Korean Job Discussion Forums

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

I am 9 months into my 1 year contract with a hagwon, and things at school keep getting worse. It has come to the point where I dread going to work each day and, needless to say, I am very unhappy. Most of you might say to stick it out 3 more months, and I understand your reasoning. Nevertheless, I feel as though I cannot mentally do that and make myself miserable any longer.

Without going into detail as to what brought me to this point, the final straw came when I found a great job for next year (when my current, and first, contract is over), but my employer gave me a bad reference and the school denied me after 2 great interviews with them. I want to stay in Korea and continue working without having to pull a midnight run, but how am I going to be able to find work if my employer keeps doing this to me?

I have a million thoughts running through my head, but I cannot think clearly at the moment because I am so damn pissed off. So I need some sane advice from you guys.

If this were you and you wanted to get out of the situation as fast as possible, but still find other work, how would you go about it? I am fairly certain the school would give me a letter of release if they fire me (I would have to do something to initiate this), but I am not so certain they would if I quit.

If I do end up staying out my 3 months, how can I keep my employer's bad reference from denying me every opportunity I get?

Thanks for any advice you might have. Woosa. Woosa.

The Goalie · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Location: Chungcheongnamdo

Could you strike a deal? You'll work your butt off for the next month, help them find a new teacher and they give you a good reference but don't give you your severence pay or return airfare.

A shot in the dark.

Good luck.

Bramble · Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Location: National treasures need homes

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

If a hagwon fires you, are you still required to get a letter of release? Or, is it at least a greater chance immigration will allow you get another job without one?

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

What is known to be factual by non korean esl teachers does not mean that koreans will follow the rules when it comes to LOR's, back pay, flight ticket, vacations, etc.
You can bet one thing though, if a law is on the "korean side," they will follow it verbatim! Laws apply to all of course, but as a non korean/citizen, you got jack squat coming in most cases!

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:05 pm Post subject:

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

To bring this back around a bit. Have any of you been faced with a bad, and only, work reference here in Korea? How did you get around this?

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

ThingsComeAround · Joined: 07 Nov 2008

I had a crappy experience moving out of my haggie and into a public school job. My manager tried to bad-mouth me even after I worked an extra week for her (planned vacation with a friend) and she humiliated me after she lied and claimed I needed an exit order (which I didn't)

What I did was, give the contact info to another co-worker, not the boss. If they call to interview, then let the co-worker speak.

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

lifeinkorea PM sent

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

I'll reply here instead so anyone that knows more can correct or give more info.

If you already got an E2 visa, you don't have to have an interview. This is my understanding. It's not for the recruiter to decide anyway, it would be up to immigration. That's why the Letter of Release is an issue.

The recruiter will always say you need something when in fact immigration may allow you to do things with less steps.

Before I continue, let me say you can get a change of location and change of employer with your current visa (however, the old school has to cooperate). In this case, you don't have to leave.

After you get a recruiter that understands this, it's the same as when you first came here. Get ALL your paperwork. Have your recruiter give you a list, they will make sure you have what you need before they go through the trouble of meeting you at the school or putting themselves at risk (at least the recruiters I talked to did this). Again, they will tell you that you need stuff you don't, like a multiple entry visa. You don't if you can transfer. It still might be a good idea though, especially in your case.

Make sure to hand in your ARC card when you leave. You obviously will need to get a new one when you return with your new school.

One thing I am unsure about is the actual visa process. The old visa has to be canceled before you get your new one. This means, you need a visa number before you can get your visa processed. If you want to stay in Korea before all that, then you need to get the paperwork ready now. If you can stay in another country for a while, then it's possible to get the number there (according to my understanding).

And, if I didn't mention it enough, make sure to hand in your ARC card when at the airport.