Job Discussion Forums

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

FT's background: university degree holder, 25, female, non native speaker but speaks with near-perfect North American accent, taught Korean children in home country, first time teaching in China.

The FT had sent a resume to the agent to help the FT find a teaching position in China. The agent had found a job for one of the FT's friends, who later tried to apply for a new teaching job at another school but was turned down because he didn't have the proper visa. The friend then recommended the FT to the school. At the mean time, the agent had modified the FT's resume by adding that the FT has experience in teaching university students, and that the FT's father was from Canada, where the FT'd moved to and lived for a short time as a young child before returning to the home country. The FT sent the modified resume to the school and was offered the teaching position. The agent called the FT and asked for a $1,000 USD fee which the FT agreed verbally.

The FT is now in China and having second thoughts about paying the agent. It is, after all, $1,000 USD which is two months' salary. On top of that, the FT feels that the agent really didn't find the job for her. At the mean time, the FT's friend has become quite pushy, calling the FT and telling her to pay the agent -- even in monthly installments. The agent has also been sending text messages, and the messages seem to be getting more and more aggressive. The agent has been telling the FT that he (the agent) can speak very good English, and has a lot of connections in China. The agent's assistant has found a part-time teaching job for the FT, and is reminding the FT that he has helped in finding employment for the FT.

The FT knows for a fact that the friend sucks up to the agent, and will probably get a cut of the $1000 USD fee, which the friend had also paid to the agent to get a teaching job in China. Also, the agent has told the FT that the FT would get money if she could get other people in the FT's home country to come to China to teach. The FT's friend has also told the FT not to tell the school about the agent.

The FT is now scared that if she doesn't pay, the agent would tell the school about the lies on the resume and as a result, the school would cancel the RPF and she would have to return to the home country. I told her there is no way the school would want to go through the trouble of having to find a new FT now that the term has started, and the agent is really just bluffing and intimidating. My advice to the FT is not to pay the agent any money, and at best, send 500 RMB to the friend. I also suggested changing her cellphone number and asking the school not to give it out to anyone. Another option is having the school lie for her by telling people that she doesn't like China and left.

What is your take on this?

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

my take on this -

stupid deserves stupid

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

The school would never lose the face of going to the PSB and cancelling the residence permit Never! Unless she was making 6,000 and they found someone for 3,000. No if this agent had considerable guanxi with the school. No.

Any time we let fear control our actions we have acted rashly. The agent is Chinese? Then it is culturally common to negotiate such things. yeah 500 RMB would be about the amount I would recommend She is not breaking her word, if I understand correctly, the job truly came from the friend, so even from the strictest western moral viewpoint, I don't see any need for her to pay. Truly she should say 500 or nothing, and if you say anything about me, think what I can say about you (don't actually say that last part)

And threatening is the common tactic used to get profit

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

The friend of the FT sounds like a really good friend.........not!!!! I would suggest she not pay a single jiao. The agent has already been paid by the school. So if they decide to go to the school to spill the beans about how they changed the resume, the school will not trust that particular agent again.

Moral of the story = Don't EVER use an agent, it's easy enough to find employment in China without the need of a middle man.

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Sounds fishy, the FT friend sounds fishy. Sorry. Come on, no Chinese school has any problem dealing with agents. But the FT is afraid this same agent will tell things to the school?

jeffinflorida · Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:24 am Post subject:

Really who the hell is gonna pay a $1000 US Dollar fee for a job that pays $500 a month? Are people that desperate to come to china?

I used an agent to get my current job but the agent found me through a posting and the only real communication between me and her aside from the typical documentation requests was my repeated request for her to send me some pictures of herself so I could see if she was hot...

jeffinflorida · Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:28 am Post subject:

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Ping Jing · Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:11 am Post subject: G

I think TW, who doesn't have a 4 years degree, is a scab.

Strike

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

TW, in the old Canadian tradition, she should tell the recruiter to GF H/Hself...please ! China and global ESL/EFL continues to astound me...every freaking parasite is making on this scam, less the performer of this scam - The teacher.

upchuckles · Joined: 11 Jan 2007 Posts: 111

The agent has no power in this situation other than to pressure its other customer, (The School) to apply pressure to the teacher, which will most likely never happen. The agent should have collected the money at the beginning. The FT, who made the promise should have kept it and may be liable to pay in the USA even if the contract was verbal. (6 year statute on biz contracts for most states)

Whats the $1000 for anyway? The introduction fee? Is it a person, or a legit company? (The agent) Some companies offer full services such as visa processing, and include airfare into the mix. If this is the finders fee, the FT should tell em' to pound sand.

I paid a company to come to China about the same cost as it would had I gone it alone, and I've had alot of support during my term so my experience with an agent was quite positive, but I recognize there are sopme pretty shoddy folks out there scamming..

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

jeffinflorida · Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 11:14 am Post subject: Re: G

latefordinner · Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 973

Ask the agent the name and number of its (not his or her) lawyer, and mention that the teacher is distresssed that the agent so fraudulently changed the teacher's resume. Such changes might lead to the teacher's expulsion from China and the loss of a year's income. What would that be, any thing from 50,000 to 100,000 rmb? And expulsion from China could possibly affect future employment in other countries, so lets talk about half a million to a million rmb potential for lost income. Seems actionable to me. Tell him you'll settle quietly if he buys you a new Lexus.