Korean Job Discussion Forums

[aristotle84]

Hello all,

After a couple months of searching and searching for the right job, I have finally decided to give it a go and accept one of my offers.

Although it pays just 1.9 million Won per month, I felt that the advantages outweighed the cons:

Pros:
- Healthy # of foreign teachers so I won't get lonely
- Location, location, location (close to Sinchon and Hongdae!!) This was probably one of the most important factors
- Talked to 2 teachers and they both confirmed that they were paid on time, that apartments were nice, paid medical & pension, and basically answered all my questions

Cons:
- The pay is pretty low at 1.9 million. I will be working from 1-9pm but teach from 3-9. I still feel that 2.0 million would have been the right amount, but I could not get this changed.
- The usual hagwan 600,000 housing deposit. I could not get this changed either.


They also sent me pictures of their apartments and they looked fairly nice I have to say.

I did consider other offers that paid 2.1 million Won for the same working hours, 1-9pm, but they just did not sell me enough. Location was outta the way from where I wanted to be (Guri City is too far in the east), and I only got to communicate with one teacher - the one who I will be replacing! Apparently, he's looking for a replacement after 1 month of employment because he's going to "graduate school". Sounded suspect; I mean why take the job in the first place if you know you're gonna go away? That and the fact that the recruiter really seemed to want me to take this position. He kept saying, "Trust me 100%, this is the perfect fit for you. I have been in your situation before and I know what's right. Everything will be fine." The school only had 2-3 foreign teachers.

Granted, the recruiter sounded nice, but my gut told me to take the lower-paying job that has a better location, more teachers, and confirmation that they got paid on time.

So, hopefully, if everything works out, I will be in Korea soon. Thanks to everyone who has helped with my questions along the way. And since I haven't sent the contract yet (will do it this week), if there is any negotiative way you guys know in how I can bump up my salary to 2.0 million, let me know!!

[ChuckECheese]

You should bump your salary up to 2.2 million.

Absolutely, no housing deposit because it's illegal. If they are taking housing deposit, it's a crap school and most likely you won't ever see your deposit money. This practice is the sign that there had been lots of runners from this school and school is trying to recoop the loss.

If you already accepted the job, good luck. Start looking for a new job.

[aristotle84]

[ChuckECheese]

[aristotle84]

bump

[ttompatz]

[hubba bubba]

pretty crap money. I started at 2.0 and wages havn't gone down.

And I wouldn't have wasted any time if they were talking about housing deposits. Probably everything in your apartment combined will be worth less than that.

They're being cheap bastards now. It doesn't get better further down the road.

[jlb]

Ya, 1.9 is low if they expect you to be at school for 8 hours. I would possibly do it if you could cruise in 10 minutes before you start your five or six-hour shift.

For that little amount of money, I would have to be working 4 or 4.5 days a week, getting 4 weeks vacation, doing only 5 hours a day, etc. Some little perk.

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

1.9? That was my 2002 salary! Be afraid.

[i_teach_esl]

i think that if i were to take that job, i'd always be a little mad at myself for not getting 2 mil won like everybody else.

[sock]

If location is so important to you, why don't you come on over and walk around Hongdae or wherever, and find a job worth committing to?

In the past few weeks I've been seeing a lot more jobs posted in the 2.2-2.4 range. Maybe you really don't care about money, but if I took a job for less than 2.0, I would resent it for the entire year. Take the extra time or make the extra effort to get a job where you won't have to feel that you are "settling" in any way. You can get an average job, even an above-average job, if you put some patience and effort into it. Or you can take a crap job because you're so excited to get to Korea, and then for the next year you can post on Dave's every day and whine about it.

Some places prefer to hire gyopos. Some places will pay more, a lot more, for a gyopo. Why not choose to work for someone who will value you, as opposed to working for someone who is constantly trying to screw you out of your money? It will make all the difference in your experience here.

On the other hand, why not go for this job. Did they also tell you about the foreigner tax? I think it's something like an additional 300,000 per month. And since you'll be new, and need a lot of help from your co-workers, be prepared to "thank" them with another 100,000 per person for the first three months. Then there's the idiot tax. Not sure how much that is, they have to meet you in person before they can give a hard number on what it will cost you.

Seriously. At the very least, if you decide to take this job, MAKE SURE you get an F visa so you can walk away in three months without needing to beg for a release letter when you realize it's hell. And check the contract for resignation penalty clauses, and be prepared to pay them.

[venus]

I think there's a lot to be said for going with your gut feeling.

If money isn't too important to you, I'd say 1.9 is fine. If it is important though you will regret it. My first job was 1.8 (in 2003 - what an idiot, recruiter told me it was what brits usually earned lol...) and I was gutted that all my friends and co-workers were on 2million or more.

I would never sign up for the 600,000 deposit either. If the other teachers at the school say the school is ok, then I guess you can trust you wil get it back at end of contract ALL GOING WELL. If all doesn't go well, that's a fair bit of cash to risk losing, especially if you left or was asked to leave before your first six months they'd make you pay back the airfare also...

To be honest there are just so many jobs out there in Seoul (trust me not many places in Seoul are that difficult to get to from Hongde, I used to live in ilsan city - great place by the way - and it was only 45 mins by bus...) to want to take that kind of contract...

Okay all that aside, if your gut tells you to go for it and you like the feel of the people who work there and they all say they really like the job, then things could be worse huh...? If you're a social person, having a lot of other foriegners you get on well with will be fun and supportive and an instant social group most likely. Again, no small thing, if you like to be around people...

Ask them if the other teachers there get the same salary and say you really have a good feeling about working with them but so many other places have offered you 2 million. With Koreans you have to be very clear and assertive about negotiation. They will not give you any hints that it is even possible, even though it is. If you don't have the balls to get it, they'll know this and you wont get it. Nothing is given or offered for free here at all.

If they stick at the 1.9 offer I guess for you it's basically a toss up between a smallish ammount of money or a feeling of comfort....

Good luck !!!

[aristotle84]

[frankly speaking]

Many contracts that I have recieved over the years have stated that they want a housing security deposit but it usually only 100-200,000 Won. I just sent it back and said that it is not a good way to start a relationship. It should begin by trust. I tell them that since monthly bills rarely add up to 80,000 won a month, why should I deposit 200,000. I tell them that I would be willing to deduct 100,000 out of my last month's salary to pay for the final month's bills. I have never been denied by those companies.

The other thing I keep seeing on many contracts is overtime salary of 15,000 or 18,000 won a month. It should never be less than 20,000 and even that is low. If you calculate your base salary, it is around 17,000 won a month. Overtime should be paid at 1.5. roughly 25,000 won an hour is what is legal.

Just because you signed the contract doesn't mean that you have to accept the position. If you did not send them your diploma and other things, than I would tell them that you read over the contract again and found some things that you did not realize. Tell them that your salary of 1.9 million should be after taxes. That you thought that taxes would be paid by the school. (that will give you the 2 million. Then I would tell them like I did about trust regarding the security deposit. Tell them that you understand that there are some bad teachers out there but you are honorable and would never leave unpaid bills.

[alabamaman]

Hello all,

After a couple months of searching and searching for the right job, I have finally decided to give it a go and accept one of my offers.

Although it pays just 1.9 million Won per month, I felt that the advantages outweighed the cons:

Pros:
- Healthy # of foreign teachers so I won't get lonely

- Location, location, location (close to Sinchon and Hongdae!!) This was probably one of the most important factors

- Talked to 2 teachers (hopefully not over the phone) and they both confirmed that they were paid on time, that apartments were nice, paid medical & pension, and basically answered all my questions

Does this employer pay income taxes?

Cons:

- The pay is pretty low at 1.9 million. I will be working from 1-9pm but teach from 3-9. I still feel that 2.0 million would have been the right amount, but I could not get this changed.

6 hours of teaching per day

2 hours of unpaid work per day

40 hours of unpaid work per month

2,000,000 is a steal of a deal at 40 hours of unpaid work per month

Salary: 2,100,000 Korean Won

- The usual hagwan 600,000 housing deposit. I could not get this changed either.

It's not illegal to have a housing deposit written in the contract prior to signing it. Once you ask them to remove it, they have to comply. If they refuse to remove the housing deposit, then they are entering a penalty into your labor contract.

Post you contract in the job discussion forum, so we can have a look at it!