Korean Job Discussion Forums

Demonicat · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: Suwon

Ok, this has been talked about before- but it usually devolves into lifers telling people to "deal with it and keep going", so... here it is again for this month:
I'm currently working for a bad hagwon- well, not really bad just very "different". Two of us teachers are working 10 hour days for 2.0 while 2 others (same exp.) are working 5 for 2.2. The housing is in a bad neighborhood. The education philospohy is FUBAR. The food gives me gas...you know all the standard things.
I want to get a job at another school as I enjoy Korea and I enjoy teaching, so how do I do this. I know Korea is wierd about needing letters of release and recomendations and everything else. Further, as always in my posts- antecdotes are encouraged and welcomed as I am still building up the courage to switch.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Why not just give your notice and try to help the director find a new teacher? Just be honest that it's not working out for you, and you'd like to find a different school as soon as you can help him/her find a replacement.

By the way, if you are working more than 5 hours without a break in-between, I believe it is illegal. Of course, you may be doing splits.

Demonicat · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: Suwon

cool, I'll go honest. Its going to be hard though...
oh and I'm not working splits.
I start at 10, have an hour lunch (at school) from 12-1, then have classes from 1-6:46. That's illegal? I just thought I was getting the bums deal.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Demonicat · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: Suwon

Actually...I have ALOT of rage and anger over my Korean co-workers pay (she's has the same feelings as I, and is doing the same as I- on a Korean site I presume). The problem lies less in the pay and more in the greener grass hypothesis.

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

If your job sucks, but you like living in Korea, then by all means quit and move on to a better job. As long as you can secure that Letter of Release, you can get a new job in Korea in a matter of hours.

Just don't expect the grass to be that much greener on the other side. This is Korea afterall.

I went through 3 jobs in my first year in Korea, until I realised that all hackwon jobs were bad. They just have different degrees of "badness."

Homer · Guest

I say give them notice and move on.

But, how will changing jobs help with your food gives me gas problem? Laughing

Squid · Joined: 25 Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Anyang

Sounds like you need a vacation. Take a short trip to Japan, maybe China. Recharge. Find a job there. Come back later when you feel better about it. Tell your wangjang the job sucks. It's Spring, enjoy life. Don't live to work. Go and spend some money on something you've wanted for awhile. Chase some women. Get a grip. Less F/T's in Korea means a higher paycheck waiting just for you at that very next hagwon. Go visit the theater or traipse around a few galleries. Watch old people on the hip-swivellers in the park. Wear a visor and white gloves. Get a haircut and real job. Give manwon to a beggar. Produce more than you consume.

Twisted Evil

Koreabound2004 · Joined: 19 Nov 2003

Aidge · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Location: CA

Mine's perfectly fine but I need to leave...You'd probably like it. Let me know Laughing

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

How many hours are you contracted for? Are you working the stated contract hours? It DOES NOT MATTER what hours other people are working!!!!! Sometimes you get the good deal, and sometimes you don't, but if you're within your contract hours, or they're paying you the stated overtime pay for hours over the stated hours, you have no beef!

lastat06513 · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 10:24 am Post subject:

You can leave your school~ but unfortunately you would need a release letter in order to get another job.
I have found that the best way to get out of a contract and leave on good terms would be to start looking for someone to replace you. I know it would be like giving someone else your burden, but then the school would appreciate your effort and thank you for helping them cut costs by not having to go through the formalities of placing ads on the internet or going through recruiters to find someone shady

Their price~ A nice lovely release letter that you can take to immigrations to get a dismissal notice, that notice will give you 2 weeks free to stay in country.

That should be enough time to; 1. Find another job 2. go to Japan to get a tourist visa (for the Americans reading, the processing time for a C3 visa is the same as for an E2 at the osaka consulate and costs about $5 less). With a C3 visa (or Canadian entry stamp) you can have more time to shop around for a decent job (and lets face it!....also allow you some time to earn alittle extra to make ends meet...)

BTW~ This is something that I found out several times last year. The blue form means you are registered as a "teaching candidate" for a prospective school. You and the school has the right to cancel it anytime without a release letter. However, as stated on the form, you would have to wait 90 days to start work at another place until the blue form expires. Unless....you and the employer go to immigrations and cancel the blue form by giving an explanation for not further processing in the visa procedure.

enough said....