a unique situation i'm in right now..
I'm staying at a place my friends dad has that he used to use for his employees of his company. It doesn't have a washing machine, so I use a washboard to wash my clothes.. Definitely feel like a frontier-man doing so, but i think it has made me have a new appreciation for modern day appliances.

[Morning Calm]

You guys are barking up the wrong tree. Why are you applying for a job when you already know that they are specifically looking Bob Brown to work at their school? If they wanted Bob Kim to work at their school, it would be for a different job all together. KA clean house in the academic director position because they are bilingual. Not only do they clean house in the hagwon, but after schools out, they can hop over to their Aunt's friends house and freely teach spoiled little Hee Su for 30,000 won an hour.

If your a KA, you should step down hard in the beginning that you are NOT KOREAN. But this also means that you better not nibble on the benifits that Koreans do get in the company. Once you've bitten the fruit, you will be forever posioned and feel like shit when your boss treats you no greater than yang ah jee whose been pulverized by a gangpae and thrown into the ditch to root.

[slump]

Wow...so u were serious bout that washboard deal, eh?

I'm not a K-A, I'm a F-UK, half French half British (which is only half a sin for Americans...) But I was only noticing that K-As get a raw deal in Korea, being sometimes treated badly as foreigners and as second-rate Korean citizens. Regarding teaching jobs, Korean English teachers sometimes give a hard time to foreign teachers because they're pissed due to the differences in treatment, so speaking Korean would've helped you fit in a bit easier, but you will most probably be required to work as much as the Koreans do, although your wage is highier, while your collegues will treat you as a wae guk in...Frankly speaking, I wouldn't want to live in Korea as a K-A.

[Soju erner]

Morning Calm-

Let me try and understand what you're telling me. I shouldn't even try to get a job at hagwons? I don't know of many if any hagwons that would specifically recruit a KA who doesn't speak korean over a blond American. If you do, please let me know!!

About that bit of "nibbling fruit" and such, what are you talking about? I admit I am a newbie here, but really, i think you've gone on a bit of a tangent and I'm not sure what you're referring to..

Slump-

yea, i was serious, hehe. The only problem i've had being a KA here has been while looking for a job. I've been told that the hardest part is getting my foot in the door and afterwards, once I've got experience, getting a job shouldn't be too hard. Generally, people here are really great. Once they find out about my past, they really and (i believe) genuinely want to help me have a good/positive time here. I don't regret coming here at all. I just will have to eat more ramen these days until I get that perfect job for me.

Generally, I think I have decided to not take this position. I think they (the school) realize that I am not having good luck finding a job and are going to try and stick me with this not-so-great position/pay/working hours. Thanks for all who posted and if there are any others who have insightful comments, please post away. Until next time.

SE

[William Beckerson]

Fact one about working in a hagwon: They want whities. There is this stupid mindset here in Korea that the only white people who can speak English properly are Americans and Canadians, so the moms want to see our pale butts standing in front of their kids.

Fact two: If they cant afford whites, they'll hire KAs. However keep in mind that they dont want you in the first place and will do their best to ditch you once the place turns around.

It's a big pile of crap... but as a KA, it's pretty much what you'll get anywhere, so I guess the only question for you is: How much money do you have left?

[captain kirk]

SE, keep checking the thread. there will be more perspectives on kyopos in korea and have you used the search?
re; beckerson's point two. i've seen it. a hagwon was just starting up and i was the first foreign teacher. the hagwon had been slowly starting up with the help of two kyopos. they were hard-working and really pushing to get the school going. but suddenly, they were both fired. it was something about 'complaints' from parents or accents or something. but it was an imperial load of shit. they were shocked, slapped in the face, pissed off and indignant. wouldn't you be? the boss promised one free housing. it was pitiful watching the kyopo squirming, trying to fit it all into a 'just world'. from that time on i'd a second confirmation of 'why i disliked the boss'. a couple of days later, and before monday, two new zealanders arrived to take the place of the dismissed kyopos.
pretty distressing stuff i know. you sound a little too flighty and chirpy to have your feet on the ground should a shocker zap yuh. you might want to toughen up and put on some shark skin given the waters. good luck. take it easy on the fine washables!