Korean Job Discussion Forums

[VanIslander]

Geez.

I have inquired about a couple of positions and decided right after getting all the details and seeing the contract that they didn't feel right for me.

Now I'm getting the "You told us you were coming, so we refused other teachers" line as if I have some sort of obligation.

I never said I'd take the job, just that I was interested in the position.

This may be a cultural problem, or just pushy guilt trippin' on their part, but TWO different unrelated Korean employers are pulling the same hurt responses, each not giving up on me.

I feel bad, but I also feel like I shouldn't feel bad.

From now on I will say "I absolutely don't know what I will do, I just want information." That way, misunderstandings won't arise.

[UncleAlex]

"Guilt trippin" is a cultural problem in Korea and can lead to problems for
the foreign teacher: especially if he is here and has already submitted his
diploma before signing a contract. There are many candidates who have
had to suffer such indignities because they decided not to sign a contract
after all. Don't feel guilty over having hurt the feelings of a potential em-
ployer who is the type to try to make you suffer a pang of conscience. He
is the kind who may make false promises and screw you on your pay and
severance pay. Put it behind you and move on to greener pastures.

[khyber]

I think part of the problem is that the market is actually getting PARTICULARLY terrible.
It sounds exactly like something my old school would have said....not because they were so pissed but because they were SO UNbelievably desperate (there is NO foreigner teacher there now).

They have raised the salary, like 400Gs in the time they have been advertising (since late jan.) and they haven't got one.

The school itself isn't that bad but they REALLY lamed out at the end...

I had to leave my contract 2 days early due to EPIK requirements etc...
and what happens? Despite my 3 previous years of service and a 3rd great year (staying loyal, i figured...) they thought that they didn't have to pay me my severance.

And you know what? I can't fault them on the legality cause they're right. However, what is so lame is they've been playing the "loyalty card" for three full years; a year ago i helped THEM out (they were more than a month with no teacher back then.....until i came) but nope.

why doesn't anyone want to work there? Well, it's a bit in the sticks...

and DO feel back for the personel director and the head teacher (whom i do think is both a terrible teacher and a manipulative jerk). but the WJN+YSJN.... lick it jerks!

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Ha ha, like hogwans never pull out at the last minute after a teacher has been *told* flat out to get ready to come over.

[IlIlNine]

Severence, by the way, is 1 month pay for every year that you've worked. So, I hope that you at least got severence for 2 years...

My old place tried to do that to me. I laid a guild trip on them as well - and then just sat in their office until they paid me.

Legally, they were right -- but ethically, not really.

[UncleAlex]

Khyber, I hope you sued for at least the first 2 years of owed severance
pay which you were legally entitled to. You may even have been entitled
to severance pay for the third year minus two days - a matter I'm looking
into right now concerning one day shy a full year.

[tiger fancini]

[Grotto]

I applied for a job two or so years ago and was seriously considering it(Osan). After talking to the owner and staff I got some bad vibes from them....serious preassure to come.

I told them 'sorry but I have decided to take a another job'

First the owner started giving me crap for wasting her time...then she started telling me what a bad christian I was then she started pleading for me to come work at the school. Then her husband called and apologized for his wife and told me that I should really come work for them....that they would treat me like 'family'....well I have seen how Koreans treat family and wanted no part of that. I recieved approximately 10 phone calls over the next 2 weeks with her trying to guilt me into coming. I've never been so relieved to turn down a job

[Angelus]

Van, it's 100% your fault. What were you thinking?! "Interested" was too hard of a word for them....next time say, me think about it.

[Hollywoodaction]

[Hobophobic]

Fascist!!! ....oops, wrong thread...

[princess]

Me, too. Right now I am undecided about whether or not to take a job in Seoul soon. The owner called me for an interview yesterday and something about him just seems desperate. I have been back in the states for less than a momth and he is ready for a new teacher in just 5 days. For one thing, I am not ready to leave that soon and he emailed a contract to me today and I couldn't open the file and see it. If he's too cheap to mail a contract to me, maybe he will be cheap about other things later on. This morning I emailed him and told him I couldn't see the contrcat and he called me again just awhile ago saying if you can't come until the middle of April that doesn't mean you are decliing my job offer does it? Uh-oh...I smell desperation. He said I can call one of the teachers in about 2 hours. Maybe he'll be sitting right next to her so she won't say anything. Hey, I worked 2 years with no sick days and my Korean boyfriend will never marry me most likely because of his family, so why rush back to Korea so soon?

[VanIslander]

[sadsac]

There is a certain level of deperation on the part of employers. The pickings are slim at the moment. Either they aren't out there or they are very selective. You made nil promises Van my old son. Move on and find your next place in the sun.

[UncleAlex]

Hollywoodaction, one day shy of a year= a 364 day contract: Mar.2-Feb.28.
(March 1 is a national holiday, so the contract reads as of the 2nd.)
To be elligible for severance pay, one may have to have a 365 day contract.