Korean Job Discussion Forums

VincentVulgati · Joined: 02 Nov 2003

I've been working for a little more than a month at a school that is just about 5 weeks older than my job. I'm the only foreign teacher there, and so far they've treated me very well . . . floated me an advance, I was paid on time, no problems with the boss at all.

What I'm wondering is how fast the school should to grow for it to be a viable business. Since I've arrived they've been taking in about 2-3 new students a week, and are at a total of just under 40. Should I save money and update my resume, or is there room to breathe?

Any insight would be helpful. Thanks

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Depends on the teachers. Keep your kids happy so they stay, and maybe you won't have a problem.

40 kids in just 2months time isn't bad either. Pretty sure it took my first hawgwon about 2-3 years to get about 500ish kids and another 5 years after that to get to the 800-900 level.

In anycase, yes, if you can do save a bit of cash "just in case".

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

Depends on how much competition there is around your hagwon. My hagwan is pretty new as well and we have had a few new students. MOre would be better. Just a couple of blocks from where i work as a GNB, and i see about five different busses from other schools go by hagwon. One of the busses is from one of the most popular franchises in the city. I think we can get more students it is just going to take longer than it would if there was less competition in the area.

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

You best hope that the school owner has deep pockets or near the end of your contract, you're gone without severance pay, etc. No students equals no job. No one knows how long it should that for a business to grow. That's ambigious. If the school owner did his research/homework before opening a school without any students, then he must have some bucks stashed away for the "no student times." But then again, this is korea and most of the people in the world know about koreans and their lack of prior planning and business ethics.

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

I don't think preplaning is the greatest strength of hogwan directors. I don't think my director even considered that 5 other hogwans were competing for students in this area. He just happened to own an ipshi hogwon and decided to open up his english hogwan just across from it. Our growth rate so far has been pretty slow. Our net growth is just a few students so far.