Korean Job Discussion Forums

[laogaiguk]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Mr. BlackCat]

Yup, totally agree with picking up a few extra oranges at lunch and sharing them with co-workers or buying a little do-dad for someone who helped me plan my weekend getaway. I'd do that anywhere I am.

I also make a point of saying hello to everyone everyday when I first see them, from my fellow teachers to the secretaries to the cleaning lady. I repsect people much more when they do the same to me. I assume respect in return and this will go much farther than a contract come a problem. This is especially true because even if my boss is in her own little world, I have back-ups in both the Korean and foreign staff.

Don't underestimate the power of a room full of female Korean partner teachers when you need them to back you up.

[seoulsista]

Korea's got a lot of lovely aspects to it. Close families, low crime, great public transportation, efficient use of natural resources etc. however profitable business skills like rewarding hard and punishing incompetence is not one of them.

I have worked at hagwons both years that I have been here - not by choice but simply couldn't find anything else, so I won't pretend to know what goes on at unis or public schools. But, from my experiences in every aspect of Korean life I feel pretty confident in saying that Hagwons are just little microcosms of the business culture here in general.

I have never been individually rewarded for hard work. In fact my experience last year was the exact opposite. I went in early, left late, and did more preparation than was required of me. Hangman king, in the classroom next to me who showed up late and hungover almost every day got teacher of the year. He's now working at a uni in Seoul.

Even at my current job which is a lot better than last year my boss fawns all over this guy who doesn't follow the cirriculum, plays games strictly forbidden at our school and says things like "What the *beep* is wrong with this fucking country!" to her in front of the whole staff when something happens that he doesn't like.

Besides, for all of those who have pulled the "it's not in my contract" move it's not normally the case that they are being asked to do something that would require better performance. They are being told to work more hours for the same amount of money so that the boss can screw him or her out of money. Or they are being cheated out of some other thing ie. vacation time, a proper apartment etc.

Going above and beyond won't get you anywhere in Korea. Drinking with the boss, kissing ass, being male, and telling people only what they want to hear regardless of how short-sighted it is, however, will get you right to the top.

[RobinH]

Sad, but true!

[Unreal]

Rarely have I ever been compensated for doing extra work but my employer last year surprised me. A month after I returned home, he called and told me that I had unpaid apartment bills totalling 420,000 won (Apparently we were supposed to pay 35,000 won per month for apartment maintenance but the building supervisor somehow never got around to informing us). I told him that I would pay him when I returned to Korea in a couple months. When I returned and called to pay him back he told me that he was so happy with the job I did preparing students for English high school entrance interviews that I didn't need to bother paying him back. Now I have no connection with the school so he gained nothing from me by forgiving my debt. Sometimes people will surprise you.

[PRagic]

You need an extra category. Most I know would go the extra mile if their employers recognized their level of education and experience, and, maybe more importantly, the terms of employment were met with consistency.

[cubanlord]

bump (for rawiri)

[SuperHero]

I missed this thread the first time around somehow. Of course I go above and beyond. Even if the school treats you like crap it's worth it if you can put it on your C.V in order to secure you a better position next time.

Every place I've taught in has been better than the previous one becuase of this.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Privateer]

[casey's moon]

Funny timing for this thread. I only have 3 days of work left before I'm done -- I'm finishing my job after completing a full year and doing 8 months of a second year contract -- but have terminated the contract early because I'm having a baby next month.

I've always had an excellent rapport with the English teachers and Korean teachers (who don't speak English), the other foreign teacher and the director and have always gone beyond the bare minimum of my job, both in effort and in time.

In order to make a smooth transition for the replacement teacher, I've been making some lesson plans to get him through the month, etc., but before I completed this project, I found out that my boss won't even consider giving me a portion of my severance pay or the money in lieu of airfare. Legally, she may be right -- I may or may not be entitled. We could fight it out, but I'm not up for it, and I'd rather leave on good terms anyway.

BUT, I've lost my desire to go beyond the call of duty, as far as the next 3 days go. I'm not going to bother with the lesson planning, or anything else extra for the new teacher (beyond answering his questions and letting him observe my classes for a day). The only thing I am still doing, is buying a bunch of goodies for my kids so we can have class parties on the last day. Of course, I'm doing that for me and the kids -- not for my director.

She could have said, "No, I don't think so, but maybe I could give you a bonus," or even, "Well, I will think about it," but the fact that she said, "No, legally I don't have to," was an absolute slap in the face after everything I've done for her......

[laogaiguk]

I went in on a Saturday once on my choice. Some of the kids asked me to come to cooking day. I couldn't refuse the kids.

[laogaiguk]

Yes, and I do. Then this happens

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?p=891046#891046