Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Boog]

Hi all,

Just wondering on negotiating tactics and how they work when getting a job in Korea? I would like to know about both sides Korean and Canadian in my case.

My research tells me that a common tactic used in Korea is to wait for the last second and then they will give you information or "sweeten the deal". Also the contract is just a starting point in negotiations.

So to me that implies I should just wait it out because demand for teachers is higher than supply?

I am also interested in what works and what does not work when it comes to negotiating in this type of situation.

Thank you

[bobbybigfoot]

Well you can do last minute negotiations if you want but the bottom line is that you will never know if these negotiations will be honored until you get here. There's plenty of bait and switch tactics. They may tell you what you want to hear just to get you here, then drop the bomb. What will you do then?

You may here something like, "Sorry but Director had to make changes. Please understand."

You: "We have a contract."
Them: "It changeeee."

This isn't a first world country. Get ready for a few surprises. My best advice is this: expect to have at least some of your paycheck stolen from you. And expect to work a little extra for free.

Korea. Loving and Caring.

[lifeinkorea]

[cruisemonkey]

The only negotiating tactic that works in K-land is to be prepared to 'walk'.

[ontheway]

One of the biggest problems with negotiating contracts in Korea occurs if you are using a recruiter.

Some recruiters will use fraud to make the deal. They give the employee what he wants in his contract, but do not change the school's contract or inform the school about the changes. When the teacher arrives, both parties are faced with the awful realization that each party has been lied to by the recruiter. Neither feels obligated to uphold the contract that the other has agreed to and there is actually no binding contract on either party.

The recruiter, meanwhile, has taken his commission for this and has committed criminal fraud.

[TBirdMG]

This is essentially what happened to me recently.
My recruiter and I agreed to a monthly salary, then the recruiter sent the contract. I made a couple of very minor changes and the recruiter agreed to them, saying that the changes wouldn't be a problem. I signed the contract and returned it with my documents.
About three weeks later, I get a call from the PS school district. The monthly pay listed in the contract is 200,000 won per month MORE than the district is authorized to pay, and will I accept a salary reduction?
I say no, and then the district rep. says "Mmmm, you must understand."
I reply with, "No, you must understand. This is a conversation you need to have with the recruiter, not me. Either accept the terms of the contract or cancel it and I will look for another job."
The district rep. said he would call me back. That was almost a week ago, and I have no expectations of ever hearing from either the school district or the recruiter again.
In fact, I have little to zero expectation of ever teaching in Korea again. It's just too frustrating, and I would prefer to go to Japan or the Middle East at this point. I'm in no rush, and will be happy to delay a new ESL job until the fall.
Korea: you sparkle yourself straight to last place. Congratulations.

[lifeinkorea]

TBirdMG,

I had something similar happen to me. Recruiter 1 tells me I can get 3.0 million won jobs through him. Great, lol, now let's see it. He supposedly offers me 3 jobs. I pick one. Oh, sorry, that school already found a teacher (reminds me of a magic card trick, when you don't pick the only school they have to offer you they make something up). Then, he says the other school only wants a female teacher (then why didn't he tell me this in the first place? I didn't change my gender in between talking to him, I swear )


So, that leaves only 1 school. I decided to check it out, and that's actually where I am. However, that 3.0 dropped to 2.3 after I said I would take it. Then, because it's my first year it dropped again to 2.0 the next day, lol. I tell him I will find another school. Recruiter 2 from the same company calls me up, says she has more authority in the matter and that recruiter 1 is just a newbie. She said I could have 2.1 if I sent a letter of reference and agreed to 200,000 won more in overtime.

Ok, so I sign contract 1, and then the next day I find out the same thing you experienced. They wouldn't put that extra money into the contract. However, I signed an additional contract for the extra money. The head English teacher set it up so I got even a little more if I worked those hours we agreed to.

I haven't had any problems as of yet with pay, but it's one of those things they could hold back on at any time.

[Forward Observer]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[redhed]

If my school and I can not negotiate a decent interpretation of my contract and I want to leave the legit way, with 30 days and airfare reimbursement, can I expect/demand a letter of release? If I give 30 days and pay them back then and they won't sign a letter of release my understanding is I would have to go back home and wait to get another job?? With the LOR I can get another job with a visa run or perhaps even a transfer of visa to a new school?? Thanks.

[Sector7G]