Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Grant]

I�ve been working at this hagwon for about 4 months now. Very small school, two foreigners, one overseas Korean and two Korean teachers. There is also the �head teacher� - a Korean who�s had the job for about 6 months and done absolutely nothing in that time.

Over the past month or so things began to go sour. Kids started leaving, there was a complete lack of discipline and most importantly no new kids coming in.

This week the owner called a meeting with myself, the other foreigner and the overseas Korean. He told us that he is going to fire our head teacher and - no word of a lie - wants US to run the place.

The situation is a bit strange in that he is rather like an absentee owner. He runs a textile business on the top floor of the building and opened a hogwan on the bottom two floors to defray the cost of the said building (which he apparently owns.)

He has no idea how to run a school and little interest in the daily operations other than collecting the money every month. Being in charge brings an interesting challenge but there are simply so many unanswered questions it�s not even worth listing them all.

I�ve heard of situations like this before but usually it was to put foreigners in charge as of an excuse to get rid of them if � more like when � they fail. However the strange thing here is that this man actually seems to believe we can do a job for him and bring in his money.

Obviously this is a gross violation of the contracts we signed. The thing is that myself and the other teacher actually would be willing to see what we could do with the place, and I think we could succeed if we had the proper tools � which is doesn�t sound like we will have.

I really intended to be in Korea until at least next summer. I suppose I could just walk away and come back with a tourist visa. But there is the all important manner of the release letter. I�m not really familiar with it but from what I know unless I get it I can�t work legally in Korea until my current visa expires.

At this point we think our best bet may be to convince him that we simply can�t turn it around on our own and unless he�s going to hire a competent Korean to help us then we have to quit. I�m just really worried about the release letter. He�s kind of a stubborn old guy, as much as we think he would screw us in a second, our relations have been pretty good to this point.

Any advice on this utterly nonsensical situation???

[kangnamdragon]

I think you are being given a great opportunity. However, I understand that is is overwhelming to you as you have not been in Korea long. The owner should just hire another head teacher. I am sure a foreigner who has been here a few years could run the school.

My advice would be to have the owner join a franchise, then the people from the franchise could come in and show you how to run the school. PM me if you want more information on this.

[Joe Thanks]

[Austin]

What a great opportunity!

So many complain about their situation and comment on how they would do things differently, and now you have the chance.

Obviously, you know your personal limits and capabilities, but I suggest that you have more to gain from the experience than you do to lose.

Imagine what you could do?

I hope it works out for you.

[shawner88]

Collect the monry from the kids and head for China!

[ulsanchris]

I would go for such an oppertunity.
After awhile one starts to develop ideas on how to run ones own hogwan.
I know i have.

If I was you i would say yes to the offer, and do lots of research. Maybe a tour of other hogwans and see what they are doing right and doing wrong. Try to find some books on the topic.

good luck.

If you end up making this guy money he might reward you guys for it.
also this could be a vauluable learing experience.

[Juggertha]

There are foreigners that run hogwons here.. its not easy.

I'd tell him your interested in helping out.. BUT honestly someone mentioned hiring someone with experience for the job. I htink thats a good idea. Theres just so much to do and know.

Use this opportunity to impress upon him some of your ideas..and maybe he'll find someone able to impliment them.

[some waygug-in]

That depends on what you mean by "run the school". Do you mean , collect the money, pay the bills, talk to worried or angry parents, handle discipline problems (both of students and teachers) do all the required gov't stuff for the visas, housing, recruiting new teachers, advertising, pay the staff etc? As well as teach full time?

I think that's a pretty tall order, no matter what kind of an opportunity others may say it is.

But who knows? Maybe you're just the guy to pull it off.

Cheers

[ulsanchris]

What might help you out is if your boss throws a few employee parties. Go out for some galbi, drink some soju and then go to a norae bang. Every body is relaxed and having fun. Unless your coworkers are complete *icks they shouldn't refuse going along.

[J.B. Clamence]

I agree with those who say it would be a great opportunity. Being in charge and making the rules without have the owner breathing down your neck is truly the best position you can be in.

However, the main reservation I would have is: How time consuming is this going to be?? He expects you to teach AND run the place? That is a lot of work! I guess I would give it a shot. If it works out ok, then great. You'll be set with a sweet job! If it doesn't work out, it's not your fault for trying to do 2 jobs at once, and the owner will probably fire you, making you a "free agent" to go to another school. No reason to quit right now. If you're gonna end up leaving one way or another, you might as well take the school for a test drive. That's what I would do, anyway.

[Grant]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Should point out that I have been in Korea about a year and a half and worked at another hagwon previously. So I guess I know a little bit of what goes on in these places and what needs to be done.

We had a session last night and decided that there is absolutely no way this can work without a compentent, presentable Korean who can act as head teacher - in title at least. These parents are very picky and at the moment there is nobody to deal with then. The Korean-Aussie simply can't do it, not an option.

There's myself, another foreigner, Korean-Aussie and two other Koreans who can do some of the administrative work, the phones, teaching, etc. But they can't speak English. I don't think it's a workable situation.

What worries me even more are some of the murky legal issues surrounding this whole thing. Once we start spending the big man's money I'm wondering if he's gonna try and hold us liable for it? We figure as many as 25% of the kids may pull out next week when they find out who's running the show now.

Obviously are salaries will go first and I'm not big on putting too much time into a sinking ship without getting paid. The other foreign teacher has decided he can just leave the country if it comes to it.

But as I said I really would like to be able to work legally in Korea well into next year. Do I still need a release letter from this guy if the place goes insolvent?? I don't think he's gonna fire us simply cause he has no real way of hiring new foreigners.

The deeper I get into this the weirder it gets.......