Korean Job Discussion Forums

[noelinkorea]

Hey!
I've been looking for a stabe job in Seoul for about six weeks now, having worked here before and feel that I know the deal. Anyway - so I scored a couple of interviews in Gangnam, both at reputable and stable head offices of two very big institutes. I don't know about the first job, but the second has just called me back to tell me I got the job. They weren't able to provide a salary amount during the interview, so I only just found out now: 2.0m for 30 hours a week...probably not too bad. But - they only provide 10m key money, and charge 50 000 each month for the loss in interest to them for providing me with the 10m key money!! That's a 600 000 fee for something legally entitled to (by this, I mean the housing). They provide no rental allowance, nor single/shared institute-administered housing. So, at the end of each month I would probably end up with between 1.3m and 1.4m after taxes and paying the rent. I have to contact the institute tomorrow - but have no intention to work for this place. My questions: is this quite common...and should stability in a job equate to huge financial loss (and for early morning/evening split shifts)? Isn't this system kind of an avoidance of their legal responsibility? Any advice, similar stories welcome. Cheers.

[Gord]

The schools only legal responsability to you is to ensure you have a way home (not that they pay for it, only that you have it) and that they pay you no less than 2,140 Won an hour.

That's it.

Thinks like paid airfare, housing, desposits, sponsored phones, etc., are all perks that are not legally required.

[bjonothan]

I personally think by taking this job, you would be srewing not only yourself but any other foreigner that comes to this country. It is inadequate and I would tell them to shove it. There are schools that will offer you what you want. You just have to wait until you find it. If people keep taking these kinds of jobs, it is going to screw it up for everyone...

[ratslash]

tell them to p*ss right off!

never heard of this before. you can get the same job and not have to mess around with all this key money rubbish. agree with reply 2, if you except this you are making it hard for the rest of us. the hagwon is trying to see what they can get away with by offering you this. don't take this job as i get the feeling that they will try to screw you over again and again and again.

[BTM]

[Gord]

[ulsanchris]

whether they have to legally provide free housing or not. Most hagwons offer it so if one isn't don't get a job there. Go find some other school that will pay for it.

[endofthewor1d]

was this berlitz? i sent them an enquiring email, and i got back some kind of similar rubbish of an offer. needless to say, i'm still hunting. good luck.

[Carldaddy]

Ok. It walks like a duck. Talks like a duck?

Jeezuz! I bet it's a duck.

You already know the deal. If it looks bad, it is bad.

Quack!

Walk like a duck about as fast as a duck can walk and tell us when you're happy!

You will be if you don't bend over now!

[Derrek]

I was only able to get 5 million key money. But charging you interest on key money is nuts.

This is why I don't work for the big chains... low pay, long hours, split shifts.

I sat in an interview with Pagoda once (one of two interviews there at different times of year). They needed someone to develop a "program" for a new interactive learning-type class. They advertised good hours, pay, blah, blah. Turns out, the job was for 2 locations (Shinchon and Kangnam BOTH if memory serves), and you had to travel every day between schools. The guy showed me a schedule and was talking about how great it would be that I'd have weekends (plus a Friday) off. Wow! Sounded great.

About then, a Korean teacher walks in and she says in English, "Why are you showing him the part-time schedule?" The guy said some disgusted words to her in Korean, and she shut up. That's when I said, "Where is the full-time schedule I would be working?" He then pulled out the REAL schedule, which was booked up SOLID from like 8am to 10pm in TWO LOCATIONS!

It was obvious to everyone that they were trying to pull a fast-one on me. The interviewer apologized as he walked me out the door, saying "I am under pressure to fill this job, but nobody wants it. I'm sorry."

In my heart, I think he was a nice guy, but it was a bad thing to do.

[canuckistan]

The Kangnam area these days is proving to be very expensive for employers to provide an apt for foreign teachers....

[kangnamdragon]

I live near Kangnam Station...I think the key money is 50,000,000 won......no rent.

[Arthur Fonzerelli]