Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Widsy97]

Hey,
So here is the deal;

My girlfriend and I started teaching in Korea in 2008.
We worked at a large franchised hagwon for 1 year.
2.1 million each.

In December 2009, we moved to a new school in a different city (SAME FRANCHISE).
Currently earning 2.3 each.

Now, our Director wants us to extend for another year.
He has not officially tabled a deal yet, so we are wondering how much to ask for.

My girlfriend has an education degree. I have a TEFL Certificate (150 hours).

We are thinking of asking for 2.6.
We currently live in seperate accomodation.
Do you think if we said, let us move to shared accomodation (which would save him money, right?), that he would give us 2.6?

Is 2.5 more reasonable??
I dunno if we'd stay for 2.5 though!?
He tells us we are doing a good job all the time, I think we deserve 2.6.

Advise!

Thanks.

[god of English]

He's offering the extension so the ball's in your court. Ask him how much he's offering and work from there. When negotiating salary, never lay out your cards first.

[bobbybigfoot]

Tell him one apartment but 2.6 for both of you. He should jump at the offer considering you will be saving him up to 500 a month (if not more).

[Troglodyte]

If you are both sharing one apartment, then you might get 2.6 million. But that's only because you're saving him the cost of the second appartment, not because of your experience.

Two years experience, even with a TEFL certificate, is not much really.

[engrishprease]

Try and think of it from your director's perspective.

2.6m each: For someone with an education major plus 2 years, and another with a TEFL certificate plus 2 years.

vs

2.0-2.2m each: For a brand new face.

Do you both have 400,000-600,000won/month worth of qualifications, experience, looks, and likeability factor when compared to a new teacher?

If the answer is yes, then by all means go for it! But remember, it's still not that easy (assuming you don't want to work in the boonies) to get a job here in Korea, and there are plenty of folks who are willing to work for 2m or less. Good luck!

[SeoulNate]

2.4 is probably more realistic.

Unless the kids LOVE both of you and will certainly quit if you leave, there is no way in hell you will get 2.6 with only 2 years of experience at a big chain run hogwon.

[PatrickGHBusan]

[Ramen]

5 million.

[Troglodyte]

If you want 2.6 million each (i.e. 5.2 million total), then a better plan might be to look for 2.3 million jobs at the same hogwan or nearby each other and say that one of you wants housing allowance instead of the free apartment. If you're in one of the Seoul satellite cities (i.e. on the Seoul subway line) then your boss would normally pay about 500,000 for a decent apartment. So you can probably get at least 500,000 Won allowance. It's only 50,000 Won each less than what your asking for but it will be a lot easier to get that. It's to the hogwan owner's advantage to just give you housing allowance because it costs the same but saves them a lot of work.

2.3 million is upper end of average now. It's about the most that you can get with experience. But really, I don't think that hogwans (or PS for that matter) really care about how much Korean experience you have beyond 2 years. You'd probably get better job offers based on the happy-happy joy-joy type photos that you can send the schools/recruiters.

[Widsy97]

We are not in Seoul. We are living way down in Changwon. Maybe accomodation is cheaper down here?

A friend at our old school re-signed for a second year for 2.6. However, I think he was made Head Teacher. That was the deal.

Our current Director and previous Director studied together. The both run their own franchised school (same franchise). They talk alot on the phone about ideas, teachers etc. I think if he knew that his buddy was paying 2.6, he might be more inclined to give it to us!?

[Ramen]

Head teacher = 5 million

[rowdie3]

You are going to your third year and you are going to work for 2.5-2.6 at a hagwon?? Why would you do that? Way better jobs out there, you just have to dig. I don't know anyone who was making less than 3.2 by the time their third year rolled around. You are debating about the difference of 100,000W a month, but what you should be thinking of is how much more money your could be making somewhere else.

[Weigookin74]

Ask what he's offering. Remember the market is flooded now. So, your bargaining power aint what it was.

[air76]

[rowdie3]

Actually, no, its not a stretch. Gospel truth. I have worked with about 15 people in my branch in the three years that I've been here, some still here and some who have moved on. All of them clear 4 million a month except for one who is at about 3.2. These are people working at adult academies, univesities, and private elementary schools who do not have teaching certificates or TOIEC/CELTA certificates. What they do have are good social skills and good networks of contacts in Seoul.