Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mr. bojangles]

What is an acceptable salary increase is for re-signing with your hogwan after 1 year?

How much of a raise did you get after 1 year at a hogwan? Was that the standard raise for your hogwan? Was it in the range of 100-200,000 more per year?

If you have a good job, apartment, and location - would you be happy with a smaller raise?

Sorry for all the questions. I'd appreciate your advice!

[jrwhite82]

100,000 is pretty standard for a raise. I doubt you would get much more, and you will probably get nothing unless you ask for it.

Figure if he doesn't give you a raise and you leave. He is out 1,000,000 for a one way ticket for a new teacher. Plus he has to pay you 1,000,000 to go home right away. Then he is out around another 800,000-1,000,000 for the recruiter again. Add on all the work he has to do to help you get a visa and ARC. (or pay someone else to do it) Then he has to train you (or pay someone) Hopefully its not a school where they just throw you in the classroom after you get off a plane. And don't forget that some students will quit when you leave because the new teacher is going to suck until he gets over the culture shock, jet lag and figures out what he is doing.

So 100,000 is pretty reasonable. Everyone wins. By paying you more, he saves.

[northway]

I got 100,000 more and a much, much nicer apartment to re-sign for five months. I can't speak to whether that was the norm or not, as everyone who was here when I got here was drastically overpaid (2.7 starting) and has either been let go or continued getting their starting pay.

[Widsy97]

I am about to sign on for my 3rd year in Korea... 3 years, good grief! Anyway, I started in late 2008 with 2.1. This year I am 2.3. Next year i'm gonna be 2.5. Pretty happy with that!

Ask for 200,000 extra.
My girlfriend and I actually asked for 300,000 extra (2.6), he said it was impossible. He is givin' us 200,000 each instead.
Gave us a few extra days at Christmas to go visit the families and paid for our return tickets at Christmas.

Good deal!

[WadRUG'naDoo]

100,000 won is like one dollar an hour.

[Hotwire]

100,000 is the norm.

[jrwhite82]

Oh yeah, you should be able to negotiate some extra paid vacation as well. Probably around one week. Unless your school is really small and they don't have enough teachers to cover. Ask him that you'd like one or two weeks of paid vacation at the beginning of the new contract. (plus the 2 that you are usually promised.

I find dealing with some bosses for new contracts can be stressful through my own experience and talking to friends. Be firm and REASONABLE. If you come in too strong off the bat he might think you are being unreasonable which actually hurts your bargaining power. It's not that he is even insulted, he will just think you are nuts. And he won't want to negotiate with a crazy man.

[thegadfly]

100,000 won A MONTH raise seems pretty standard, not 100,000 won a year...people may have MEANT the same thing, but they didn't write it that way....

[jrwhite82]

Good catch Gadfly. I misread the OP's post. YES 100,000 A MONTH. 100,000 a year is a slap in the face! Wow thanks for the extra 2,000/week.....

[bobbybigfoot]

I got 200,000 my first raise, 300 my next one, and 200 this last one.

100,000 seems pretty cheap. Considering they have to fly you home and fly someone back, that pretty much amounts to 200,000 a month.