Korean Job Discussion Forums

[drdst122]

If you are scheduled to have a phone interview, is that the time to bargain for the higher end of the pay scale, or can you bargain once a contract has been offered?

A couple places I have applied offer say 2.0-2.4 million and I want to make sure I at least get 2.2.

What is my best approach?

Thank you.

[GoldMember]

You don't bargain!! If the Hogwan owner has in mind a figure of 2.2, and you ask for 2.4, you'll get the 2.4 but then he'll scam you on your end of year bonus, so taking you back down to 2.2.
People here don't honor contracts, if the offer is bad WALK away, and find someone who makes a decent offer.
Better yet instead of the yearly bonus, forfeit it and ask for more money every month in lieu of. 2.2 is peanuts!
The mere fact that you need "advice" on such a simple matter indicates you really lack negotiating experience.

[D.D.]

They are masters of not bargaining unless they are buying fruit in the market. They set up everything so you have no chance at bargaining. As the last poster said they will give and find ways to get it back.

[drdst122]

Well thanks for the reply. I do have negotiating skills, but I have never tried getting an overseas teaching job before. I don't know when it is proper to do such a thing. I don't want to bring it up during the interview if that's inappropriate and will hinder my chances of getting the job. That is why I asked.

Thanks for pointing out how much they are dishonest and everything, but I all I really want to know is when I should demand 2.4 and expect not to get it in the end even if they agree.

Thanks!

[Tokki1]

You bargain/negotiate with them from the moment you know they're interested in hiring you. They'll steal your money anyway.

Get a real job (public/uni).

[Kikomom]

Go for at least 2.3 and follow it up in writing. 2.2 is too low.

[Kryten]

Start negotiating on the phone. Let it be known from the start how much you expect to be making or what your minimum is.

It's not inappropriate because it'll save you both time. And depending on how desperate a school is (in the boonies perhaps), they may be willing to offer higher than what you expected, so always aim higher because you never know until you ask. There's no harm done IMO and what's the worst that can happen? - they say "We can't pay you that much". Or they go with someone else, but hey - there's a million other schools out there.

[lifeinkorea]

You can earn more, or get more, by starting with the salary they want to give you. You need to look at the schedule and find out exactly who you will be teaching. Make sure the school tells you this. Then, you will see what hours you aren't teaching. If you have weekends off and maybe a Friday or another day, then you can use those days for additional work.

This additional work is where you can secure more pay. I found it easier to get the money this way than playing tug o war with the school owner. You can also schedule lesson times with adults instead of following the school's schedule. If the school finds out students don't want to meet always on the same day and you agree with them to work on another day, you can free up some work days. These free days can be used for whatever you want.

The alternative is, if you just go into work and do things by the schedule they give you, then expect them to change it every week giving you no freedom or say so.

[drdst122]

What do mean additional work? I can only assume you mean privates, but those are considered illegal.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[Poemer]

The tactic I have used and found to be successful is to initially ask/confirm the range of salary they are offering. Then, once they express an intent to hire, get down to the nitty gritty. Tell them what you expect AND why you expect it.