Job Discussion Forums

Silverado77 · Joined: 09 Jan 2010 Posts: 6

Hi all,

In general..

Are you likely to get a worse job offer i.e. salary, terms of employment (hours, non consecutives classes etc..) through a recruiter?

and specifically..

I have seen quite a few posts about recruiters on these boards, so would like to know where the land lies. Anecdotes, experiences...

Thanks

Orrin · Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 206 Location: Zhuhai, China

Avoid "recruiters" and "employment agents" like the plague. Those are probably the kindest words I can say about those dirt bags.

thefuzz · Joined: 10 Aug 2009 Posts: 271

ignace · Joined: 10 Dec 2009 Posts: 8

I don't have anything to say about the quality of recruiters. I will say, the recruiters I have worked with have lacked the depth of contact with varying companies to be useful to me. I've had much more success contacting companies directly.

MDDude · Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 3:55 am Post subject:

I am using recruiters as one way to find positions in China and Korea. It doesn't hurt to use them...they cost nothing except time. Good recruiters can be very helpful in letting you know what documents to prepare (this is especially true for Korea). They present you with opportunities, and if you don't like them, you can say "no."

They get paid by schools, which can create a conflict of interest. But again, you are free to back out anytime.

My impression is that some schools are getting tired of hiring deadbeat English teachers, so they go to recruiters to help weed out these people. Whether it works is a different story, but that seems to be the motivation.

kukiv · Joined: 13 Dec 2009 Posts: 328

MDDude · Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 4:19 am Post subject:

kukiv · Joined: 13 Dec 2009 Posts: 328

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Remember, recruiters have only one person in mind:

The recruiter.

They will sell snow to an eskimo if it means bing bing for them.

Never get that wrong.

kukiv · Joined: 13 Dec 2009 Posts: 328

hankemhigh · Joined: 24 Dec 2009 Posts: 86

I used a recruiter and credit them helping to place me in a job that suited my qualifications and requirements for employment. I have use recruiters for many years here and if your of a level of qualification that some of the better paying institutions are seeking, it is necessary to approach them through a recruiter as they will not receive CVs from cold calls or mail in applications. Another method is "job fairs" back in the west, although they may have one in HK, many times they will request interviews back on the native land. I would not use a recruiter for a job that will land you a 3500rmb to 7500rmb salary, but if your qualifications enables you to demand a better payout, it may be wise to find a good one through a recommendation or a job placement fair.

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

daCabbie · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 244

I have had positive experiences with recruiters. They did a lot of the leg work and saved me some time and headaches. I use them as one part of my job search. I use Google as my primary research tool, Dave's ESL and a number of other websites also.

My latest position I made my recruiter work for their money. The search time was almost a month long and I talked to about ten different schools. I had a specific area I wanted to be and a specific type of school that narrowed my option.

Don't kid yourself though, a recruiter is not your Union rep. They are not going to babysit the school and make sure you get paid on time, that is not their job. Once you sign that contract the deal is basicly done with them. Conflicts should be dealt with directly. You need to solve the problems yourself. In China they are there to get you the job not to hold your hand.

Yes, they are going to push crappy jobs on you. That is how they clear the clutter, if it is not right for you, say no! Use many recruiters, different agencies have different connections. Using more than one agency is going to give you more options, but this is also related to your needs. If you come here with the 'I want to teach in China and travel and make some friends' attitude you are setting up a bad situation. You should have the I want 'to teach small classes at a mid-level technical college in a medium sized town where the school is located no more than ten minutes from the city center' attitude. Be specific as to your needs is how to avoid disappointment.

Yes, some recruiters and schools will lie to you. Do your research and trust no one but yourself. It is almost impossible to know who and when someone is being untruthful, so don't waste your time trying to figure it out. TIC-This is China just expect it, I know no on lies where you come from.

With all that said, I really would like to recommend Network ESL for all the hard work they put into finding me a new position. They were patient and persistent when they needed to be. They maintained good contact throughout the process and put up with all the times I asked, 'Did you find me something yet.' In the end they worked as hard as I do in the classroom and I cannot ask for anymore than that. This is the second job they have placed me with and I am sure I will be using Network ESL long in the future.

Thanks, Network ESL.

kukiv · Joined: 13 Dec 2009 Posts: 328

Lipps · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 45

I too had a very positive experience with my recruiter. First I think it is important to identify the differences and motivations between recruiters that are based in China, and domestically registered organizations in your home country.

Most schools nowadays only market and hire through recruiters. You just want to make sure the website has beeen around for a few years, is registered in your home country, and research the reputation of the organization.

But that all being said, the warning about recruiters are valid. Avoid the Chinese Culture Center in S.C., Network ESL, AITA.