Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lastat06513]

A friend of mine first came to Korea in March of this year, but he has had nothing but runarounds since day one.

He is about to throw his arms in the air....

Why? I'll give you a run down...

1. He worked as a proofreader and got bumped up to management after all his coworkers quit. He was forced to quit after bumping heads with the president's secretary.

2. He worked at a company that places teachers in elementary schools. But the school refused to give any material and guidance about how to do the class. And they refused to get him a visa right away, so he was forced to quit again because immigration decided to do a surprise audit on the school and if he stook around, he would have been thrown in the clinker.

3. Then he worked at a private elementary school in Balsan, the school was really good and the teachers and staff was great to him. But his supervisor was a real witch who never told him what to do and how to do it, then when they said it was wrong, she would go back and yell at him for it. the ironic part is that she was suppose to be his teaching partner. After he resigned, they continued to harrass him, saying they paid him more than they were suppose to pay him (the truth is, he never got paid from the job to begin with!!)

4. The straw that finally broke the camel's back is when he tried working for another company that puts teachers into schools. This time, he was put with an assistant who didn't do anything when asked to and who spoke so softly, no one could hear her speak. He spoke to her about it and she quit due to stress. A few days later, he got another korean assistant and things went well. Then, all of a sudden, she started to spaz out and cry all the time. She threatened to quit, blaming it on my friend. the company resolved this by putting a person in the class to overlook the class (which would make me feel like a "fun-loving" baby). And everytime the company made a decision they would tell her, but since she was not on speaking terms with him, he never got any information about any changes to the class.
So, after he got paid, he bailed out of the job. They threatened him by saying thay would see to it he would never work in korea ever again. But that was a load of bunk since he never had an E2 visa for any job (which he was very lucky) and he could actually run them through the mill for hiring him illegally.

but the point is, he is about to leave the country. I told him there are alot of work to be found, but all he found was alot of disappointment and said he regret coming here.

What would you do if this kind of situation happened to you?

[rok_the-boat]

Welcome to Korea! I have been here ten years and have seen my fair share of ridiculousness. Sometimes I wonder how anything ever gets done ... a lot of bodging and patching ocurrs. But somehow, while people fall by the wayside, the job gets done - messily, but done.

Bottom line - you gotta be flexible, roll with the blows. And be able to take a time-out.

[turtlepi1]

So he came to the country...worked illegally at jobs he seems he wasn't equipped for and we are supposed to feel sorry for him? Blame the bad Koreans?

Hell either he should have taught privates where HE was in control or he should have done like 90% of the other people (OK maybe not QUITE that high...) and did it right from the start and got a job with an E2.

Screw around and you get screwed...

Having said that I do feel for him...

[Stu]

quote: "But his supervisor was a real witch who never told him what to do and how to do it, then when they said it was wrong, she would go back and yell at him for it" He is supposed to be an English teacher....yeah it's crazy of her to expect him to know what he's doing i guess Maybe he needs to think about a change of profession.

[lastat06513]

Well, thats quite true

But, its quite ironic that he has a CELTA and about 3 years experience teaching in both Japan and China, yet he says he hasn't had as many problems as he has here

there must be somthing in the water.....

[Homer]

[CanadaCommando]

Honestly, 1 or 2 schools...welcome to Korea.

But 3 or 4....?!

I have to say that I have never heard of someone have an issue with so many jobs in so short a time span. Which means it probably comes down to 2 things...
1) Your buddy has a problem with the way things are done in Korea.
Not saying he is a totally bad guy or teacher, just that a place with expecations such as here is not for him.

2) Your buddy does not have a legit degree, or has some other reason for not getting an E2 visa.
Which means any company that hires your buddy is sketchy to start with. Sketchy is as sketchy does.