Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Morning_Star]

We get it. You hate your life. So please pack your bags and go to whatever hole you came from. This whole western migration to Korea has really put a damper on the job market.

[reactionary]

Hey, guess what: around the world, a lot of people stay at jobs they hate. ESL is no different.

Everyone needs a paycheck.

[anynag]

Sometimes life is about figuring out what you don't want to do. Unfortunately, the bills aren't exactly interested in what you want to do at the time; they just need to get paid.

[lifeinkorea]

NEVER RENEW CONTRACTS

[winterfall]

dunno sometimes this job really sucks but there's still satisfaction in being a teacher

[ReeseDog]

[ekul]

It's worse when you renew and realise the second year is going to be much slower than the first because you don't have that first 4-6months of being wowed by Korea.

[hockeyguy109]

[DrugstoreCowgirl]

[ekul]

[zipper]

I complained, bickered, ranted, fumed, and hated my co-teacher, but I loved the students; yet I wasn�t stupid or desperate enough to renew the contract. Nope! I am moving on to teach in other countries, because Korea is not the center of the universe nor the only country that pays well, and besides experiencing other cultures and ways of life for me far out weigh the money factor.

[Slowmotion]

[bassexpander]

Our school plays this game where they ask us (happened Monday) whether or not we hope to stay next year. In the same mail, they said a committee would hold a vote, then notify us if they wish to keep us on December 31.

This puts us at risk, because we never actually SEE a contract until a month before classes start in March, and that's not even signed/approved by the president. My school could do anything they want to the contract they show me in March, and I would feel pressured to sign something I don't approve of just to have a job.

This year may be my last, because I told them that other univ.'s are now asking for resumes as early as November, and that I feel I must send resumes out to be assured of a job at a decent school next March. If I wait until December 31 to learn if I'm being renewed or not, then I could miss out on the best schools.

We now have 15 foreigners on staff (we used to have 3), have lost private offices, have been given extra duties in a new "English Lounge", and some of us have been asked to teach courses 1-on-1 or in small groups with professors. When we had just 3 or 4 foreigners on staff, we had more leverage. They knew that if they upset us and we just left, they would be up a creek and have to hire someone immediately during vacation. The Korean professors hate having to work during vacation time, and they would just give in if we didn't want to put up with major changes. Now, with many foreigners around, we no longer have such leverage.

I'm preparing for the worst, although I told them I'd rather stay here, provided there aren't any major changes in the contract. It's been a nice 4 years, but you can't allow yourself to be walked on. It's been my experience that as soon as employers sense they can walk on you, the floodgates will open and everything goes to heck. I've seen it happen 3 times in the past, and it feels like we're on a slippery slope.

Anyone in Seoul hiring? Specifically, Hongdae or Sejong?

[bassexpander]

By the way, does anyone have that univ. pay scale page that guy put together on his blog?