Korean Job Discussion Forums

[daz1979]

Hi

I was looking at blacklists for GnB English School on Geo-Je and although I found nothing a few post on the chain as a whole popped up. These posts however were dated back to 2003 and therefore I wonder if anyone has any inside info on GnB English School 2006?

Reports I found stated GnB should be up there with Wonderland!!!! Is this true? Surely not!

Does anyone here currently work at a GnB school?

[Roch]

I lived about one hundred metres from this particular branch and met only one instructor who did not enjoy working there and two who liked teaching for this branch.

You should note, though, that the instructor who did not find it all that hot of a school was a retired teacher from North America who struck me as a quite serious-minded man while the two who liked the place were in Korea for a laugh and could not care less, etc.

[daz1979]

That's a good start!

Apparently there aren't any other foreign teachers at the school though!

How did you find living on Geo-Je out of interest?

[Dan The Chainsawman]

I spent my first year here at a GnB in Ilsan. It was a good school and the boss was superb. She let me pick my own books which was nice as most of the GnB texts suck donkey d1ck.

It's a crap shoot as GNB is a franchise. I suggest treating each one as a individual entity, and doing the research on the particular school rather than a chain as a whole.

[philipjames]

Good point. I notice that GnB in Incheon is hiring. If anyone is considering that position I strongly advise you to be 100% sure that it is not run by a Mr. Kim and his wife Mrs. Tae (I think her name was,) They have two sons. Do not work for that particular branch. My experience there was dreadful.

There are probably tons of GnB franchises in Incheon, and I don't want to disparage them all. Some will undoubtedly be fine (as far as hogwans go), but I must warn you against that particular branch.

Good luck.

[sheba]

I agree with Dan.

I dont hear a lot about GnB schools but if I do its usually negative. If you have a great boss then it doesnt really matter too much about the franchise. I work for GnB now and the boss is great and I am allowed to pick my own books too. I really like my job. The K-teachers have to attend meetings and sometimes seminars involved with the franchise, but I dont have to do anything like that.

[tzechuk]

A friend has a GnB and I helped her out for her first year as cheap labour! It was quite good, really. It's GnB's policy to be only strict about the curriculum for Korean teahcers. Foreigners can do whatever they want, as long as they improve the conversation skills of the kids.

I think you need to treat each one individually, because they all have different bosses.

[Grotto]

met a brit who worked for GnB was ripped off horrribly

[LL Moonmanhead]

I work for a GnB and i have to say it's the best place i've work in so far. The boss is very easygoing and i can do practically anything i want in my lessons.

[GRich]

Just a note to all people being offered contracts by GnB English Schools.

As of last year (June 2005) - The parent company GnB was slated to take over all Foreign Teacher hirings, and have more of a pressence when dealing with Foreign Teachers coming to Korea.

Reading up on things lately though - it appears that GnB has not in fact gone ahead with promised changes. Someone please prove me wrong, but it would be my guess that any new teachers that have come in, have been hired by a recruiter, or from individual job postings by random GnB Franchaises.

Please respond if you are currently working for GnB, had been hired in the last year, and whether or not Head Office hired you, or a independent Recruiter or Recruitment company did.

As a whole, GnB seems to have a clear vision of what kind of company they want to build into - but frankly, until proven otherwise, I think they could just be blowing smoke up people's asses.

I'll keep an eye on this post, and offer any assistance or insight if anyone is needing of it.

Lastly, if a Recruiter is trying to get you to come to Korea, and work at ANY Hakwon - the first thing you should do is request their Recruiter's Registration Number. If they claim they don't have it, can't give it to you, or pawn it off as a misunderstanding due to a Language Barrier - MOVE ON. Look for a better school, and in some cases, report them for the Illegal Hiring of Foreign Personal. Korea is infamous for this. Over 50% of the teacher living and working in Korea are being screwed over in some fashion. Don't let this happen to you, and know that there is legal help out there for you, and if this is the first place you're looking, beware of further bullshit from other Foreigner who are already in Korea, and contented by the fact they can drink everynight, work a job doing a half-assed job, and tell you 'not to care' or give a shit.


OK, Rant done. GnB has the potential to be the #1 Language School in South Korea - but it is yet to be seen if they have made that a cost effective priority.


Cheers,

GRich

[Dan The Chainsawman]

I do remember being hired by the branch school rather than the HQ department or whatnot so no I can not prove you wrong.

[daz1979]

I was interviewed and offered the position by the school and thankfully there were no recruiters involved at any point.

I must add that although I have not yet arrived in Korea GnB have been very good to me. So far they have fitted air con in my apartment, reduced my tax rate from 3.4 to 1.7 and re worded the contract to state my actual working/teaching hours.

I am hoping as they have been this accomodating so far that this is one of the better GnB schools since my initial post received such a mixed response!

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Where is the school?

[luvnpeas]

I'm interviewing for a GnB school in Suncheon. Anybody have any experience?

[Kimchieluver]

I worked for GnB for one day a week a few years back. It really sucked until I asked if I could photocopy stuff from other books and do my own lessons instead of having the students regurgitate from memory the crap in the useless GnB books.