berlitz istanbul turkey

Berlitz Istanbul, Turkey

Another comment that appeared on the "nominate a school for

blacklisting section."

I wouldn't recommend Berlitz Istanbul. If you are interested in seeing

a foreign country for 6 months and experience a new culture then this

place is a no-brainer. But, if you are looking for medical benefits, a

teacher's permit, travel pay (all promised in the original contract)

forget it! There is no honor by this thief. They even pocket the

teacher's income tax at the end of the year!

Strong stuff! Anybody care to add to this. I'll remove it if nothing

more substantial emerges

Addendum

Indeed it has. The Inspector's Investigations unearthed the following

ancient (2003)

observations elsewhere on the web!

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As you have all probably seen, Berlitz Istanbul is hiring once again,

and I wanted to warn the uninitiated out there that they are a very

poorly-run organization and I would advise anyone against taking a job

with them. The reason they are always hiring is that their teachers

are always quitting. Avoid them like the plague.

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I have been contacted by Inlingua Istanbul and noticed that their Web

site contained "Berlitz." Are they one and the same, or affiliated??

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Check this site out for more info on what life is like working at

Berlitz Japan and Korea.

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I've said this before as well Berlitz has a bad reputation in Taiwan

and Korea and, depending on your school, Japan.

If you are patient and look carefully, I believe better schools can be

found than Berlitz.

Check this site out for more info on what life is like working at

Berlitz Japan and Korea.

I just finished reading another thread on the Saudi Arabia Forum here

at Dave's and it looks like Berlitz in the M.E. offers a pretty weak

package for prospective teachers.

I've said this before as well Berlitz has a bad reputation in Taiwan

and Korea and, depending on your school, Japan.

If you are patient and look carefully, I believe better schools can be

found than Berlitz.

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I also advise teachers to avoid Berlitz Istanbul. Speaking from

experience, I can say that their management staff is very difficult to

work with and they really don't seem to care about their teachers at

all. Probably the reason why their turnover is high (the average

teacher stay seems to be about two or three months). Also: if you do

get into negotiations with these guys, beware the contract. They may

tell you it's just a formality, but they're actually very serious

about it and may try to pursue you in court if you attempt to quit. It

may be worth getting a lawyer to look at it beforehand. Bottom line:

it's possible to teach there, but be very wary and stand your ground

at every turn.

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Hi folks,

No one answered the previous poster, is there a sneaky relationship

between Inlingua and Berlitz? I've been looking at the Inlingua in

Baglarbasi, does anyone know anything? I'm limited in that my

credentials are in Spanish, not ESL, and that seems to limit my

choices a little bit.

Should I be lying awake tonight like this: ?

Gracias,

stural

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I was offered a position with Berlitz in Beyoglu some weeks ago. Since

I'm domiciled in Hong Kong, this entailed packing my belongings,

giving notice, arranging transportation etc. One week before I was due

to leave Hong Kong I was told by the Berlitz center manager that I

could not be hired after all, because the Turkish Ministry of

Education had issued a directive that prevented them from recruiting

staff in Hong Kong. As far as I know, Turkish schools do not make a

practice of recruiting people in Hong Kong, so I found it rather

surprising, to say the least, that the MofE would bother formulating

and issuing such a specific directive. Predictably, when I asked

Berlitz for further clarification (and the name of someone at the

ministry with whom I could communicate) my letter was ignored.

I've not been able to determine, by my own efforts, if such a

directive was ever issued but I have been offered employment with

another Istanbul language school, so I'm very much disposed to believe

that I was lied to. If this is an example of the way in which Berlitz

treats people I'm not surprised at all that they have such a poor

reputation.

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I know this is a bit late to respond, but I was very moved to reply

once I read what Iskender wrote.

I did work at Berlitz Istanbul for an entire year. YES! I finished my

contract- but I got stiffed for half of the expenses for getting my

work permit. I was told that he was not going to pay for my honeymoon.

I left screaming nasty things like you are a lying SOB. He agreed with

me and said he had no problems sleeping at night and disinvited me to

enter his facility again.

Things are not right in Berlitz Istanbul and Marc47, you hit the nail

on the head when you said you may have been lied to. This is the

biggest problem of Berlitz in Istanbul. The owner and manager is a

pathological liar. He really can not help himself.

just a few examples---I have a friend who went to interview with him

for teaching the lawyer class. Another friend, who also finished a

full one year contract had totally created the materials and the

format of this class. The interviewing friend was told that she could

not speak with the previous teacher because said teacher had left

Turkey and was back in the US. LIE!!! The interviewing friend had had

dinner with the ex-teacher the night before. The interviewing friend

was then told that there were no materials to be seen for the class

because the ex-teacher took them all when leaving Turkey. LIE!!!!!

The same ex-teacher friend had dinner with the ex-law class. The next

day, the class was told that the reason for the delay in restarting

their class was that the teacher died. When confronted with the fact

that their teacher was very much alive and enjoying sheep for dinner,

they were then told that Solmaz never told them it was that teacher,

but a teacher. Strange that none of the teachers that were working at

Berlitz at the time had heard of any teacher dying.

The personal problems mentioned by Iskender most likely have to do

with rotten scheduling of classes, disorganization, weird contracts,

low pay, lack of pay for long travel times, and various other job

related reasons that have nothing to do with personal problems. I knwo

of several instances of teachers during my year and just after who

"ditched" Berlitz Turkey.

As far as the center thriving goes- all of the Asian based teachers

are having to travel to Europe in order to have classes to teach.

There ARE NO CLASSES in the Suadiye branch. It seems ridiculous to say

recruiting because of expanding. Summertimes are not good for getting

hours at Berlitz Turkey. I know of several instances of teachers who

"ditched" Berlitz Turkey

Solmaz does do lip service in regards to "caring" about teachers and

students and talks about his "happy family." Unfortunatly, most things

come with strings. They also come with nasty things said about the

students- "All students at the center are lazy Turkish B*******. He

also has an unwritten rule that teachers are not to speak to each

other. The Turkish staff is supposed to stop this action.

"The teachers are expected to work hard." Yes indeedy! I went several

months working every single day because I needed the hours. I managed

to earn an average of about 460 dollars per month for the year I was

there. I also spent 6 hours a week travel for one class that paid me

for 9 hours of work.

" I am satisfied with the work and I love living in Istanbul. I also

find it comforting to work for a place that is secure and likely to

endure the economic rollercoaster when other centers may fold."

I admit that I was satisfied with the quality of my students and that

when I had a normal schedule, I was satisfied with the work. I too

love living in Istanbul, but I find it much much more comforting to

work for a University where I have REGULAR hours, am paid at the first

of the month instead of two weeks later, actually have insurance and

PAID SSK (unlike my entire years time at Berlitz Istanbul), and am

paid for vacation time.

There is so much more to be said, but I believe I have said enough.

Berlitz Istanbul is an experience I am glad to put behind me. Anyone

who is considering working at any location should speak to people who

have worked there in the past. I am happy to be finished there.

"I wouldn't write off working for Berlitz because of the comments of

those who have no experience working there ..."

I am a real person who worked at Berlitz Istanbul. I have no qualms

about signing my name either. I SURVIVED BERLITZ-TURKEY!

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This may also be a bit late to post but from my experience with

Berlitz Istanbul it is best not to even begin negotiations with them.

I accepted a job with them via email and when I came to Turkey highly

regretted it. I spent only two days in the Berlitz office and left

before my relationship went any further. The management was rude and

unthoughtful and my gut told me to get out. I never taught a course

there nor did I finish their training.

Just to get an idea of how little time I spent with them I'll give

some background info. The training I did do consisted of sitting in a

room by myself and watching 8 hours of videos. The next day I sat

around my house all day waiting for them to call me and then finally

when I was asked in at 3 was rushed through some of their books so

that I could teach the next day. It had been my understanding via the

emails we had that I would come in and discuss the job but was put in

a room with the contract and when I asked questions was told don't

worry, just sign. I had purposely not signed the contract from outside

of Turkey because I wanted some other people there and the contract

itself asked for someone from the AKYO corp (which owns Berlitz) to be

there, I felt pressured into signing something I never should have and

due to me being too trusting and advice I had received from a TEFL

course I took that I could do no better than Berlitz unfortunately I

signed.

Before I told them I would not work with them I had two Turkish

lawyers look at the contract. Both told me that it is not valid for

various reasons. I received a nasty email from the manager and was

told not to respond by my lawyer. A couple of months later I received

a court order from them asking for over $USD2500 in damages! Luckily I

have a lot of connections in Turkey that are taking care of this. None

of the other expats here I have spoken to nor any of the heads of

other private language schools I have talked with have ever heard of a

case like this going this far.

My advice is stay away from a place like Berlitz, go with your gut

feeling and check out all your options! Istanbul is a great city, and

Turkish people are very kind. If you are thinking about coming here

there are many better jobs at private language schools like

International House and English Time that not only pay better but

treat their workers with more respect. Even better if you enjoy

working with children many schools hire foreign staff to teach

English. Good Luck and be wary of Berlitz!

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I see Berltiz is advertising yet again!! I wanted to add to my

previous message for those who just don't know!

Beware of any email from a person named "Dave Smith" in correspondence

with Berlitz Istanbul. There is no such person and there has never

been any such person at Berlitz Istanbul. "Dave Smith" is a creation

of Solmaz, owner and manager of Istanbul Turkey. Several people have

fallen for this unethical created version of a "fellow American, who

just loves working at Berlitz Istanbul" and have come to Istanbul only

to find out that this "great" guy that they had been emailing about

working for Berlitz Istanbul is admitted to be Solmaz himself. Solmaz

has said that he emails people with the name "Dave Smith" so that

people feel good about Berltiz Turkey and want to come work there.

I personally find it disgusting and highly unethical to represent

oneself as an American working at Berltiz Istanbul when he is the

owner of a franchise with well known problems with many past

employees- as well noted on this board.

Don't just accept any American sounding name as a reference. It is

easy to lie via Internet and as stated in the past- it is easy for

this person to lie to your face too.

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Inspector McHammered of the Lard in Pamplona, Spain

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