Job Discussion Forums

Iloveamma · Joined: 26 May 2013 Posts: 68

I read somewhere to avoid recruitment agencies.
But this one seems to be okay.
Is it a bad idea to go through these agencies?

Well, I just submitted to this one anyhow.
I am eager to hear your thoughts.
Thanks!

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

They'll try to sell you a TEFL course. You'll stay on its junk mail list for years, even if you have experience, a TEFL cert and college degrees. You can do better.

Iloveamma · Joined: 26 May 2013 Posts: 68

HAHAH...awwww crap.
Thanks.

Tazz · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 512 Location: Jakarta

Recruiters, placement agencies, dispatchers-call them what you will, have had an awful effect on the situation in government schools in several Asian countries-Thailand and Japan spring immediately to mind.....education aside, they will pay you a pittance compared to what you 'could' get, as a direct hire of the school. Yeah, absolutely-avoid if you can...... Mad

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

Alien abductee · Joined: 08 Jun 2014 Posts: 527 Location: Kuala Lumpur

Jmbf · Joined: 29 Jun 2014 Posts: 663

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

Two points.

Firstly, some recruiters DO take a part of the salary. I know some guys here who PAID A RECRUITER to get a job at a poor language school. The language school pays the recruiter who pays them, right? Except that the recruiter said it was a volunteer scheme and a way to 'experience' China, except they're broke so they can't.

Secondly, most recruiters just throw anything at the wall. As soon as I opened my resume on seriousteachers, making a note I'm ONLY looking for international school jobs, people from Web, EF etc. started contacting me.

Who takes these jobs? One offer was for 40 hours a week and a salary 'from 6000 to 8000'. Honestly?

And the worst is the jobs never seem to be good, I've never seen a recruiter come through with a 25000 a month offer. They always seem to go for the lowest bottom of the barrel places. I guess the pay makes it worth it to get 100 people in for a chain school than ten highly skilled teachers into good positions.

I also laughed at the recruiters saying that 2000 RMB was plenty to rent an apartment in downtown Shanghai.

Tazz · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 512 Location: Jakarta

First of all, it's clear that 'old Bud' and his mate can't really think outside the box that is China, and are prone to making 'sweeping statements' from their extensive knowledge of residing in one or two provinces....-agencies that place teachers in government schools and Colleges are a reality in Asia, Interac-Japan for example, the Gulf, Tati-Oman as another example, AND they exist in some provinces of China for sure. I am NOT talking about a 'one off' recruitment fee paid to the agency.....but a situation where the teacher works for the agency, is paid by the agency, is 'placed' by the agency within a school. Has it sunk in yet guys?

asiannationmc · Joined: 13 Aug 2014 Posts: 1342

I have also worked in uni's (franchise programs) where agencies supplied teachers for the program and they were indeed paid less. The work permit was still sponsored by the school but payments were not paid direct to bank (GBP)as was the previous hires but rather to an agency and then to the FT(RMB). This didn't last long .. maybe two years at most... the British Uni decided they needed direct hire control after a rather revealing and long reaching OD with one of the agency hires. It was my opinion that at that time the agency hires were not papered, which proved to be the gospel ... I was introduced by an agent once to an international school and I was hired at the same rate as the FT's who were hired direct by the school ... no dif in the pay envelope .... so reckon ... be talking bout horses of all different colors...but one thing for sure... there is no normal (a state of employment knowledge known in China as "No Why") when it comes to hires, fires, and remuneration

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

I must say, if one could start an agency and take the 14000 salary and only hand over 2000 and do it to ten people, that's a nice 20,000 a month in your back pocket.

I wonder how far some of those agencies go, I've heard of some taking up to half, the school pay 15000 and the teachers get 7500. That's a big money maker.

I genuinely wonder how much agencies can make if they are only taking 6000 or a months salary at one time, if you take a months salary and get 15000 out of it and can do it for 100 teachers, that's a solid 1500000 RMB a year, just over $2000 per teacher and $200,000 a year! Even 1/4 of those numbers [and placing 25 teachers isn't so unbelievable, would place you around the $50,000 mark!]

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003