Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jajdude]

That's it for me - the 2.0 for 30 hrs hagwon deal. I like the job, but wonder about the prospect of more money. Ya hear all these posts about how people are making much more, though some may be untrue. Sometimes though I wish I was doing better on the cash side of things.

[crazylemongirl]

During my job hunt I got a couple of offers towards the 2.3-2.5 mark, but I turned them down. The working hours were hellish and I've accepted a stable gig at a public school for ok money, good holidays, proper classes and none of the heartache.

I think the question should be is a few hundred k a month worth unnecessary stress (if your at a bad hagwon) over worrying where the next pay cheque is coming from and if you will get what your owed anyway.

[Juggertha]

honestly.. most of the ppl who make more than 2 million do so with "extra hours".

its a judgement call of whether you want your time.. or money.

[rapier]

more to the point, why aren't we all doubling our money by simply doing privates and forgetting the whole hagwon deal altogether? I know a few canadians here on 6 month visitor visas, sharing a cheap apartment together, hectic schedules of privates up and running, and saving3-4M a month each. (so they say)...

[captain kirk]

A ventriloquist at the hagwon where I work gets paid 2million for himself and 2mil for his dummy. Doesn't anyone think that's strange?

[Derrek]

Americans don't do the private gigs-only thing... we can't, with only 1 month tourist Visas.

Wonder what would happen to the ESL industry if Korea wised up and only allowed 1 month tourist Visas for nations like Canada?

[weatherman]

I have been working at 2.0 for too long, 98' really. I like my job, good hours, but the cost of living keeps going up, and I need a raise.

[shawner88]

I'm on board, except I teach 3-4 classes/day. I can't complain. The first few years I was in Korea I was doing 6-7 classes/day for less pay. YIKES! I still get nightmares.

[sadsac]

The bottom line is do you feel that for the work you do it is enough. There are still people out there on 1.8, so you are doing ok.

[itaewonguy]

[bundangbear]

I will start on March 1 in Bundang, and I'll be getting 2.3 mil for 27 hours a week. This will be my first time (teaching) in Korea, but I have a Masters and teaching experience in Japan. I also spent 3 months looking for this job. Most jobs were offering 2.0, but the people that called me seemed so shady that it just didn't feel right. This one does feel right.

[VanIslander]

Actually I do feel like a dummy at 2.0 Mill/mo.

Making the equivalent of $45,000 CAN (factoring in taxes, one-third rent),
having an overall lower cost of living,
working only 30 hours a week (and never before 1 p.m.) at a job easy to get

It's stupid not to have done it sooner.



I think some dissatisfaction comes from the Western value of corporate progress: we expect to get pay raises regularly to reflect our senority and experience. Over the holidays, my family didn't understand how I could be doing such a good job and yet not get a raise. The home-grown impulse to climb the business ladder is making some teachers want a higher salary for doing the same job. Other teachers feed the impulse by increasing their education.

And, as already acknowledged, discontent over 2.0 M comes from a bit of jealousy, in hearing of some others making more, a motive shared by the keep-up-with-the-Kims crowd.

[ryleeys]

Anyone have an idea of the rough types of money my sister could make?

She's got undergraduate degrees in athletic training and education... master's degrees in the same. (I guess that's 4 degrees total). She's also got 3 years teaching experience in America.

[rok_the-boat]

Ya can't get much more than 2.0 in Korea - it's a mug's game after a while. I heard that a univ in Incheon even fired its senior staff (MAs) so as to replace them with less qualified younger ones who they could pay less. They don't give a damn about quality.

[OiGirl]