Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mariana]

Hallo!
I saw an ad for Lee's Manpower posted up at my university, and since I'm graduating in June, wondered whether it would be worth a try, but I'm a little wary after all the negative reviews I've read about certain recruiters. I'm also a little wary because these people don't seem to require TEFL qualifications, which most employers worth their salt in other countries always seem to require. (I am TEFL qualified, just not very experienced yet.) Does anyone have any information or advice about Lee's Manpower? People one can trust, or cowboys just out to give foreigners a ride?
Thanks in advance!
Yrs
Mariana.

[Hank Scorpio]

TEFL certs mean nothing in Korea. All they care about is that you have your bacheleor's. I know nothing about Manpower, but not needing TEFL qualification is pretty much universal in Korea.

[rasta man]

avoid them, there have been a ton of warnings about them. They make Korea Services Group look honest if you remember them from the mid 90s

just saw a sign for them at the liberal arts building on the UT campus, need to talk to the placement office people about them.

on vacation and the work never stops (well its raining here so might as well do something

[captain kirk]

lee's manpower is how i first came to korea seven years ago. off the plane and to a hotel. lee and an assistant and two young women who were their 'dates'? reimbursed airfare but lee took 600 ,000 of that as a 'fee' counting out the bills into his pocket and giving me the leftover (was it a million to start? can't recall). i got pissed and he looked serious and thought i'd have to stay in seoul for 'extra orientation' before heading down to kwangju where my school was at. five years later he was under another name and i didn't recognize him until i got to korea; he didn't recognize me. he charged the school five million won finder fee for me. so the director figured i wasn't worth it (of course) and i got his asides all contract (old, fat, etc...not in so many words). and lee charged a one hundred thousand a month retainer fee. that is my boss paid him. i'd been teaching five years in korea so lee 'sold' me as 'head teacher' material. but hey, this is korea, anything's workable. i must say that the second time around he didn't charge me a cent. but he has made a ton of money since i first met him. he's very friendly. but don't do extra things like agree to helping him at his office where you can also use the long distance phone for free. since i wasn't 'too busy' at my job when it started he called and asked if i'd help him answer e-mails etc. the people around me warned me before, 'did he ask you to work for him?'. he's a businessman and can get you a job if you really need one by hook or by crook, that's for sure.

[Hotuk]

I would never use a recruiter, but if I did I sure wouldn't use *that* one. They're probably the most famous/infamous recruiter going. Stories of the recruiter demanding bribes of alcohol, threats, etc followed them for many years. Take a good hard look on the internet regarding their reputation.

There is no good reason to use recruiters. Jobs are (still) a dime a dozen. Good luck-
Hotuk

[quince]

I had personal dealings with them several years ago.
For one day only and then I ran away from them as
quickly as possible. Without going into the gory
deatails, my advice is: avoid them like the plague!!

[PootyTang]

This guy used to go by the name of "Mr. Oh" around 1996 am I right???

[Lost Seoul]

Lee manpower

http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=132710137959
Lee's Manpower?!?!?!
Posted By: The Axe
Date: Monday, 12 August 2002, at 2:01 a.m.
Good Hanunim! Are these people still in business?
I remember when I first thought of coming to Korea and I answered their ad in the paper. This opened me up to two solid weeks of phone calls and e-mails demanding my papers and such, as well as a saccharine letter about "life in Korea". Then I did some websurfing on the advice of a friend and found out that these guys, especially MIKE OH were at the top of the blacklist for Korea. Mike is a particularly insidious creature who was regularly taking expensive gifts from unwitting teachers ("I'm supposed to take a gift? Okeedokee) and putting them on the black market. He arranged numerous privates and turned in some of the teachers to immigration, pocketing the "bounty" money. I personally sent Mike an e-mail stating I had already found another job and didn't need his services. He reacted in an unparalelled display of immaturity and unprofessionalism.
So, Kiss-it, can you please add this to your archives in case some poor sap almost signs with these creatures of darkness? Thanks. The Axe owes you one.

[morue]

I worked with Mr. Oh and he is very deceiving. I would not go through this company again.