Korean Job Discussion Forums

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

any opinions on Direct English? i know that its adults and a split shift and i have heard it's run by former ESLers...

anything else?

Col.Brandon · Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

Avoid it like the plague. I worked there for 6 months and it was a nightmare. Search the Work 'n' Play forums for details - a few survivors posted their thoughts there. I pretty much agree with all of it.

Be patient and look around for something better. There are a few out there worth working for.

robb9 · Joined: 13 Jul 2004

woops

prairieboy · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Location: The batcave.

As I understand it, Direct English is a subsidary company of Pagoda. The books are made by Pagoda.

Col.Brandon · Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

weatherman · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea

manlyboy · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:

I got offered a job by them right in the initial interview after being face to face with some woman less than 5 minutes. They wanted to fly me out to Japan the next day, and have me start the day after that. In short, they were very desperate; and that was enough to make me steer clear of them.

Col.Brandon · Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

Yep, my old branch was basically hemorrhaging tutors. The Kyopos, especially, were treated like dirt. They should have installed a revolving door!
I took the manager to task about it - it was probably the only honest conversation she'd ever had in her life. I took her through the ABCs of observing the freaken obvious... e.g, "If this system isn't working, why don't you try something different?" Too difficult, apparently. Sheesh, what a waste.
Somebody gimme the seed money, and I'd turn the place around in a week.

Fix No.1: Install Western managers with at least some level of competency.
No.2: Pay for cancellations (the company charges the students full price, but only pays the tutors around 2,000 won for a 30 minute class. Some days I'd have been better off working at Burger King! How much is your time worth?
And that after 2 commutes a day (love those 4 x 40-minute bus rides a day with the smooth, skilled drivers) and 5-6 hours sleep.
No.3: Pay adequate housing. A happy tutor with a short commute is a productive tutor.
No.4: Foster a positive working environment. Divide and conquer only works if you're Hitler, and then only for a while.
No.5: Pay for holidays - Ch'u soc and Sol Lal (sp?) should not be a time of financial stress (well, only for the locals)
No.6: Dump the split shifts. It is possible to arrange block shifts for all. No, Really!

Note to Korean managers: This is Not Rocket Science.
Note to Direct English managers: You just got a free business consultation from someone whose forgotten more about management than you'll ever know. I bet you don't have the brains to appreciate it.
Do I sound bitter? At least it makes me appreciate my elementary school gig now - 4 classes, 4 days a week and lots of public holidays!
There are better deals - seek and ye shall find!

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I've interviewed there twice, and the hourly pay level was so low, it wasn't worth the effort.

(the 2nd time had a better-looking ad, which turned out to be crap too).

And that's not accounting for the non-payed absences of students.