negotiating contracts/ key $

Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 1:45:05 AM
Subject: CDI South Korea blog

hey I've been reading your blog and I love it. It has so much practical info as well as personality!I've been going through the process with CDI- just got sent a contract. I was wondering a few things... hoping you could help me out a bit.

First of all, negotiating contracts. You didn't do that. Should you have? Is it effective? In what they just sent me it was for about 28/29 USD/hr. If you wanted to negotiate for more, what would you do?

My other question has to do with my situation- it sounds a bit like what yours was going into this. I just finished my B.S. in education and right now I'm completing a TESOL course in Boston. My student loans will be coming out of deferment soon and I have NO money in the bank. Like it would be a struggle getting over there... but I feel like I can do it. Would you take advantage of this key loan thing they offer? They put 5000 key loan in my contract. Is that safe? When do you get the money from it? Is it enough to get set up?

My last question (sorry if I'm overwhelming)- I have a rocking summer gig here: I direct a summer program at an art school. It's fun, great experience, I'm in charge, and I'm paid really well. I'd like to finish that before going to work for CDI. I've made that clear throughout the interviewing and what not, but they put July in the contract as when I should come. Is that like a now or never, do it or miss out type of thing? I don't want to blow this, but ideally I don't want to leave until the end of the summer. Don't know what to do.

Last question-really- how long did it take them to reimburse you for you flight over? They said they reimburse up to 1000 USD... which is about what I'm coming up with for one-way flights there. ???Love your blog! Keep writing it. I hope to hear back from you. A
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negotiating contracts. You didn't do that. Should you have? Is it effective? In what they just sent me it was for about 28/29 USD/hr. If you wanted to negotiate for more, what would you do? i didnt negotiate. i dont know about how others did it, its personal policy of mine to not ask how much my colleagues make and how they got there. i do know of one guy who was offered 27 and asked for more and cdi wouldnt budge. i only know this b/c he and i were close and we were comparing b/c we were sure we were the lowest paid employees there. i make 28. this friend of mine, i dont know why he couldnt get more. his only teaching experience was as a swim instructor... maybe that's why, i have no idea.

i wasnt offered a raise when i resigned. i plan on asking for one in 6 months. no idea if i'll get it, but i plan to present a few things: im a popular teacher among the students so says the student surveys, i'll not have a single tardy in those 6 mo, ive never called in sick or missed a day of work, i scored among top 3 highest ranked teachers at our branch last term. im going to ask for 32 an hour and hope for 30. wish me luck. im'a be pissed if they dont give me anything. >:(

My student loans will be coming out of deferment soon and I have NO money in the bank. Like it would be a struggle getting over there... but I feel like I can do it. Would you take advantage of this key loan thing they offer? They put 5000 key loan in my contract. Is that safe? When do you get the money from it? Is it enough to get set up? when you move into a place, you have to put down this deposit, which here is called "key money." if you dont have at least 5 thousand USD to put down yourself, yes, take it from cdi.

you dont get to use any of this money to buy your furniture and misc housewares, it's just so you can move in, so come over with money of your own to live on for a while. i dont remember how much i came over here with, but i wish i had had more. with cdi, you dont get that first paycheck; they wait and pay you the month after that, so i had to make sure my money would stretch.

at the end of your one year contract, if you choose to stay w/cdi, you have to pay your own key money. if you dont have it, as i didnt, they pull it out of your paycheck. they're pulling 1thousand USD per month out of my check for the next 5 mo to cover my key money. i really really hate it, but oh the fuck well.

I direct a summer program at an art school. It's fun, great experience, I'm in charge, and I'm paid really well. I'd like to finish that before going to work for CDI. I've made that clear throughout the interviewing and what not, but they put July in the contract as when I should come. Is that like a now or never, do it or miss out type of thing? I don't want to blow this, but ideally I don't want to leave until the end of the summer. Don't know what to do. do your summer job, then come to korea. cdi has new terms every 3 months. if you cant make it in july, then make it clear that you want to start the following term. i dont think it's now or never... dont let them bully you into it.

how long did it take them to reimburse you for you flight over? They said they reimburse up to 1000 USD... which is about what I'm coming up with for one-way flights there. ??? they put my money in within a week of my opening a korean bank account. not sure if the website still works, but check here http://www.bt-store.com/ for flights. my ticket cost 500 USD.