Korean Job Discussion Forums

[enchoo]

I have asked to interview at a major Korean company in September.
I am wondering what are the risks of teaching in Business English for someone with little business experience but lots of teaching experience.

I stand a great chance of getting the business English position but I am wondering if this is really a good career move for me first of all.

Second, is there a risk of burnout?

Third what is the percent turnover in staff teaching business English in terms of numbers?

My pay will double but the hours seem to be more than double plus no vacation and no housing.

Comments from anyone with experience in teaching business English are most welcome.

Cheers,

[JustinC]

Give it a try! You could do much worse.

"not really a good tip, please listen to someone else*

[edwardcatflap]

[PatrickGHBusan]

That would depend on your personal situation I think.

If you have a family, are on a resident visa and if spending time with your family is a priority then the lower hours could be a big selling point (University).

What goals you have career-wise will also impact on your decision I suppose; meaning what would each job do for you career-wise?

I worked for Samsung teaching English to their staff for a while. I also worked for a University for a few years.

Personally I stuck with the University because the salary difference became less important than the quality of life issue but then again I am married and we had a newborn at the time!

The free time the University job allowed me was much more useful than a bit of extra salary because it gave me the opportunity to spend time with my family, work on some personal projects (start a consulting agency), study and improve my qualifications.

So it boils down to your preferences, goals and needs I think!

As for the work itself, it can be demanding (hours), it can be challening (student attidude and motivation) and it can be a learning curve (business english differs from basic conversational english at a typical hakwon for example).

Your experience can sure help you but if it has been mostly with kids you will still go through a learning curve that can be stressful. I would then suggest preparing well in advance if you get the job (research some material and read up on classroom management and lesson planning for adult learners).

High hours + no vacation can lead to burn out and high staff turnover but some people thrive in such an environment. It is impossible to say how you would react because, frankly, I have no idea how you approach your work and its demands.

No housing can be a big deal or nothing at all depending on your situation & on your level of self-reliance and knowledge of your area. If you know your area well or are confortable with Korean, finding your own place can be easy (I assume the company provides financial assistance with housing?).

My personal experience was limited in time and scope but in general terms:

I liked:
The conditions for teaching (great facilities and material support when needed).
The pay was good, always on time and they offered a bonus scheme (2-3 bonuses per year depending where I was).
The high opportunity for networking with business professionals (not necessarily your students but rather your employers and people at the company)

I found challenging:
The students motivation level (lots of them were forced to be there and an adult learner who does not come to class of his own volition is hard to engage and motivate!)

I disliked:
The hours, both the weekly total and the start time (quite early in the morning).


Best of luck and hope this helps you in some way.

[AsiaESLbound]

Split shifts are unreasonable given that you'll probably find it requires 1 hour of prep for 1 good hour of business teaching leading to 15 hour days and working some Saturdays. This is 65 to 80 hour work weeks for roughly 2.2 along with constant pressure to perform. I guess they consider it a privilege to talk business instead of singing ABC's, but this more akin to the life of a young investment banker in New York or London. I just can't see why it should be that competitive beign that there's not the incentives possible like that in actual business career positions. It's like becoming a flight attendant in hopes of flying planes someday though if you find a job with a normal work day block then it would be OK as a teaching position.

[edwardcatflap]

[luckylady]

I've interviewed in the past at a few of those companies and was not really impressed with how they managed their instructors or the students.

if you think it's bad being at the mercy of hakwon mothers and spoiled kids, just think what it's going to be like when your students are adults and don't want to be there either. like someone said, some of their companies push English on them and it's not easy at all.

their expectations can be hugely variable; they may also not know how to treat you properly but instead, see you as their own personal dictionary/translator. you will be expected to accomodate any and all requests, often times you will be handed a curriculum that is set in stone and not allowed to change it. it may be very repetitive and even ludicrous, so make sure you know what's what in that regard.

teaching conditions are also not a guarantee - check it out thoroughly - windowless crowded rooms are not unusual, with little ac or heat. ask about what materials are provided and equipment; do you have an office or space?

just as with any other position, try and talk to other teachers first.

just remember the cardinal rule: a hakwon is a hakwon is a hakwon