Job Discussion Forums

[Tornado2080]

Beware of ESL99.com (East Gateway), They're a dishonest recruiting agency, and lack honest and sincerity. 沒誠意

[Toe Save]

We'll need more than that young fella. Substantiate your claims or be ridiculed as a fly-by-nite n00b.

[BigWally]

fly-by-nite noob?! thats great!

[Tornado2080]

A guy named Jason Stephens and I exchanged 20+ e-mails, in the end it was his assistant by the name of Cindy, however I think it was all behind the same person.

Anyways, at the beginning, he said there was a job in Chiayi City job #CY6091, and the position starts ASAP, he asked for resume and photo, which I send to him, and he later reply within a day by saying the school is interested and he wants to know what I want to do, then didn't hear back from him for a few days, which is ok with me.

Then few days later, he ask for resume/photo again, saying how his computer had problems. I had no problems of doing it again, so I send him my resume/photo again, then a few days later he asked if I've any questions about the job posting #CY6091 or would I like to look at something else? Then he send another email want to know if I'm currently in Taiwan? and if I have any second language skills?

I told him I'm currently in the US, and I do speak multiple languages. He replied with nice to get your information. Any questions about the job posting #CY6091 or would I like to look at something else? And If I have further question, ask him.

I say what's the next step, if I'm interested of taking the job...basically this is where more BS comes in. He claims the school is really taking it�s time in making a decision, and it had a flood a interest from teachers all over the island. He says he is currently looking for other jobs in Chia-yi and the surrounding areas, so he wants me to let him know it there are any other locations that I might want to teach.

I reply with other locations, then it sort of got more twisted from this point. He send back a email by telling me that the employer (CY6102) is interested in my application, and he provided details. I didn't apply for 6102, I was waiting for the answer on 6091, but I don't mind hear what 6102 had to offer, basically they offer a salary of $55,000 to $57,000/month. But I went to doublecheck their company's blog, and I find the salary is actually $60,000/month, I asked about the salary differences but they would never give me an answer about it, and wants to switch the subject to something else unrelated, in the end they tell me that the school of job CY6102 & CY6101, prefer an American teacher to teach in, which I had no problem with and respect their decison, however, I'm an American, and again Jason Stephens would just BS by replying how the school make the decisions, not him.

Anyways, it is not worth the time and trouble to go through ESL99 (East Gateway) if you're serious about teaching in Taiwan, they're unhelpful, unorganized, and lack sincere and honesty to their applicants. They will only waste your time by lying to you, BS to you many different times through many different ways.

The only bad story I've heard before is from people talking about Andrew Liu, while ESL99 might not be as unethical as Andrew Liu, but they're working their way up there.


$55,000 - $57,000/month as said in the email.


$60,000/month when I doublecheck their blog.

[Dr_Zoidberg]

The recruiter was right about the school making all the decisions, and the run around may have been caused by the school. However, you certainly deserved an answer from the recruiter on the pay discrepency. Just out of curiousity, what was the school's name?

[Tornado2080]

I had no problem with school make the decisions, afterall, they're the employer.

What I'm trying to tell everyone to avoid is don't waste your time with this recruiting agency. Again, they never answer me why there was a salary difference between the one he send me through e-mail, and the one which was being posted on the blog.

He said the school was interested in my background, not one, but two of them, I was waiting to hear back from the one which I actually applied for, and he introduce me to another in the same city, but in the end he told me both schools would prefer an American teacher, and again, I'm an American. Basically, instead trying to deceive someone, they should have just be more honest about what's going on. I think he tried to use the the school would only hire American as an excuse.

He never told me the name of the school, I was patient and ask what's the next step to take so I can start to work for the school ASAP, but again, whether it is Jason Stephens, or his assistant Cindy, they were never helpful enough to provide anymore additional informations.

And yes, it is Andrew Lin...so just watchout for him, and ESL99 (East Gateway)

[clark.w.griswald]

Thanks Tornado2080 for taking the time to post that explanation. I agree that it certainly does not seem proper of the recruiter.

If I am correct you are an Asian born Chinese, so when the recuiter says that they are looking for an American then what he most likely means is that they are looking for a 'white' American. If this is all correct then I assume that the recruiter didn't want to be so direct, but in avoiding the question he has perhaps made things a bit more of a concern.

As for the pay discrepancy issue well that also fits with the non white tacher issue. Perhaps the school told the recruiter that we want a white teacher but since you are backing this guy then we will take him but as he is not what we really want then we won't pay the higher salary. If so then the recruiter is in a bit of a pickle.

The thing that I don't understand about all of this is that he asked you for a photo upfront (which I assumed he asked for to avoid this very situation) yet you still found yourself being jerked around.

I am not going to defend the preference for white teachers but just in case you are not aware of this it is something that you should be aware of. It is all due to three things:

a) ignorance of the fact that dark skinned and Asian looking teachers can in fact be native speakers of English;

b) an inability from most school administration and students to be able to determine a true native speaking Asian from a local who has studied overseas. They are paying for a native speaker and any uncertainty here may cause some students to pull out and some schools to look for a whitey;

c) the stereotype which says that good foreign teachers that sell classes need to be white. How many ads do you see for schools with an Asian or black foreign teacher? Very few!

What you need to do is find those schools that will take you based upon ability and not appearance. They are out there, but you need to let this sort of thing slide off your back.

[Tornado2080]

I doubt the school had to do with anything, I believe it was all a lie in the recruiter's mouth...basically, he sends as many e-mails out everyday, looking for people to teach, and the greeting reply would be we saw you on a website looking to teach in "insert location here" and we can help you, could you send me your resume/photo, the number of e-mails must be a lot because he gets it mixed up by not keeping track of record. I mean, when that person replied, whether it's Jason/Cindy/or another one of their assistant's uncle, the person though my name is "Jason", and I thought, that's his name, not mine.

The money was never really a problem with me, I just want to know the difference, and if he could come up with a reasonable reply, I would still be gladly accept the lower pay.

Then on the American teacher issue, seriously...I'm an American with an US passport, and I speak perfectly English, he just want to use the American teacher as an excuse to tell me that there are no jobs for me after wasting over 3 weeks and exchanging 20+ e-mails.

Deal with ESL99 (East Gateway) is like watching wet paint drying up.

[clark.w.griswald]

Just for clarification - are you of Asian ancestry?

You are right that you are still an American of course, and whether you are or you aren't should not make any difference, but is this perhaps what may help to account for the experience?

One thing I don't agree with you on. I don't agree that you should accept less pay than any other foreign teacher. Stick to your guns and you will find a job that pays you for the teacher you are.

[Toe Save]