Korean Job Discussion Forums

Boudicca · Joined: 12 Dec 2004 Location: Victoria BC

What are your thoughts on the wisdom (or not) of sending the recruiter an original diploma? I need to expedite the process of getting my visa and figured that I could save myself a step by not getting my diploma notarized by the Korean consulate a city away...and the diploma can be replaced. Thanks for your responses!

PolyChronic Time Girl · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Location: Korea Exited

I really wouldn't give your original diploma to your recruiter. I keep mine with me at all times....you can always mail your diploma to the Korean consulate certified mail and they can notarize it...it's not hard to notarize it...it took me five minutes to do it when I visited the consulate. Is it too much trouble to drive there for a day and take care of your visa and diploma notarizing? I'm glad I did it that way...maybe i'm just panicky but I can't see myself handing over valuables like passport/diploma to a recruiter....they can be just as sketchy as hagwon directors. At least with Korean consulate in the States or whatever you are...they can't sham you and keep your diploma. It might be a headache for you to go to the Korean consulate but it's worth it in the end and that way you have all your valuables with you in case you have bad blood with a recruiter or hagwon boss and need to escape (besides who knows if your recruiter would turn your diploma over to your hagwon boss....you DEFINITELY don't want that!) Hope that helps...I guess just use your common sense and see if the recruiter is trustworthy enough to do that. Personally, I would be a little skeptical of a recruiter who wanted to keep my original diploma.
Oh, and plus you might actually save time if you show all documents to the consulate near you...It took one day for them to process the visa...then another two days to mail them my visa and I was ready to go...anyway you need to proess your visa out of the country...you can't get your visa inside Korea. If you go to Korea without a work visa and your recruiter advises you to come on a tourist visa..you're gonna have to go to Japan to change your tourist visa to a work visa...and that can be might expensive unless the boss is willing to pay for it.
At least with a diploma, like you said, it can always be replaced.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

unless you have at least two original copies of your diploma/degree I would never send my original on ahead. Too many things could go wrong and if it is your only copy you may end up FUBAR'd

diablo3 · Joined: 11 Sep 2004

"...and the diploma can be replaced"

If you like replacing your diploma, then send your original copy. There is a 99.9% chance that you will not get it back, with all kinds of excuses used.

I agree with the others, do not send your original. Also, sending your original copy or certified copy to an embassy will not make the application process any longer than sending an original to the recruiter.

PolyChronic Time Girl · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Location: Korea Exited

Plus if your recruiter loses it or screws you over and you can't get it back...you can replace the diploma but replacing your diploma takes a long time and that can hurt your time looking for another job, especially if you want a job in Korea. Have all your valuables with you that way you can change jobs immediately. I agree with the last post that sending your recruiter your diploma will not speed up the process, despite what the recruiter says.
***If your recruiter pressures you to send the original to him/her or gets angry that you want to keep it...stay away! Obviously if he/she demands your original or other valuables, they want to use that as "collateral" so they can keep you at a job you might potentially hate. Look out for number 1.....

casey's moon · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: Daejeon

Boudicca · Joined: 12 Dec 2004 Location: Victoria BC

Thanks all who responded! I had a feeling that sending the original diploma was the wrong thing to do...

turtlepi1 · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:06 pm Post subject:

kylehawkins2000 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003

25 bucks? Mine cost $50 plus UPS shipping (required by my uni) and took 4 months to come. Major pain!

FYI: Some recruiters request the original diploma becuase once they have it they know that you can't try to take a job anywhere else. (not easily anyway). I would avoid sending it at all costs. There is no real reason that they need it. It is usually the school, not the hogwan that does the immigration paperwork and there is no reason why a notorized copy would not suffice.

turtlepi1 · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Hmmm...most people I have talked to have been able to circumvent the delay for an "original" diploma (you know I haven't recieved it yet and I want to come to Korea) by requesting a replacement copy...It usually comes before the ORIGINAL original...

$25-$50..for the OP's piece of mind it would be worth it. Especially since it sounds like he has already sent the original to the recruiter...

Sounds like some uni's are dickheadedly bureaucratic...but usually if you request, rinse and repeat they are usually pretty quick...obiviously not yours...

And a lot of times it is the recruiter that handles the immigration paperwork. That being said a notarized copy is the best solution...you can' get a handful of them and they don't expire...none of which helps the OP if they have already sent the original...my point was it's already in the hands of a recruiter...control what you can...