Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kiwiman]

Been offered a job there, anyone have bad experiances there?

I realize that kids herald schools have a bad rep but i assume that each branch will be different.

[peppermint]

Dunno about right now, but I used to hang out with the folks working at the Yongam dong brancha couple of years ago, and they made it sound great actually. Is the director a Mrs Baek?

[Kwai_Chang_Kain]

I work at a Kid's Herald in Ilsan and it's actually pretty decent. I too read a lot of negative things about the chain before coming here but I spoke to one of the foreign teachers over the phone and he put all my fears to rest. You should do the same.

[Indicus]

I just finished working at Kids Herald (Cheongju). It used to be a decent place (not great but ok). The director has turned into a complete... well lets just say its a word not sutable for a public forum. Both my buddy and I (we came together and both left early) were ripped off. She gouges from your paycheck refuses to pay overtime. She hired a man whose only job was to find out your personal details and use them against you. The 120 hours a week is not 6 hours a day. She only counts in class minutes so that means you end up working at least 8-11 hours a day. And your breaks will be filled with an incredible amount of paperwork and extra activities(unpaid). The two camps each a month long are 12 hour days. My first camp resulted in no overtime and the second one in miniscule overtime. And I only got that after the entire staff basically refused to work unless she paid it. Herald school in Cheongju is an unpleasant place to work. It comes with long long work days, and an unhelpful and unfriendly boss(who is also your landlord). Also the 10 days vacation is not 10 days she takes a public holiday adds a weekend and one or two weekdas and says its your 4 or 5 day vacation and you get two of these at times of her choosing and you are only notified of when the vacation is a week in advance because she is afraid people will use the vacation to leave the school. When I first arrived there everyone said it was ok but nobody is happy anymore. And its usless to talk to teachers at the school she stands there listening and if you say something displeasing to her you get punished with extra classes and work. Only good point about the school is that you get paid on payday(some schools pay late). Actually the other teachers are cool too. And the korean teachers are also nice but they are discouraged from socializing with the westerners. If you like working in a place that resembles a gestapo work camp then this is the place for you. If not there are some other really good schools in the same city. Cheongju is awsome there is a great group of expats here. If you want to work here I can put you in touch with some decent recruiters that operate within the city or the names of a few reputable places. Korea is a great place you just have to be careful which school you choose on your first trip over here. Anyway I hope this helps.

[Indicus]

I just finished working at Kids Herald (Cheongju). It used to be a decent place (not great but ok). The director has turned into a complete... well lets just say its a word not sutable for a public forum. Both my buddy and I (we came together and both left early) were ripped off. She gouges from your paycheck refuses to pay overtime. She hired a man whose only job was to find out your personal details and use them against you. The 120 hours a week is not 6 hours a day. She only counts in class minutes so that means you end up working at least 8-11 hours a day. And your breaks will be filled with an incredible amount of paperwork and extra activities(unpaid). The two camps each a month long are 12 hour days. My first camp resulted in no overtime and the second one in miniscule overtime. And I only got that after the entire staff basically refused to work unless she paid it. Herald school in Cheongju is an unpleasant place to work. It comes with long long work days, and an unhelpful and unfriendly boss(who is also your landlord). Also the 10 days vacation is not 10 days she takes a public holiday adds a weekend and one or two weekdas and says its your 4 or 5 day vacation and you get two of these at times of her choosing and you are only notified of when the vacation is a week in advance because she is afraid people will use the vacation to leave the school. When I first arrived there everyone said it was ok but nobody is happy anymore. And its usless to talk to teachers at the school she stands there listening and if you say something displeasing to her you get punished with extra classes and work. Only good point about the school is that you get paid on payday(some schools pay late). Actually the other teachers are cool too. And the korean teachers are also nice but they are discouraged from socializing with the westerners. If you like working in a place that resembles a gestapo work camp then this is the place for you. If not there are some other really good schools in the same city. Cheongju is awsome there is a great group of expats here. If you want to work here I can put you in touch with some decent recruiters that operate within the city or the names of a few reputable places. Korea is a great place you just have to be careful which school you choose on your first trip over here. Anyway I hope this helps.

[Indicus]

I just finished working at Kids Herald (Cheongju). It used to be a decent place (not great but ok). The director has turned into a complete... well lets just say its a word not sutable for a public forum. Both my buddy and I (we came together and both left early) were ripped off. She gouges from your paycheck refuses to pay overtime. She hired a man whose only job was to find out your personal details and use them against you. The 120 hours a week is not 6 hours a day. She only counts in class minutes so that means you end up working at least 8-11 hours a day. And your breaks will be filled with an incredible amount of paperwork and extra activities(unpaid). The two camps each a month long are 12 hour days. My first camp resulted in no overtime and the second one in miniscule overtime. And I only got that after the entire staff basically refused to work unless she paid it. Herald school in Cheongju is an unpleasant place to work. It comes with long long work days, and an unhelpful and unfriendly boss(who is also your landlord). Also the 10 days vacation is not 10 days she takes a public holiday adds a weekend and one or two weekdas and says its your 4 or 5 day vacation and you get two of these at times of her choosing and you are only notified of when the vacation is a week in advance because she is afraid people will use the vacation to leave the school. When I first arrived there everyone said it was ok but nobody is happy anymore. And its usless to talk to teachers at the school she stands there listening and if you say something displeasing to her you get punished with extra classes and work. Only good point about the school is that you get paid on payday(some schools pay late). Actually the other teachers are cool too. And the korean teachers are also nice but they are discouraged from socializing with the westerners. If you like working in a place that resembles a gestapo work camp then this is the place for you. If not there are some other really good schools in the same city. Cheongju is awsome there is a great group of expats here. If you want to work here I can put you in touch with some decent recruiters that operate within the city or the names of a few reputable places. Korea is a great place you just have to be careful which school you choose on your first trip over here. Anyway I hope this helps.

[Indicus]

I just finished working at Kids Herald (Cheongju). It used to be a decent place (not great but ok). The director has turned into a complete... well lets just say its a word not sutable for a public forum. Both my buddy and I (we came together and both left early) were ripped off. She gouges from your paycheck refuses to pay overtime. She hired a man whose only job was to find out your personal details and use them against you. The 120 hours a week is not 6 hours a day. She only counts in class minutes so that means you end up working at least 8-11 hours a day. And your breaks will be filled with an incredible amount of paperwork and extra activities(unpaid). The two camps each a month long are 12 hour days. My first camp resulted in no overtime and the second one in miniscule overtime. And I only got that after the entire staff basically refused to work unless she paid it. Herald school in Cheongju is an unpleasant place to work. It comes with long long work days, and an unhelpful and unfriendly boss(who is also your landlord). Also the 10 days vacation is not 10 days she takes a public holiday adds a weekend and one or two weekdas and says its your 4 or 5 day vacation and you get two of these at times of her choosing and you are only notified of when the vacation is a week in advance because she is afraid people will use the vacation to leave the school. When I first arrived there everyone said it was ok but nobody is happy anymore. And its usless to talk to teachers at the school she stands there listening and if you say something displeasing to her you get punished with extra classes and work. Only good point about the school is that you get paid on payday(some schools pay late). Actually the other teachers are cool too. And the korean teachers are also nice but they are discouraged from socializing with the westerners. If you like working in a place that resembles a gestapo work camp then this is the place for you. If not there are some other really good schools in the same city. Cheongju is awsome there is a great group of expats here. If you want to work here I can put you in touch with some decent recruiters that operate within the city or the names of a few reputable places. Korea is a great place you just have to be careful which school you choose on your first trip over here. Anyway I hope this helps.

[Indicus]

I just finished working at Kids Herald (Cheongju). It used to be a decent place (not great but ok). The director has turned into a complete... well lets just say its a word not sutable for a public forum. Both my buddy and I (we came together and both left early) were ripped off. She gouges from your paycheck refuses to pay overtime. She hired a man whose only job was to find out your personal details and use them against you. The 120 hours a week is not 6 hours a day. She only counts in class minutes so that means you end up working at least 8-11 hours a day. And your breaks will be filled with an incredible amount of paperwork and extra activities(unpaid). The two camps each a month long are 12 hour days. My first camp resulted in no overtime and the second one in miniscule overtime. And I only got that after the entire staff basically refused to work unless she paid it. Herald school in Cheongju is an unpleasant place to work. It comes with long long work days, and an unhelpful and unfriendly boss(who is also your landlord). Also the 10 days vacation is not 10 days she takes a public holiday adds a weekend and one or two weekdas and says its your 4 or 5 day vacation and you get two of these at times of her choosing and you are only notified of when the vacation is a week in advance because she is afraid people will use the vacation to leave the school. When I first arrived there everyone said it was ok but nobody is happy anymore. And its usless to talk to teachers at the school she stands there listening and if you say something displeasing to her you get punished with extra classes and work. Only good point about the school is that you get paid on payday(some schools pay late). Actually the other teachers are cool too. And the korean teachers are also nice but they are discouraged from socializing with the westerners. If you like working in a place that resembles a gestapo work camp then this is the place for you. If not there are some other really good schools in the same city. Cheongju is awsome there is a great group of expats here. If you want to work here I can put you in touch with some decent recruiters that operate within the city or the names of a few reputable places. Korea is a great place you just have to be careful which school you choose on your first trip over here. Anyway I hope this helps.

[kiwiman]

why did you not reply sooner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
once you sign a contract i guess it is to late to find work elswhere?

This blows, was looking foward to it as i talked to another kiwi lady that works there. she didn't sound all that happy though come to think of it, but told me she got paid on time etc. if i do work over the 120hrs and dont get paid overtime, i just wont work the extra hours..can she really make me?!

if it sucks and i want to quit do you think she'd come with me to wipe my visa so i can work elsewhere? (forgotten what the process is called). did she do that for you guys or did you both just head off back home?

do any of the korean teachers speak decent english?

man i am gutted!

[spliff]

Just quit now before you come...say you have some sort of sex related illness or family problems then look for a better position!

Anyway, that school must have a problem as they constantly have an add here in Cheong Ju for new staff. Either that or, they must have MANY teachers...but I doupt it! Cheongju is sort of a one horse city!

[kiwiman]

they actually have a few teachers from what she was telling me.
ive been so fired up to travel that im almost willing to put up with this...sad a!
not the overtime part, but they are paying my ticket up front and you get paid on time. i have heard of worse.

long hours, if i get paid for 8hrs work with no overtime i wouldn't really mind as i have been working 10hr days back here for shit all pay!paper work on my breaks, they can kiss my ass...it will come back to them in scribbles.


i have been searching for a job for over a month and recieved numerous contracts which were all crap.this one not being much better except i got to talk to an employee and noted the post by peppermint which i took into consideration.

[spliff]

[Indicus]

Sorry for the delay and the five messages my computer froze and i clicked the submit button to many times. I have been trying to post a reply for three days but It took me that long to register on the cafe. As long as you didnt send your degree it is fine. Otherwise you might be in a bit of trouble. A good excuse is a family emergency that prevents you from teaching but good luck getting mrs cheapskate to mail your degree back. If you offered to pay for the delivery she might go for it. You could come and tough it out. I found the place bearable for four months before Mrs. B wipped out the fangs and started running the place like she was some sort of queen. Also once your here you can get a new job its not that hard to do. Just quit take a ferry or plane to japan get a new visa and start fresh. Its a bit more complicated than that but if your here a couple months you can get advise from experianced expats. Once again sorry dude I tried to e-mail you but i dont have your adress and i tried to leave a message on your icq but i dont think that worked.

[kiwiman]

i sent a notorized copy so i couldn't care less:-)
new job - i thought your employer has to come into immigration or something and sign some sort of release form so you can get a new visa?
If not you cant get a job until your existing visa expires...am i correct?thus, going to japan wouldn't work would it?i wouldn't know, u have done it:-)

i'm just going to battle, but i aren't a push over and if she tries to work me like a bitch it will be interesting. if you get fired do they have to sign the release form?

[Indicus]

Ok here is the deal with quiting. Each province has its own rules regarding what you have to do. In this one all you need to do is leave the country. This invalidates your visa. Then you apply for a new one. In order to ask for a new one you have to have a new school sponser you. If you have a release letter the school can apply for your visa number before you leave the country and then you just give it to the consolate in japan. Otherwise you have to actually land in Japan and then phone your director who will then get the number from the imigration guy and then guve it to you on the phone. Ive seen it done both ways its not difficult. The only problem is iff you just *beep* off your director can blacklist you in your city(not the whole province) then you will find it difficult to stay in the city or town your in. They have a directors association so they all talk and support each other within the SAME town. its easy to move 10 minutes up the road in another jurisdiction but that can be a hassle. In any case quiting involves you leaving the country for at least an overnighter in Japan or wherever you want to go. Good plan is to make her think you are leaving the country for good then she wont bother blacklisting you and you can fly under the radar. Or scince you didnt send your degree an easy thing to do is apply for another job. I can put you in touch with a recruiter in Cheongju who only deals with this city and has placed alot of friends of mine in really good jobs. Let me know if you want that option. Right now there is a huge teacher shortage. Everyone is crying for teachers. Thats why Mrs B. put the salary up to 2 mil she only used to pay 1.8-1.9. Sometimes she would promise to pay more then when you got here tell you it was less sorry for the misunderstanding. I was one of the first people to actually tell her if she didnt pay what she promised I'd quit on the spot (that was the beginnings of my problems you must never question her in any way or she will take an intense dilike of you). Seriously though I'm working at an awsome place and so is my buddy. Some of the other teachers who are coming back have also found great new jobs. Its the same if not better money most places offer better apartments and less work. My friend quit and in one day had a job with half the hours a raise of 100,000 a month and a kick ass apartment. And it took me three days. Trust me when I say its really better to start somewhere else. If you need help let me know.