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jar
Joined: 21 Apr 2005
Location: Belfast
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 Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:41 am Post subject: Ignoring your doubts... |
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I've been looking for a job in Korea for a good few months now.
I have been quite specific about the conditions that I want: single housing, near Seoul, 2.0 minimum etc...Some recruiters that I've been speaking to say that I should try not to be so picky. I think though that if you are willing to relocate half way around the world you should at least be happy with your surroundings.
Anyway, I've basically been offered a contract that meets these conditions but the only problem is the schedule. I always envisaged working a 10am-6pm shift but the one being offered to me is 1pm-9pm. All the other conditions seem to be fine but I have doubts about whether or not I would be truly happy working a 1pm-9pm shift long term. Do the majority of people on this board work that kind of shift and what do you think of it?
* Would I be a complete moron to turn this job down because of the schedule, or an even bigger moron to take the job on when I have doubts about whether or not I'd be happy in the long term? *
Am I being too picky? |
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:50 am Post subject: |
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| 10 to 6 isn't a common shift. |
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zappadelta
Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:20 am Post subject: |
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| Yea, very uncommon. I work 9-5 at the elementary school. Hagwons generally run from about 2-9 or something close to this. |
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Homer
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:31 am Post subject: |
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10-6 is very rare.
1-9 (teaching kids I assume) is par for the course. That is the basics of a job in Korea so in essence you are not being too picky, you are just not well informed on the details of work here.
As for being happy in the long-term. Good question. However, in my opinion the real questions you should ask yourself are:
Can I be happy for a year living in a different country with different cultural norms that do not conform to my own?
Do I really want to teach and what does that imply?
As for your 2.0 minimum salary that is also par for the course for most jobs these days. However, if you do not have any experience asking for more then that would be pushing it and might bother some school directors. You might want to ask anyway but be sure you have the necessary qualifications\experiences. |
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jar
Joined: 21 Apr 2005
Location: Belfast
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:03 am Post subject: |
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Can I be happy for a year living in a different country with different cultural norms that do not conform to my own?
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I taught on the JET Program 2003-2004 and absolutely loved it. I had to come home though after completing my first year for reasons beyond my control. I currently live in the UK and hate it. I truly miss living in a different country with different cultural norms that do not conform to my own.
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Do I really want to teach and what does that imply?
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I miss teaching so much! JET was my first teaching job and before that I had never thought I would enjoy it so much.
I guess my major concern is the hagwon becoming my life. Although I do want to teach to the best of my ability, I also want to explore Korea and embrace the culture. I'm not sure I could do this if I worked a 1pm - 9pm shift everyday.
How do you guys honestly find it? |
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:23 am Post subject: |
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| jar wrote: |
| How do you guys honestly find it? |
It's like the Buffet school of investing put over teaching in Korea. If you look long term a hagwon stint is like a non-growth industry and doesn't really give you many returns (some diamonds in the rough, but generally). However, investing time in a hagwon teaches you the ropes and then you can research the more dynamic places and change your investment over to a university or public school.
So how do I find it?
My first year was Monday to Saturday with a schedule spread all across creation. My next schedule was a split shift with a few hours in the early morning, a really long break, and a few hours at night. My next schedule was insanely early morning hours to early afternoon with 12 weeks of the year working from dawn to dusk. Now, with a few rare exceptions every couple of years or so (and even those generally by choice), I have huge ass holidays and my teaching hours fall between 9 and 5.
I find it great. |
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nrvs
Joined: 30 Jun 2004
Location: standing upright on a curve
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:34 am Post subject: |
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| jar wrote: |
| I guess my major concern is the hagwon becoming my life. Although I do want to teach to the best of my ability, I also want to explore Korea and embrace the culture. I'm not sure I could do this if I worked a 1pm - 9pm shift everyday. |
Although the 8 hour shift seems to be the hagwon standard these days, you could keep looking for a job that's a straight 6 hour shift. I held out for a while and got a job in Seoul teaching 4-10pm Monday through Friday. Note that I paid my way to Korea in the first place -- my hagwon doesn't hire overseas. I like the hours a lot. I can stay up as late as I'd like, wake up at 11am or so, and still have time to get things done during business hours. If I buckle down and wake up early I have the entire day at my disposal before going to work. There's a bit of prep time involved outside of that 4-10 shift, but it's not too bad, and I can do it whenever I want.
Also, I like your avatar. |
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jar
Joined: 21 Apr 2005
Location: Belfast
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:41 am Post subject: |
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Yeah 4-10 would allow you to have more of the day to yourself I guess.
Although it would be quite feasible to get up at 7am and make the most of your day before going to work at 1pm, I think in reality it wouldn't work out that way for me.
I would be worried about getting up at 11am, getting ready, making my way down to my school to teach until 9pm, only to get home at 10pm. Doing this every day surely would put a strain on how much you would get to see of your surrounding area.
Beaver, it seems like you�ve worked most schedules that there are to work. Although everybody is obviously different, did you adjust to your schedule or constantly pine for more 'sociable' working hours? Once you got into a routine was it OK?
I appreciate your thoughts.
nrvs, of course you like my avatar! |
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:44 am Post subject: |
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| jar wrote: |
Beaver, it seems like you�Ԥ��Τ�e worked most schedules that there are to work. Although everybody is obviously different, did you adjust to your schedule or constantly pine for more 'sociable' working hours? Once you got into a routine was it OK?
I appreciate your thoughts. |
Yeah. It's kind of funny. I adjusted to all the schedules (not easy when you wake up at 5 a.m.) and out of my 'bad' schedules I think the split shift was the best.
That's not to say I didn't want better hours, but I got used to it. Saved socializing for weekends. |
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jar
Joined: 21 Apr 2005
Location: Belfast
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 5:45 am Post subject: |
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I would have weekends off for exploring and socializing, so realistically maybe a 1 � 9 shift would not as bad as I am making it out to be. I don�t really go mad on weeknights anyway.
Any doubts I have about working a 1 � 9 shift may stem from the user-friendliness of my working hours with JET. Perhaps if I had never taught on the JET Program I would have snapped this offer up immediately, as I would not be comparing the two.
All I know is that I have to make a decision soon! |
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Blind Willie
Joined: 05 May 2004
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:08 am Post subject: |
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I've had JET discribed to me as a working vacation in Japan. You'll never find anything that good in Korea.
If anything, you'll probably get your ass kicked like a little baby by the way it works here. But then again, coming through makes you less prone to fall for bull.
And going back to Japan is a one hour trip. So go for it. |
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guangho
Joined: 19 Jan 2005
Location: a spot full of deception, stupidity, and public micturation and thus unfit for longterm residency
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:12 am Post subject: |
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| I usually get in trouble when I ignore my instincts. Just a thought... |
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jar
Joined: 21 Apr 2005
Location: Belfast
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:05 am Post subject: |
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| I've had JET described to me as a working vacation in Japan. |
I can see why someone would say that. Although I worked hard and all my teachers/students were always happy with me, I can honestly say at no point was I ever exhausted with my workload.
I need to get my head round the fact that I may be a human punch-card when I come to Korea. I'm prepared for the fact that JET will seem like easy sailing compared to the hours I may put in teaching at a Hagwan.
Any of you guys know anyone who went to Korea to teach after JET being their first teaching job and how they found it? I know there�s a multitude of posts referencing Japan vs. Korea, but I'd be interested to know the issues facing an ex JET going straight into Hagwon teaching.
I know this may be going a little off topic, but hey, thats what a healthy discussion does! |
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jay-shi
Joined: 09 May 2004
Location: On tour
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:43 am Post subject: |
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| jar wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I've had JET described to me as a working vacation in Japan. |
I can see why someone would say that. Although I worked hard and all my teachers/students were always happy with me, I can honestly say at no point was I ever exhausted with my workload.
I need to get my head round the fact that I may be a human punch-card when I come to Korea. I'm prepared for the fact that JET will seem like easy sailing compared to the hours I may put in teaching at a Hagwan.
Any of you guys know anyone who went to Korea to teach after JET being their first teaching job and how they found it? I know there�Ԥ��ͤ� a multitude of posts referencing Japan vs. Korea, but I'd be interested to know the issues facing an ex JET going straight into Hagwon teaching.
I know this may be going a little off topic, but hey, thats what a healthy discussion does! |
A good friend of mine did JET for 2 years. Then came to Korea and worked with me at my hogwan for a year. He is currently back in the US for a well deserved vacation and looking for a job back here in Korea.
He used to tell us stories of being behing a computer working mostly office hours but not teaching all that much. Going from one school to the next was the usual routine for him. From what I heard, and this is very second hand, hearsay, the teaching hours were a lot more scarce in the JET program, although mandatory office hours were expected.
Everyone used to always ask him: "How was Japan?" or "Which do you prefer, Japan or Korea?". Being wise he always answered there is some good and some bad in both.
He said, to my surprise, that the Korean students were a lot easier to work with and way more outgoing and imaginative than their Japanese counterparts. Many of us here working in Korea might be surprised to find out that conformity and protocol is multiplied about tenfold in Japan. Also that money was easier saved in Korea despite lower salaries, after exchange.
To make a long story short, he is coming back to Korea.
We worked for a year together and worked mostly a 2-9pm shift with breaks here and there, including prep time. The only time he ever complained, as we all did, was one month in winter and one month in summer where we had to work summer and winter camps, although we were somewhat well compensated for them.
So according to my friend that has done the JET program and the Korean hagwon gigs it all comes down to this: There are some good aspects to both.
My advice is to take on a schedule you can deal with (not starting to early for you or finishing too late for you), talk to current teachers wherever you are applying, inquire at lenght about the accomodations, find out whatever you can about the location where you'll be teaching and if you really want to enjoy seeing Korea and enjoy your weekends do not agree to any weekend work.
Good luck |
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astroboyfan
Joined: 19 Apr 2005
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:52 am Post subject: |
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I for one think that 1-9 is a bit long. How much of that time is "in class." Also, if you have a Bed I am sure you can ask for more than 2.0. They should offer you 2.1-2.2.
I work 3:30-9:30pm and I like it. I dont have to start till late and than I can still go out after work. Also, talk to some of the teachers at the school to see how they like the schedule (not just 1 teacher). They will be the ones to give you the insight that can help you make your decision. |
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