Korean Job Discussion Forums

The Kung Fu Hustle · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Location: Incheon

Contrary to supposed contemporary thought, does anyone here sympathise with their bosses? I read so many horror stories about incarnations of Satan rising from Hell to become ��s with the sole intent of destroying foreign teachers' lives and bank balances.

At my place, I see a guy with a small business surrounded by huge competitors, a guy who has a real talent and passion for English and teaching English. He teaches a LOT of classes just to tie over the books, and sure he may exploit the industry in some ways that I don't understand but he's never tried anything with me. I'm always paid on time, he buys me dinner now and again, offers to find me a girlfriend (just a little too keenly), etc etc. I hope his business picks up and he makes a lot of money.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

It would be nice if more Koreans realised that if they're like your boss, good teachers will try to do everything they can, instead of bosses like my old one, who got a rate of declining co-operation that should have clued them in.

Good on you for caring and hopefully business will pick up.

Dawn · Joined: 06 Mar 2004

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

I don't know about my school owners but my immediate supervisor I had nothing but the greatest sympathy for. My one boss (this was a couple bosses ago) was a great teacher. She was the grammar teacher. I noticed some of the stone stupidest kids after 3 or 4 months under her teaching made remarkable gains. I've never noticed that progress with any of the other teachers who have since replaced her. She would work long hours, was a mother, married to the only son in the family (he had 3 sisters). Her mother in law lived with them and the mother in law never lifted a finger to help. My boss actually had to take her daughter every morning across the city to drop off at her own parents because the mother in law wouldn't watch her grand daughter! Geez. That's what you get for not producing a son.

And she probably got paid 400,000 won a month less than me. And had had to work Saturdays. The woman was a saint.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I did feel sorry for my boss last year, but that wore pretty thin when I realized that I was never going to get paid. I still feel sorry for the guy but he has to start treating teachers better if he wants them to stay.
But from the sounds of things, he hasn't learned a thing and he is still shooting himself in the foot.

Feeling sorry for them is one thing, but be careful not to let them use this against you. Shocked

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

"I feel sorry for my boss. Boo hoo." Setting you up to screw you from behind is what your boss is doing. "Oh. I got into a car accident and it cost me 2 million. Oh, oh, oh!"

You're boss has no doubt screwed you in some other way even though she/he has paid you on time.

When I first got here, I taught at a school for less than a month and the owner was selling the school. I didn't know. Basically I was there to fill the teacher void and no one had any intentions in paying me. The other teacher that was there before me was telling me she felt sorry for him because all these people were coming in later in the evening demanding money. Like a lot. She told me also that they had waaaaaaaay less students than before, etc. I got suspicious and did a google and found a blacklist thing that I had read before coming but forgot about it. Doh! This teacher was owed a month or two pay. Before I left, she said she didn't feel sorry for him anymore because he never did pay her. I remember going in and telling him asking him on my last day for my money. Then I started screaming. Give me my farking money!

That was weird.

Homer · Guest

So jacl this means that you are not even open to contemplate that some Korean bosses can be good employers.

Yes, they are all crooked and looking to cheat you...very logical and sound reasoning jacl.

Well done.

Of course it never ever happens that a boss is nice here or that he or she gets screwed over by bad teachers...nawww never happens...all bad on one side and all good on the other side.

How very Star Wars of you jacl.

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

Thank you.

I have a nice boss, but he tries, and sometimes succeeds, at taking wherever he can. I get paid on time and get paid for overtime, etc. It's not at all a bad job. There are always things though that teachers have to accept like parts of contracts not being fulfillled or changed to the employer's benefit.

I'm 100% sure that every boss of every hagwon, university, and public school try to screw over every teacher whenever possible in some way or some form.

Homer · Guest

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Feeling sorry for your boss....hmmm.

You kind of have to break it down into two seperate catagories IMO.

Businesswise...if feel absolutely no sympathy for any of my bosses. If they try to jerk me around they find out that this is one waygookin who has eventually learned the value of just saying NO.

Personal life wise...absolutely. Sickness, accidents, death in the family...my condolences and sympathy go out to them and their family.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

The only thing I feel sorry for my director about is how busy he is. He leaves around 7am and gets home past 11pm every day. But he runs the most popular hagwon in town, makes a lot of money, and is involved in several community organizations like the Rotary Club.

How does he treat me? Possibly the best boss I've ever had. Very kind, always ready to help, listens to any suggestions I make, allows me extreme flexibility in the classroom, and even gave me some Korean lessons when I moved here. A class act.

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

It really comes down to where your interest lies. If I allow myself to feel sorry for the boss, then I will be more tempted to allow him to cheat me. I do not use empathy when I deal with a boss because it is not a friendship relationship. It is about money and business and I will not allow it to be anything other than that. When you feel sorry for them, they have a better chance to cheat you.

Do not misunderstand their motives. When they are kind and nice, it is a good thing, but it can change very quickly to an ugly situation. Personal feelings have no place in business.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

They (husband and wife boss team) paid me late the past two months in a row, claiming that the business is in the red. I believe it. The wife is a lousy teacher who yells at her students (perhaps considered a good teacher by Koreans, i dunno) but neither of them have sales aptitude. The hagwon is shabby and needs refurbishment, we rely on walk-ins and mother-to-mother recommendations for new customers. It's sad. Next payday is tuesday, if they're late again I'm going to stop working... patience is one thing but they can't come to expect it.