Korean Job Discussion Forums

kermo · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:50 am Post subject:

Jeepers. I see that I hit the quote button instead of the edit button below. I was just making sure everyone was clear on who was being addressed. Sorry.

kermo · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:53 am Post subject:

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Kermo likes what she said so much, she quotes herself.

panchotino · Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Location: scotland for now.

just remember that people rarely talk about the good hagwons.i've been here for 3 months and i was initially worried also about the paying carry on.my hagwon is cool and very organised, yes, really.busan is a grand place. i live near there and visit regularly.JB was only looking out for you, i'm sure but if they mess you around never be scared to point your problems out to your boss or ask the other teacher's opinions. the expat community in busan is a good one and we all tend to offer advice and support to those that need it.if you get here and you hate it, what have you got to loose?

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

The only decent hakwon job I could imagine would have:

-NO split shifts. Let them worry about hiring some more people to enable a decent schedule.

-Private apartment close to the school and not half way or all the way up a freakin mountain. I'd like the owner to test run the place before I move in. If he wouldn't live there, why should I?

-2.2 to start for 30 CLASSES (not hours) a week, and I'd get paid whether or not they can put warm bodies in there to teach. Overtime at time and a half. Why should they pay LESS to work me MORE?

-An end of contract bonus. They want to take away if I don't stay, so I'd like something put on if I do!

-All the other standard amenities. They can swing it. They make a lot off of their teachers, especially the places that soak the parents of younger kids.

-Oh, and the biggest, most important thing. Nobody would be allowed to allude to the pretense that I am a teacher. No pressure. They pretent to be a school, and I pretend to teach. Fair enough. I would be refered to as an entertainer, or language facilitator.

Starting out here at a hakwon can be the way to go, but don't go in sportin the rose coloured glasses, and if at all possible, get out once your contract is over with. They are a business, they make money off of you, and they cut corners when they can, even if, as is usually the case, they don't have to. They'll tell you you are a teacher, they'll tell you that you have respect in the Korean society because you are a teacher, they'll tell you anything you want to hear to keep you in that classroom for only 2.0 million a month plus housing. None of it is actaully true. You are highly replaceable, and should you ask for something (gasp...aaaah...a raise), you'll find that out right quick. It's a hierarchal society, and you'll be damn near the bottom of it, at least at the school you'll be working.

Good time here, though. Enjoy!

inspector gadget · Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: jeollanam-do in the boonies

hagwons are a gamble, my first year in korea was at a hagwon but I did my research before signing, I turned down 7 offers before I found the right one.

He was awesome not only to me but other foreigners in a small town of about 250000 people, the guy studied overseas and understood foriegners and there needs/wants.

he was so good to me and I in return at the end of my contract he let me leave 2 weeks early including pay and an additional bonus for helping him find a replacement.

My second year I decided to try public school and not tempt the fate of a hagwon twice and to be honest if I could choose either of the jobs again it would be that great hagwon.

roll the dice but do your research and you should be fine.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

You have already found Dave's ESL. If you do have problems with legal issues, you can find help here from some of the people. Some of the bigger talkers are BSer's, but there are some here who are really on the ball.

Good luck.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

lastat06513 · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:53 pm Post subject:

Having a good attitude means having a positive attitude. But it does help not to have any expectations, they tend to ruin the whole experience....

I think what helped me, amid all the bad stuff I have heard about Korea, was the fact that I was in the country for 2 and half years before as a soldier and I knew the living conditions that my teacher friends lived in. So, for me, there were no surprises when I started working as a teacher. Actually, I found my life to get increasingly better as time went by. This coupled with the fact that I started to comprehend Korean Wink