Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TellyRules986]

This is a follow-up to this post.

Basically, I have been working at a Hagwon for nearly 5 months with two other foreign teachers.

The place is pretty new and doesn't have very many students yet. It's a franchise of a small chain.

For the second time, the director has threatened to fire all of us because of a lack of student enrollment. The director's been waiving papers around during the meetings talking about how the school isn't profitable and that she spends way more money to pay the staff/run the school than she receives from the kids.

Since the last post, we've gained a lot of students in the meantime, but still not enough to turn a profit. The director has been talking about "firing some people" sometime around mid-August.

At this point, I don't care much for the job. Our contracts are Mon-Fri but they are making us work Saturdays regularly for no extra pay. The school also dumped an extra hour of work daily for my foreign coworker also without any extra pay. Much of the time since my last post, they have had us scheduled for more classes than what we are contracted for -- again with no extra pay.

That said, if things are how they are describing financially, I don't expect this school to stay open for that much longer.

Now, I'm trying to figure out if I'm better off quitting, or waiting until I am dismissed (or the school closes). Which would give me an advantage when it comes to finding another job?

What should I do to make a visa transfer as smooth as possible? Would I need to submit documents over again?

Any help is appreciated. Also, thanks for your advice last time -- it really helped me improve my lessons.

[air76]

If you guys have extra classes already then she may not be willing to let you go...but I would say that the smoothest transition will be if you can get a release letter from her and then get a new job. If you wait until the school closes she will clearly be busy and possibly unwilling to give you a release letter.

If you tell her now that you are willing to leave if she gives you a letter and that maybe this will help the school be more profitable, then maybe.

Most likely, however, she'll say no just because you suggested it....it's the K way!

[Nester Noodlemon]

could she possibly be making a profit, but pushing this BS to get free work out of you guys?

[Skippy]

Be prepared! Get your paperwork ready. If it does sound like somebody is going to be let go it will be quick. Do not expect the request contract firing time.

I can totally understand if a school is doing bad financially that they need to let some one or ones go. I just wish most owners where not $icks about it. Why not ask if someone wants to leave and try to make their transition out easy.

The problem with many new small schools is that the owner have a tendency not to plan. Rather then going at slow steady build. They try and create a super school and are surprised when 3 months later when the startup capital has ruin out they have not enough students to support the school.

In the case of this being a ploy - also prepare your paper work. Because if a school is giving the classic students/parents are complaining and we are loosing to much money whine. How hard is it to see that when it comes to the end that they are not obligated to pay for your return ticket and that severance becomes a mystery if they not just going with the classic 11 month firing.

[Whitey Otez]

Wow, I closed that referenced thread! Yay for me.

I'd recommend having a meeting with your director, stating the truth. If they need to let someone go, please let it be you. Say you'll go quietly and happily in exchange for a clean release. You'll have 30 days to leave, and depending on how the release is handled and your new job is timed, you might be able to transfer without doing all the paperwork yet again.

I worked for a place in Daechi where they had three foreigners teaching a roster of less than eighty students and the numbers kept plummeting. They decided to fire me because I was experienced and could find a rebound quickly (It took me two days to get a new job), but they didn't count on the other two teachers quitting based on how they felt the situation was handled. I thought the place was dead, but somehow the owners rebuilt from zero. The lesson is that you might as well walk away without being pushed out the door, and they'll probably let you.

[Juregen]

This seems very bad mgmt to me.

You can't blame teachers directly for low enrollment, the "teacher" effect takes a long time to show, and actually only shows in the retention rate of the students rather than getting new students.

Tell her to up her marketing efforts, it's not your responsibility, tbh.

The threat is stupid, either you are overstaffed and you let some people go, which is natural, normal, but yelling it out to the world, to people who have no effect on it, leaves a lot of bad sentiment.

This school is doomed.

[TellyRules986]

[TellyRules986]

[Nester Noodlemon]

[dave3br]

Congrats on finding such a little gem to work for.

Probably doesn't need to be said but just in case...the words "Emergency Fund" come to mind. Until you get this situtation resolved, tighten your belt and bank as much cash as possible.

Good luck!