Korean Job Discussion Forums

sjane1234 · Joined: 24 Feb 2009

A week ago I was all set to go to Seoul to teach English for the SMOE. I was due to fly out tomorrow.
But last week I got a phone call from my agent saying that I was missing vital documents and the SMOE won't send out a notice of appointment or a contract until they get them.
It took him and SMOE a week to tell me I was missing these documents. He also told me I didn't need these documents but now I do.
Anyway, It looks like I will not make it to the SMOE orientation week which is starting this monday coming.
And so, I presume that I will lose my place to someone else since I hear that SMOE had a record number of applicants this year.
However, my agent is insisting I still send over the documents I missed asap.
Why is he doing this? By the time the documents are sent by fast post from Ireland to Korea and by the time I process my visa it will be at least two weeks, and definitely too late by then. Classes start August 31st.
After asking him to send back my documents that the SMOE already have, he informed me that I will not get back the documents!
The SMOE does not send back documents. What do they do with them then?
These included an apostilled copy of my masters degree and an apostilled criminal background check.
Can anyone shed some light on my situation?
Is there still hope for me getting a job with the SMOE? Is this why he is telling me to send my other documents? Or is he just desperate for his commission and hoping to persuade them to keep my job. Will I spend another fortune getting the documents over for the SMOE to tell me my job is gone?
If there is no hope for me getting a job, on what grounds do they have a right to keep my documents?

Evanzinho · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: California

busanliving · Joined: 29 Apr 2009

You still have a good chance at a job, if they were to take another candidate right now they would still have to wait for them to send over documents and get a visa number same as yourself.

laoshihao · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:48 am Post subject: Contact SMOE directly

I would contact SMOE directly to see if they are still holding your place. Here is the website: http://etis.sen.go.kr/. It is true SMOE does not mail documents. They hold them at the main office in the Seohyeon part of Seoul. I think they don't mail documents so they will not be held responsible if they are lost in transit. Plus, it would cost a lot of money to mail documents back to everyone who had a processing issue. Good luck!

Dodgy Al · Joined: 15 May 2004 Location: Seoul

Which documents did you not send?

KimchiExplosion · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Location: Nowhere near Seoul

I'm in a similar situation as the OP. I'm begining to thing my recruiter is full of crap. Is there a phone number to speak to someone from SMOE directly (in english). The SMOE interviewer I spoke to said one thing, and now my recruiter, who seems a little sleazy is saying another.

The interviewer said I would be able to skip the orientation, as I've lived in Korea for two years. My recruiter is saying that if I'm not there by the 24, I'll lose my job. I just go my visa documents today. Any idea whats going on?

laoshihao · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:17 pm Post subject: Orientation

There were people who either did not attend or missed orientation last year. I think your recruiter is being an ass. There is a phone number at the bottom of the etis (SMOE) website. Call them.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

[deleted by author]

I deleted this comment that mentioned my recruiter because we subsequently found out it was SMOE who was the bad guy in this and they forced recruiters to cut 100 out of 600 TESOLers already recruited.

sjane1234 · Joined: 24 Feb 2009

That's crazy! Mine is ESL Seoul too - and it took him a week to come back to me and tell me my documents were wrong!
The documents I was missing was my degree and sealed transcripts. He told me two months ago that my masters would do so I sent over just my masters.
Then he rang me last week and told me that I needed my degree! Too late I think. But no he is still insisting that I send over my degree.
I emailed him yesterday and told him that I am not sending over anything else and spending more money until I get written confirmation from SMOE that I have a job.
Will give them a ring.....

sjane1234 · Joined: 24 Feb 2009

Does anybody have the SMOE's number? - can't see it on ETIS website.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

[deleted by author]

I deleted this comment that mentioned my recruiter because we subsequently found out it was SMOE who was the bad guy in this and they forced recruiters to cut 100 out of 600 TESOLers already recruited.

sjane1234 · Joined: 24 Feb 2009

is his name - and yes something is amiss...

Doesn't make sense, why would he say one thing to me and something different to you?

What are you going to do now?

I'm gonna start re-applying elsewhere.

It's a pity though because I really wanted to do the orientation week - would have been a good chance to get to know people.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

What could be the explanation? Who knows. If this is your first time in the Korea ESL game, this kind of thing is standard. That is why I wasn't going to buy a ticket until the visa was stamped in my passport.

I'm emailing adult hakwon branches directly and contacting some other recruiters I had been in touch with shortly before this. That is Plan B.

Plan A is paying my own way to Korea in a week or two weeks and looking in person. I have in-laws there and can depend on them in a pinch. (I am going to Korea this time in large part to help them out at this time due to a death in the family.)

As I understand it, the US and SK now have a "no visa" policy for 90 days tourist travel. --- I'm checking on that to be sure. If not, I'll apply for a tourist visa.

I'll also be checking to see if there are any other landmines in the current Plan A as I go...

Hopefully, being in country and with my experience and degrees, I'll be able to land a non-kids position in or near Seoul. If not, I'll make the choice between adults outside of Seoul or a kids gig.

--- The ESL industry is a place that requires you to "endure" a lot of crap...especially when trying to find a job from overseas when you can't check a school out.

sjane1234 · Joined: 24 Feb 2009

Ya I didn't put any money down on my flight, thank god. I nearly though gave up my flat but after speaking to my landlord and explaining things, he is fine.
Was a good lesson to learn, now time to get my head down again and look...really want to go in the next few weeks...

vaticanhotline · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 6:51 am Post subject: Re: SMOE mess