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antgonz
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
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 Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:33 am Post subject: How do I know which schools or hagwons are reputable? |
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I am really scared I will get screwed once I accept a contrast. I have had so many calls in the last 2 weeks I have lost track who I am talking to. Have any of you heard of:
KIMSKOREA
BCM Korea (www.bcm.co.kr)
Wonderland (I hear bad things of these people)
EMP Korea
Dreamworks Recruiting Service
CDI
WORKnPLAY
YES Youngdo Education Corp.
Which would you stay away from and which would you trust. I know this is asking a lot but it is so hard to tell which are good schools and if they treat their employees well?
Thanks |
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Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong
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| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:39 am Post subject: |
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Some of those are recruiters and some of them are schools. My advice, slow down and don't let anyone pressure you into anything. If a school or recruiter offers you an interview and you feel comfortable with what you are being told, then do some research and ask questions in this forum. I would have the school send you a copy of the contract and post it here and ask someone to look it over.
If there is something you feel is fishy about the school or recruiter, refuse to deal with them and move on. Either may try to push you into signing something quick, if that's the case, tell them to take a hike.
Most of all, do your homework and ask lots of questions to the school and people on here. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:48 am Post subject: Re: How do I know which schools or hagwons are reputable? |
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| antgonz wrote: |
I am really scared I will get screwed once I accept a contrast. I have had so many calls in the last 2 weeks I have lost track who I am talking to. Have any of you heard of:
KIMSKOREA
BCM Korea (www.bcm.co.kr)
Wonderland (I hear bad things of these people)
EMP Korea
Dreamworks Recruiting Service
CDI
WORKnPLAY
YES Youngdo Education Corp.
Which would you stay away from and which would you trust. I know this is asking a lot but it is so hard to tell which are good schools and if they treat their employees well?
Thanks |
Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE in regards to the school or get burned.
There is no rush and there is certainly no shortage of jobs.
When it comes to the school - again - repeat - Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE.
1st - READ the contract over very carefully. If that doesn't scare you away then...
The best you can do is minimize the risk by talking to MORE THAN ONE of the foreign staff and ask POINTED AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS (*when the boss is NOT listening over their shoulder). Don't accept non-specific answers and broad generalizations.
No foreign staff references to talk to = walk away now.
Accept NO EXCUSES for any reason.
The hard questions to ask AND get acceptable answers to ARE:
-What are the hours? (start time / stop time / breaks).
-How many classes per day, week, month? NOT hour many hours per month. 30 classroom hours can mean anything from 1350 -1800 minutes per week standing in front of the class. The difference can be up to 7.5 HOURS in front of the class EACH WEEK.
-Do they ALWAYS pay on time? (no=red flag 1)
-Do they pay at the end of your month or do they have a hold back period (5-10 days after your month end) to prevent runners? (no=red flag 2)
-Do they really pay overtime or avoid it with creative book keeping? (no=red flag 3)
-Do you get credit for classes on the national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime? (no=red flag 4)
-Do they have national medical (with the little booklet)? (no=red flag 5)
-Do they pay into pension? (no=red flag 6) These two are legal requirements (not optional) and are usually NOT complied with (to your detriment).
-What about the holidays? 10 or more WORKING days? (legal requirement here) (no=red flag 7)
-When and how do you get your holidays?
-What extra stuff do you really have to do - mentioned or not in the contract.
-Then consider the quality of life issues - things that are important to you that aren't mentioned here (housing, furnishings, THE BATHROOM, access to recreational facilities, shopping, banking).
Do they take additional deposits in addition to the delay in payday? (yes=red flag Cool
I would also like to mention for comparison:
My co-worker who is a green as grass, fresh of the boat newbie gets a base salary of 2.1 mil per month for 22 classes of 40 minutes each.
She gets 20k won for each 40 minute class over 22 per week and works from 8:30-4:30 each day. She usually averages 26 classes per week and her salary works out to about 2.5 mil per month.
She also gets (as required by law and ignored by most hakwons) NHIC medical, pension, severance, non-shared housing, airfare and 4 weeks annual PAID vacation.
Do NOT be in a rush to sign anything. There is NO rush or urgency in spite of what you may have been told.
Take your time. The job (or more likely a better one) will still be there next week and probably next month too.
There are 30,000 openings in Korea each year and only about 25,000 applicants to fill those jobs each year.
I hope that has been of some help.
.
6666 |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: How do I know which schools or hagwons are reputable? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
There is no rush and there is certainly no shortage of jobs. When it comes to the school - again - repeat - Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE.
1st - READ the contract over very carefully. If that doesn't scare you away then...
The best you can do is minimize the risk by talking to MORE THAN ONE of the foreign staff and ask POINTED AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS (*when the boss is NOT listening over their shoulder). Don't accept non-specific answers and broad generalizations.
No foreign staff references to talk to = walk away now.
Accept NO EXCUSES for any reason. |
This is the best advice you will receive.
I went through a few lazy recruiters and countless offers before I got the interviews with two past foreign teachers I wanted.
I ended up with a great hagwon I worked at for 3.5 years because of my research and diligence. There is always some risk but I'd say if you just jump there's about 20% chance of a bad hagwon. I reduced that percentage down to single digits by doing my homework.
Recruiters are out of your life as soon as you are placed: use them as they use you, to make connections, NOT to answer questions (they will say whatever they think you want to hear).
Good luck whatever. |
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cbclark4
Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Location: Masan
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| Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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If you are really unsure about anything then don't do it.
You can make more at a hogwan and ir is probably a better experience to work at a good hogwan.
However, from my experience and with others I have talk to, the public schools offer a lower risk for first timers.
So, if your going to put a few years into this experience I would recommend EPIK (SMOE, GEPIK etc.) for a first year experience.
Then while you are here you can check out the other higher paying opportunities.
Public schools = daytime job
Hogwan = night job and split shifts
good luck |
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