Korean Job Discussion Forums

[photoguy]

Sorry for the length, this is part rant/part question. First, I want to say that my hagwon has generally been a reasonably good place to work. My boss has generally been incredibly friendly and the workload is decent by hagwon standards.

That being said, I want to leave. Between the co-workers and the parents, the job is a grind and I'm not crazy about doing it for another 14 months (I'm 4 months into an 18-month contract). I would stick it out, but I've managed to luck out recently and score a sweet-a$$ government job that pays over twice what I make here, would be easier, and will get me out of hagwon hell forever. The catch is I have to start in less than a month.

I finally bit the bullet and called a meeting with my boss this afternoon, along with a co-teacher to translate. I basically told the truth: that I've been offered a position that pays WAY more than I make at the hagwon and would be a better fit for me personally and wanted to leave to take it. They literally HIT-THE-ROOF, as though I'd been caught stealing or drinking at work. "What?? You can't quit - you signed a contract" "if you quit, that's two native teachers that have quit in a year - it'll ruin the school's reputation" (my predecessor left after five months for "personal reasons"). It was so bad that I was scared to tell them I'm leaving in three weeks, and instead told them I wasn't sure what my hiring date would be.

I even tried to be diplomatic and offered resumes for two friends who I think would be good replacements - my co-teacher just balked and said "we don't need your help, that's not what this is about". Instead she just railed on me for bailing on my "obligation" to the school and causing "severe damage". I was honest and said this new job pays TRIPLE what I make here and wasn't going to pass this opportunity up just to finish my contract - they don't seem to give a shit.

These people are insane - this is a business and the job is a BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT, nothing more. Leaving the agreement when it's no longer mutually beneficial is simply the way jobs work. I have no legal obligation beyond repaying my airfare, yet they act like I just committed a crime. My boss insisted that we wait until Monday to talk about this again - he wants me to take the weekend to think this over. At least didn't yell at me like the co-teacher did.

So what should I do? Should I just tell them the truth and bear the repercussions - three weeks of living hell from my co-teachers, who will have to cover my classes when I leave (there's no way they can get a replacement in time), and possibly lose out on my last paycheck? Should I lie and say I'm quitting because a family member died or something (I suck at lying, so this probably wouldn't work). Or should I just do what's really tempting right now, but still irresponsible - leave as soon as I can buy a plane ticket?

[oldtactics]

Is the government position somewhere other than Korea?

If it is, I'd tell them the truth and tell them that you're willing to stay for the 3 weeks. If they flip out again (and they probably will), just leave when you can afford to fly out. They're your bosses but you have 100% of the upper hand in this case, since they of course don't want to be left understaffed.

Tell them the truth, explain how long you're willing to stay, outline that you'll help find a replacement, and if that's not good enough for them, then don't bother trying to make it work.

Your assessment is right - no matter how much they yell and scream, it's a business arrangement and you're breaking the contract with as much notice as you possibly can.

[thegadfly]

You told the truth, you offered resumes of folks that might be able to take over the job, and you are taking a job that pays better and is a better fit for you, personality-wise...although breaking a contract is not ideal, it seems you are being mature and owning up to things, so kudos to you.

I would say, you have come this far on the high road, why not finish out that way? Take the three weeks of hell, if that is what they make it, and if they screw around on your final pay, you'll make that back in the first two weeks at your new job.

I didn't pick up if the government job is in your home country or in Korea, but if it IS in Korea, if they screw around on your pay, you will be here to file a grievance at the labor board.

It seems you are acting as a mature, responsible adult, in spite of your boss and coworker...I would suggest you continue to do so. Bite the bullet, and good luck to you.

[photoguy]

Thanks guys. I'm going to wait until Monday to tell them (my boss is in meetings all day tomorrow anyway) - at least that will give me the weekend to cool my jets, stop getting so freaked out, and think of how to phrase my resignation.

I doubt they would actually screw around on my pay (this is a VERY large hagwon that seems to be in pretty good shape financially, and not shady or anything), but after the chewing out I got when I attempted to quit today, I wouldn't be surprised to have "hidden deductions" from now on.

I'm meeting with a Korean friend of mine tomorrow who works at the same school - I was going to ask for advice, but now I'm starting to wonder if I should. Will he think I'm betraying the school or something?

BTW, the government job is with the Foreign Service - my dream job! So while I'm headed back to the States, I might be coming back to Seoul in a couple of years if I can somehow manage to pass the Korean proficiency test.

[huffdaddy]

[ontheway]

[WadRUG'naDoo]

Gracefully? Leap and throw flowers in the air while saying "I quit."

[tophatcat]

[photoguy]

Guys, serious answers only please. This school really HAS treated me well and I'm trying not to become the "flaky foreigner", but there's no way I'm sacrificing my future for their bottom line.

[RMNC]

Sometimes even hagwons have to eat their feet. Things like this happen all the time.

You're not an indentured servant, so just get your release letter and get out of Dodge.


You're right in what you're doing. You can't just jeopardize your own future to stay there. If anything they should regretfully congratulate you, so really, they're the ones doing acting the wrong way. Don't for a second think that you're special, unique, or that they'll lose face by having another teacher quit. To 99% of Koreans, the teacher is 100% interchangeable and look the same.

[ontheway]

[WadRUG'naDoo]

[photoguy]

Fair enough. Just another example of my overly colorful writing style I guess.

I might have been exaggerating a tad with "hit the roof", but it was an incredibly stressful experience. First, I told my co-teacher I needed to meet with her and the principal at their earliest convenience. She INSISTED I tell her why right then and there, even after I said it was "personal", and I basically had to say I was leaving in front of the whole goddamn office. The whole time she's giving me this weird "holy shit we're in trouble"/"I wanna kill you" look. Our boss finally suggests that we talk about this in private. At this point, I've already said WHY I'm leaving, but the co-teacher keeps asking me all these questions, yammering on and on about "my responsibility to the school", "damaging the school's reputation", and so on. At least my boss finally suggested we talk about it later - thank God, it was getting WAY too intense for me in that meeting.

Really not looking forward to giving my "official" 3-week notice on Monday - they probably WILL jump through the ceiling when they hear it's so soon

[PatrickGHBusan]

They will deduct airfare for certain and are within their rights to do so.

If they deduct anything else, they are not typically within their rights.

They can be frustrated of course as they now have to replace a teacher.

[Leon]