Korean Job Discussion Forums

[prosodic]

So here's what happened. Let me know what you think. Feel free to tell me that I'm a complete idiot if that's what you honestly think.

About a month ago I got a job offer from a college in Cheonan. I looked at the contract and decided that I didn't like it so I intended to turn it down. But instead of turning it down outright, I sent a long email explaining exactly why I didn't like the contract. In this case, the termination clause and the sick leave were illegal. More importantly, the salary clause described the 2 mil salary as being 60% base and 40% bonuses and didn't include any description of how bonuses are earned.

I figured that the hiring manager would read the email and just go on to the next applicant. He surprised me by calling and saying that he could work it all out, but he wanted me to agree and said that we would work it all out later. He sounded sincere and I figured that I liked the idea of a college employer that is willing to negotiate a contract. That, and he agreed to increase the salary to 2.3 for 2 hours more work a week. So I agreed

About a week later I found out that his idea of working things out was to write me an email saying that the contract really doesn't mean anything and describing in brief how things would really be handled. That really didn't reassure me at all, so I rewrote the contract. After a long telephone conversation, he grudgingly agreed to my rewrite.

Everything seemed worked out. Then late last week he sent me an email telling me how to get to the school. His directions were to wait in the airport from when my plan lands at 9:30pm until the first bus to Cheonan at 6AM, take the bus and then take a taxi from the bus terminal to campus, and then call him at his office.

I didn't like the idea so I started investigating other options. I was thinking about renting a car. Maybe you saw my post about that in the Q&A forum. So I sent him an email asking for driving directions to Cheonan only to find out that the rental car kiosks don't seem to be open that late at night. Well, anyways, he replied and asked me if it meant that I would be driving or if a friend was going to drive me. I told him that I didn't know, but that I didn't think that his plan was wise because I don't think it would be particularly safe to wait in the airport all night for the bus.

He got extremely mad when he read that and now neither of us want to work together.

The really sad thing is that I got other university offers just a few days after I accepted his. And they sent me contracts that were perfectly fine. I did what I thought of as the honorable thing and turned them down because I had accepted his offer already.

Since I've already given notice to my employer and my landlord, sold most of my furniture, and have a non-refundable plane ticket, I figure that I might as well just go and look for a job when I arrive. Of course, it's too late for a uni job, but oh well.

Anyways, if anybody bothers to read this, I'm just wondering if you think that I should have been more meek.

Thanks.

[inkoreaforgood]

In my experience, if they can't make a difficult situation easier, then to heck with them. Waiting at the airport all night is a poor idea, and that he would suggest it shows what kind of job you're really getting there. They really don't care enough to do the right thing.

If I had been in that situation, I would have said to heck with them when they showed that first crud contract.

[ghostshadow]

IF there were so many wrong things on that contract and you had to reword a lot of it then you shouldn't have considered the job. Small adjustment is one thing but to change it so much it wouldn't have been a good idea. If the contract also leaves holes then you also should have been careful. At the same time you should also have looked at the view point of the person you were talking to, I guess to him you could have been what he would consider picky and later hard to deal with. When taking the jump from other countries to korea or even when finding any employment you should know that there are going to be gives and takes. Oh by the way it's never a good idea to get your own ticket as most places would provide that for you, so you don't get stuck with them.

[chronicpride]

[prosodic]

[prosodic]

[Zyzyfer]

You should've PMed me about it, since I always like to advertise that I lived in Cheonan for two years. Going there tonight, actually, even though I've been upgraded to Bundang, because it's just a cozy place if you know the ins and outs of it.

Option #1 would have been to look for the busses. I know the bus stations in Cheonan close around 10 pm, but I don't think that that guarantees that the airport busses would stop running.

Option #2 would have been for you to take a bus to Seoul and crash there for the night, or spring for a hotel room at the airport.

Either way, I'm not disagreeing with what you said, but I am saying that there were ways around it. I think he probably got upset because you had so many complaints over the course of the application process, not specifically because of the airport issue.

And of course the busses can accomodate your luggage. They've got plenty of space underneath for all sorts of baggage.

[prosodic]

[Ryst Helmut]

Well, as one of those that thought you'd work for a different uni. (my past employer), I am saddened to hear you got shafted.

I suppose the moral of the story, univs may very well be headed by loonies (akin to hakwon directors), and should be checked out with/by contacting current and past staff.

Our univ....well, you had several contacts. I know I PMed you with truthful info.

Bugger.

Cheers

Ryst

[chronicpride]

[Gord]

[prosodic]

[prosodic]

[Demophobe]

Sounds like that dude's buttons were just too easy to push. He seemed to go from 1 to 10 in a heartbeat. Probably better off without that kind of scene.

This is a good time to find a job, however, as many public institutions are scrambling to fill vacancies ASAP. Public schools are really hungry right now.

Good luck.

[prosodic]