Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Linda868]

If your school said no desk warming or a pay raise, which would you take?
I am trying to decide which one to take from my school. I would not be using the extra time private tutoring but I would use this time to learn more Korean, exercise, clean, run errands, etc. But a pay raise would be increased savings.

[jrwhite82]

Why don't you study Korean and exercise (just don't leave the school) during desk warming time. Bring some resistance bands to school, jog around the school grounds, etc...Most schools even have showers for the teachers.

Get PAID to study and work out!

[Linda868]

That is a great idea except I work at a hagwon where there are no showers. The rest is doable.

[jrwhite82]

Sorry, assumed you worked at a PS.

Well Yoga Mat, Pilates and Resistance bands it is! Stink it up!!!

[kiknkorea]

You seem ambitious enough to be able to do the other stuff outside of your work hours.

Unless it amounted to a crazy increased workload to make the raise not worthwhile, I would take the pay raise.

[hsaeoa]

I could be wrong, but what kind of hagwon has desk warming?

[kiknkorea]

[oldfatfarang]

There's pitfalls in both options.

1) Deskwarm: They can still get you to deskwarm by making you teach a class at the end of an 8 hour day. You have to be there waiting on the class and they can then sneak admin or impromtu student speaking into that deskwarming time (very common).

2) Extra Pay: They can promise extra pay- you re-sign - and then things changeeee. No extra pay/extra classes/no breaks etc. Contract disputes etc.

How well do you trust your hagwon????

I had a wonderful first year in a hagwon - re-signed - and then went on holiday. When I returned - everything changeee in my second year. I couldn't leave because they had my E2 visa (and they knew it). I eventually left that hagwon when they wouldn't give me extra vacation (even though there were waiting lists for my classes and I doubled their business/student enrolments).

Personally, I'd be asking for both a raise and no deskwarming. If not, I'd be telling them that you'll be looking for another higher paying job. (All Koreans understand this mentality).

Good luck.

[passport220]

[04287]

My free time is worth more than any offered pay raise. I'd much rather be out of the confines of work when theres no work to be done. Everything I could do, study, exercise, blah blah, would be 10 times more enjoyable outside of the work place.

Now if they offered me a ridiculous raise, thats another story. But something like 100,000 more a month is not going to cut it. 1,200,000 a year buys a lot of cool stuff... but not when I compare it to fresh air and comfortable surroundings.

Don't get me wrong, I love teaching and I love my school. But when I'm finished teaching and I'm prepped for the next week, all I do is stare at the clock, daydream and sigh...

[sulperman]

Hell, I would accept at least a 200K pay DECREASE if I could leave when I am not busy or not teaching. At the PS that would end up being a lot of time.

[CtotheB]

No desk warming, for sure.

[Skyblue]

It really depends on how much deskwarming and what kind of raise we're talking about, doesn't it?

[Ramen]

i'll take both. if not, i quit.

in korea, you have to take drastic measures to get what you want.

[nathanrutledge]