Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Hierophant]

Hi.

My director is constantly struggling with money. He's quite a nice guy. He seems to genuinely care about me and the students, but he's a piss-poor businessman. There are only three teachers at our hagwon; myself, the director and a middle-aged Korean spinster.

At the last count our hagwon has a total of 64 students. Each student pays 150,000 won per month, so my boss' monthly income isn't all that much.

I'm paid 1.9m per month, and my housing costs 300,000 per month. We are so short on students that some days I only end up teaching for about three hours. I feel a little guilty, it feels like I'm wasting my boss' money. How much of a burden am I on a man whose hagwon only takes in about 9.6m per month?

How many students does the average 'mom n' pop' hagwon have?

(I'm in Jeonju by the way, not a big city by any means).

[rothkowitz]

Don't know how rentals are down there.

I've heard(merely heard) when you buy into some franchises they continue to take money each month(eg"Gangs").Not a percentage but a hefty monthly fee.

How's your boss trying to augment the simple hagwon gig?Co-ownership?maths hagwon down the hall?Pimping you out?

It's so easy to start a hagwon.Unfortunately like any business,not so easy to keep it going and western teachers in-house are a necessary but high overhead for places that are having trouble.

[The Hierophant]

[rothkowitz]

He might be a perfectly fine guy,sure.

How does he stand for paying wages though?Can he absorb a few poor months?

A good sign indicator:Is he starting to pay a little later than the agreed date?For that matter,is your tax,med insurance and pension up to date?

I don't properly know the relevant laws.Is there any reason why he's reluctant to have extra places stamped on your arc?eg non-payment of tax,pension etc.

Perhaps approach him about it.Use some tact though.Your continued relationship benefits you both(but only if it's all kosher and your benefits aren't being "skipped")

[The Hierophant]

[mytime]

I am near Jeonju in a small town
We are director, k-teacher, math-teacher and me

I am friends with my director as she is quite young and she said there are months that I make more money than her

We have 100 students who pay 110 000 each

[The Hierophant]

[rothkowitz]

If you're not NA the non-pension thing may not bother you.As might tax.if you're confident,so would no med.insurance.

You have a visa??

You probably make more than me at a public HS.In fact I'm sure you do.

Anyhoo.People will take up a franchice name for name only.They bank on the supposed reputation of something established.

Short of that what can they really do?Call themselves Yale or Harvard or whatever,or,establish themselves as a study room and try to build themselves up from there

[bellum99]

Some people forget that the school owners are also trying like hell to sometimes survive. One person makes buck and 4 other people open and hope to take 25 cents. It is scary how quick they will try to compete. The owners have some serious pressure on them. Most teachers wouldn't have any idea how hard it is to open any business and actually bank profit from it.
I am not actually pro-owner..but it is hard. I can see that it is hard.

[The Hierophant]

[mytime]

[wylies99]

Wow- some of your hogwans are charging very little for the students.
My current hogwan charges this-
340,000 per month for kindy
315,000 for 5 days per week
215,000 for M/W/F or T/TH

[wylies99]

BTW- "Academy"?


More like a sick, sad joke- a money sucking machine pretending to be a school- not that I'm cynical, or anything like that

[twg]

Hey, OP.

Your boss is probably going to screw you out of some cash before you go. Trust me. The small hagwon owner may be great guys, but the shark always smiles before it bites, you get what I'm saying?

Save your money like they're going to stop making it.

[The Hierophant]