Korean Job Discussion Forums

tsm174 · Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Location: Dongtan, South Korea

Hey guys, I need some opinions and advice about my (and my girlfriend's) current situation. Just as a quick background, we got jobs at the same school, and share an apartment . So, I don't know how many of you work Saturdays, but we work every Saturday, and have to stay for at least 6 hours, even though we both only teach 1 class. For the rest of the time, we literally have absolutely nothing to do, as we finish all our weeks work during the week (where we also have plenty of free time). On top of that, they just had a "talk" with us saying that we can't use the internet for personal use while at work.

Here's the dilema: We are thinking about talking to our manager and trying to get our time on Saturday's reduced, because it seems riduclous at this point. What we don't want however is to eliminate this job as a good reference for our next job by being too demanding. The other problem is that our hours are specified in our contracts. We've talked to other teachers at other campuses however, and they can leave as soon as their classes are over, not just saturdays but every day, despite having the same contracts. How important is a good reference for our next jobs? Keep in mind, we will definitely not take another job unless we get both saturday and sunday off. We want to have the ability to demand this of our next school. Thanks in advance.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

At public schools you get Saturdays and Sundays off in the contract.

References aren't that important here. Hardly anyone ever calls or checks.

tsm174 · Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Location: Dongtan, South Korea

Well we work at an academy now, and would prefer to stay there as we hear they give better pay/benefits. If we are paid 2.6 mil a month now, what is a good price to ask when looking for our second job? While this is my only Korean teaching experience, I have other experience in the states.

ppcg4 · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

I'm applying for jobs now (in Korea), and I've had several interviews. My previous employer claims she hasn't received any calls about me, but I wonder whether or not I can trust her.

I don't know your boss, but I think your request is reasonable, but if there are other workers there, they may feel you're getting preferential treatment if you don't have to come in on Saturdays.

tsm174 · Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Location: Dongtan, South Korea

"I don't know your boss, but I think your request is reasonable, but if there are other workers there, they may feel you're getting preferential treatment if you don't have to come in on Saturdays."

Yea as far as I can tell thats the reason. The difference is though that they atually teach more than one class on Saturday. They have work to do, and we don't. Any thoughts?

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

Any Korean job I've ever had, you have to be there. Never been allowed to come in late or leave early. Even without classes.

The internet thing is a bit retarded, unless you've only got a couple of computers for a lot of teachers, then it should probably be used for work.

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

tsm174 · Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Location: Dongtan, South Korea

Well if you get paid the same for those 3 months of half days and vacation then I can't argue with you there. What kind of experience did you need to get a PS job? We're both certified in TEFL and will have had a year experience after this. Do you do the same thing as you would in an academy, just at a public school?

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

Ps school usually has bigger classes than hogwans and yes you could get a Ps job. Usually there is less hassles in most Ps jobs.

maingman · Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Location: left Korea

TheUrbanMyth wrote :

References aren't that important here. Hardly anyone ever calls or checks.

dont agree therre

bobbybigfoot · Joined: 05 May 2007 Location: Seoul

References probably don't matter to get a job here.

But I would think they DO matter to get a GOOD job.

Bending over and taking it from this current employer won't necessarily guarantee you a good reference. It's all a crazy game.

Be diplomatic about your requests ...

Good luck...

Draz · Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam

Unposter · Joined: 04 Jun 2006

Having letters of recomendation can be valuable or essential but having good ones or truthful ones are really important.

Most Koreans I have talked to, and you can take this for whatever it is worth as it is my own experience, don't take much stock in letters of recommendation because they do not believe that anyone is honest. They themselves write everyone a nice recomendation so they don't take much credence in other people's recomendations.

I would think not having any recomendations could be a problem but from my experience hardly anyone actually checks them out.