Korean Job Discussion Forums

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

I have heard that Yeongdo English School (YES) looks really good on a resume here in Korea. Is this true? I have an offer from them and am leaving my present contract because of it.

My present contract includes two schools, one of which has grown intolerable, but the other one isn't too bad. The second school is negotiating with the county education board to move me to a full time position at their school.

I just wonder what is a better career move. I want to teach university after this next contract. The school that wants to keep me is a middle school, the staff is supportive and the curriculuum is established but they are flexible also (quite nice)... but they are a little unmotivated more often than not.

I often have to call on them to translate something essential in the class, but they do it without hesitation when I call on them.

YES is supposed to be quite professional though, or so I have heard...

What's the skinny?

Hotpants · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

I don't think it's wise to jack in your current job just to have YES on your resume. No one outside of Korea, or inside Korea will care too much about that name. Honestly.

Perhaps, however it's admittedly better than one of those hagwon shuttle buses that flew past me in the street last night with the name 'Tosser English' on the back window! (Is 'tosser' American English, too?) You don't work there by any chance, do you?

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Ahhhare you from Scotia, by any chance?

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

It's a brand new branch across the street from my present accomodation. I can't beat the location... I could probably look out my window and down into the classroom I'll be teaching in.

This brief stint in public system has left me hungry for students that really want to learn. I have heard that many YES students are quite sincere.

Question

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

poet13 · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:10 am Post subject:

I wouldn't want to live to close to where I work. Too easy to keep tabs on you..... My last job, I lived on top of the building where I worked. Just having the director in the apartment below me sucked butt. I didn't have to go outside to go to work, but getting a lady up there was a real pain. I'm married you see....

Milky Joe · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Location: Ireland

I've just been offered a job with the branch in Gangdong. The recruiter I've been speaking to seems helpful and the contract I've been offered seems pretty standard. I don't like the sound of 2 or 3 hour lessons though. I also hear they have cameras in all of their rooms, but I guess this doesn't trouble me that greatly. Through googling I have also read mixed reports, but I'm glad to hear that they are of some repute in South Korea, this could really sway me into accepting the contract. Another quibble is only 8 days vacation, but it remains the best offer I've recieved.

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

10 days by law

hubba bubba · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Hakwon or Public School?

What do you think?

Gamecock · Joined: 26 Nov 2003

ttompatz is usually spot on with his advice, but once again he is misinformed about Yes Youngdo. They are NOT franchised and individually owned. They are very corporate and run almost identically by the head office. With that said, the work experience can vary depending on the personality of the individual manager.

I found that having YES Youngdo on my resume was a plus here in Korea. They are respected much more than most hogwans. However, a public school is more impressive in Korean eyes, and neither will help out your resume much back in the Western world.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Hotpants · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

I still stand by my belief that it doesn't matter what your past work history in Korea is, you can get any job you want provided you make the 'right' type of application pitch. I know plenty of people who have gotten good uni jobs having worked only in obscure hogwans previously. I myself had also gone direct from kindergarten to getting uni job offers. YES will certainly not give you any special advantage to accessing uni jobs.

A good teacher will always remain a good teacher regardless of the name of the school that stands behind them. If you are that golden teacher, you will can bypass the supposed steps of the career ladder and go directly for what you want.

rowdie3 · Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Location: Itaewon, Seoul

I work for YES now. Here are the pros:

-set curriculum
-always paid on time
-nice apartment
-moderately amusing coworkers

The cons:
-2 hours unpaid prep-time a day
-6-8 essays per month per student to mark (I have 70 in my bag waiting for me to stop playing on the computer)
-3 hour classes where you have two pages of grammar and four pages of a story to cover - talking about streeeeetching it
-cameras in the classrooms always on
-work a Saturday about once every three months because the schedule doesn't always fit the calender month
-daily vocab tests
-weekly grammar tests
-meetings every monday to talk about nothing. meetings most thursdays to talk about specific-topic based nothing

I guess this is coming off pretty negative. It just seems that the amount of work I do to get paid is at least tripple that of any of my friends at any other hagwon or public school.

If you've ever worked for a big corporation back home, that's what you get here. A lot of double talk and "I'll have to call head office" and then never getting answers.

Enough rant for now.
PM me for more.
J