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Dome Vans
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 Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 5:42 am Post subject: School and recruiter info? |
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Hi there,
Hoping somewhere out there can help me. I'm just about in the final stages of coming out to Korea to teach and having those second thoughts that probably happen before the big decision is made, do the people i email actually exist etc, also reading the horror stories on the forum deosn't help. I don't expect things to be 100% smooth and hunkydory that's why I'm on this site. After finally settling on Daegu I have been in contact with a girl called Claire at Eflelf recruiting agency, has anyone had help and dealings with her? She seems very nice from her emails and helpful. I am just about to take a job at Ebo Young Talking club and was wondering whether people have any info on them regarding support, treatment and problems etc. Any info would be gratefully received. Thanking you in advance.
Dominic |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 6:01 am Post subject: Re: School and recruiter info? |
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| Dome Vans wrote: |
Hi there,
Hoping somewhere out there can help me. I'm just about in the final stages of coming out to Korea to teach and having those second thoughts that probably happen before the big decision is made, do the people i email actually exist etc, also reading the horror stories on the forum deosn't help. I don't expect things to be 100% smooth and hunkydory that's why I'm on this site. After finally settling on Daegu I have been in contact with a girl called Claire at Eflelf recruiting agency, has anyone had help and dealings with her? She seems very nice from her emails and helpful. I am just about to take a job at Ebo Young Talking club and was wondering whether people have any info on them regarding support, treatment and problems etc. Any info would be gratefully received. Thanking you in advance.
Dominic |
At the moment I only have this oft repeated bit of personal advice (and it has served many very well).
READ the contract VERY CAREFULLY before you sign anything.
Post it here in the contract review thread for a 2nd (albeit biased) opinion.
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=59265
Then, talk to MORE THAN ONE of the foreign staff and ask POINTED AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS (*when the boss is NOT listening over their shoulder).
No foreign staff references to talk to = walk away now. Accept NO EXCUSES for any reason.
The hard questions to ask AND get acceptable answers to ARE:
-What are the hours? (start time / stop time / breaks).
-How many classes per day, week, month? NOT hour many hours per month. 30 classroom hours can mean anything from 1350 -1800 minutes per week standing in front of the class. The difference can be up to 7.5 HOURS in front of the class EACH WEEK.
-Do they ALWAYS pay on time?
-Do they pay at the end of your month or do they have a hold back period (5-10 days after your month end) to prevent runners? (no=red flag 1)
-Do they really pay overtime or avoid it with creative book keeping?
-Do you get credit for classes on the national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime? (no=red flag 2)
-Do they have national medical (with the little booklet)? (no=red flag 3)
-Do they pay into pension? (no=red flag 4)
-What about the holidays? 10 or more WORKING days? (legal requirement here) (no=red flag 5)
-When and how do you get your holidays?
-What extra stuff do you really have to do - mentioned or not in the contract.
-Then consider the quality of life issues - things that are important to you that aren't mentioned here (housing, furnishings, THE BATHROOM, access to recreational facilities, shopping, banking).
Do they take additional deposits in addition to the delay in payday? (yes=red flag 6)
I would also like to mention for comparason:
My co-worker who is a green as grass, fresh of the boat newbie gets a base salary of 2.1 mil per month for 22 classes of 40 minutes each.
She gets 20k won for each 40 minute class over 22 per week and works from 8:30-4:30 each day. She usually averages 26 classes per week and her salary works out to about 2.5 mil per month.
She also gets (as required by law and ignored by most hakwons) NHIC medical, pension, severance, non-shared housing, airfare and 4 weeks annual PAID vacation.
Do NOT be in a rush to sign anything. There is NO rush or urgency in spite of what your recruiter may tell you.
Take your time. The job (or more likely a better one) will still be there next week and probably next month too.
There are 30,000 openings in Korea each year and only about 25,000 applicants to fill those jobs each year.
PS - public schools are beginnig their recruitment now for the August fall term school start if you don't want one of the horror stories about pay and benefits from a hakwon.
Just my humble opinion.
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Dome Vans
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| Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 7:09 am Post subject: Thing is |
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Cheers for that very good advice. Thing is I talked with Head office! at Talking Club and then today talked with the director of all the talking club franchises in Daegu, about 40 from what she said. She was very nice and answered all my questions, and seemed very pleasant. I am a realist and a pessimist so am not bowled over by flattery in the least. The job on offer was a new school in the franchise so not open as yet. So therefore no native teachers, although I am in contact with a fair few teachers in Daegu, some of whom work at talking club. I'll post the contract up no problemo but what of talking club and Elfelf if anyone has heard of them? Thanks again.
D |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 7:27 am Post subject: Re: Thing is |
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| Dome Vans wrote: |
Cheers for that very good advice. Thing is I talked with Head office! at Talking Club and then today talked with the director of all the talking club franchises in Daegu, about 40 from what she said. She was very nice and answered all my questions, and seemed very pleasant. I am a realist and a pessimist so am not bowled over by flattery in the least. The job on offer was a new school in the franchise so not open as yet. So therefore no native teachers, although I am in contact with a fair few teachers in Daegu, some of whom work at talking club. I'll post the contract up no problemo but what of talking club and Elfelf if anyone has heard of them? Thanks again.
D |
Newbie teacher and new school = receipe for disaster. This is especially true in franchise operations.
There is a reason I wrote, "No foreign staff references to talk to = walk away now. Accept NO EXCUSES for any reason. "
Your recruiter is NOT working for you. She will get about a million won for your signature so she will say anything to get it.
Most recruiters, ALL HRM and ALL head office staff are liars (no exageration intended) and will do anything to get a warm body in the classroom. Hakwon without whitey = financial failure.
Do yourself a big favor - find a nice, established hakwon WITH references and enjoy your stay in Korea.
Sign on and I would guess your chance of having a nice year in Korea are about 20%.
It's your decision and this is Just my humble opinion. |
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Dome Vans
Guest
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| Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 4:28 am Post subject: contract |
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Just posted contract on the relevant page any chance of checking it out ttompatz. Not at all sure about it. Remembering that I would apparently only start teaching 3 hours a day for first 3 months or so until 'business' picked up. That scary word. What do people reckon of EPIK part of the public school teaching???? Any help would be great.
D |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 4:43 am Post subject: Re: contract |
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| Dome Vans wrote: |
Just posted contract on the relevant page any chance of checking it out ttompatz. Not at all sure about it. Remembering that I would apparently only start teaching 3 hours a day for first 3 months or so until 'business' picked up. That scary word. What do people reckon of EPIK part of the public school teaching???? Any help would be great.
D |
At EPIK your co-teacher and location are a bit of a crap shoot but at least you will not have to worry about pay, benefits, or holidays.
The biggest complaint most people have bout EPIK is boredom and having to sit in an empty school during the holidays with nothing to do. |
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Dome Vans
Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 4:15 am Post subject: anymore help |
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| hi ttompatz, any thoughts on Daejon as opposed to Daegu. Offered a job in daejon and posted contract up on relevant thread. Is it best to keep to the bigger cities? ANy chance of a quick check? There are 3 teachers already there so have some contact. Cheers D. |
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