Teaching English in Korea
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Researching Your School
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Do some research about your potential school and potential employer.
This only really applies to people who are going to work in a Hagwon. Since EPIK teachers only find out which school they will work in right before the commencement of their contract, there's no way to do research about your new school - You don't know where it is yet!
But for anyone going to work at a Hagwon, it's very important to do as much research as you possibly can about your potential future school. This can be done in two ways:
1. Speak to the English teacher you're taking over from.
This is vital and most of the horror stories you find online about teaching English in Korea could have been avoided if this had been done. No-one will be able to give you better insight about a potential workplace than a fellow foreign English teacher. During your application process when you communicate with a future boss, insist to speak to the current foreign teacher and if that's impossible, strongly consider a different school.
A fellow American/Canadian/Australian/South African who's worked in Korea for the last 11 months will be able to give you a pretty clear and uninhibited view of the school you're considering working for. If your new boss is a cheat, this is the person who'll be able to tell you. If he's a great guy who pays his salaries on time, this is the person who'll let you know and give you the inside scoop of your new workplace.
2. Do online research
Foreigners in Korea rely a lot on the Internet for communication with other foreigners and there is usually lots of information available on certain types of hagwons and franchises. Here are three things you can do to try and find out some more about who you're about to give a year of your life to.
- Check the various Hagwon Blacklist's on the internet to see if your school isn't listed among those you should rather avoid. These Blacklists have been set up by unhappy foreigners who got screwed out of severance pay and/or other benefits and now gladly report their ex-employers. If your school is on one of these lists, stay away! You'll find these blacklists by searching for 'Hagwon Blacklist'. Here's a link to one of the more popular ones. There's usually a Facebook group or two with a similar theme. Do some research.
This only really applies to people who are going to work in a Hagwon. Since EPIK teachers only find out which school they will work in right before the commencement of their contract, there's no way to do research about your new school - You don't know where it is yet!
But for anyone going to work at a Hagwon, it's very important to do as much research as you possibly can about your potential future school. This can be done in two ways:
1. Speak to the English teacher you're taking over from.
This is vital and most of the horror stories you find online about teaching English in Korea could have been avoided if this had been done. No-one will be able to give you better insight about a potential workplace than a fellow foreign English teacher. During your application process when you communicate with a future boss, insist to speak to the current foreign teacher and if that's impossible, strongly consider a different school.
A fellow American/Canadian/Australian/South African who's worked in Korea for the last 11 months will be able to give you a pretty clear and uninhibited view of the school you're considering working for. If your new boss is a cheat, this is the person who'll be able to tell you. If he's a great guy who pays his salaries on time, this is the person who'll let you know and give you the inside scoop of your new workplace.
2. Do online research
Foreigners in Korea rely a lot on the Internet for communication with other foreigners and there is usually lots of information available on certain types of hagwons and franchises. Here are three things you can do to try and find out some more about who you're about to give a year of your life to.
- Check the various Hagwon Blacklist's on the internet to see if your school isn't listed among those you should rather avoid. These Blacklists have been set up by unhappy foreigners who got screwed out of severance pay and/or other benefits and now gladly report their ex-employers. If your school is on one of these lists, stay away! You'll find these blacklists by searching for 'Hagwon Blacklist'. Here's a link to one of the more popular ones. There's usually a Facebook group or two with a similar theme. Do some research.
Before you put your signature down on that freshly printed contract you've just received from your new employer, there's one essential thing you need to do. Most of the horror stories of people ending up in horrible schools with ridiculously greedy bosses could have been avoided had people taken this step.
- Do a Google Search of the name of your new school and see what you come up with.
- Ask for help at a 'Foreigners in Korea' forum. You might find somebody who knows somebody who worked at the school you're considering. It's a long shot, but still worth a try. One of the best Forums for foreigners in Korea is the one at Dave's ESL Cafe.
- Ask for help at a 'Foreigners in Korea' forum. You might find somebody who knows somebody who worked at the school you're considering. It's a long shot, but still worth a try. One of the best Forums for foreigners in Korea is the one at Dave's ESL Cafe.
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