Job Discussion Forums

[Teacher in Rome]

You could do worse than try Linguarama in the Hague. They might not employ you if you're not EU, but you would at least get a feel for the sort of work that's available and have a chat about your options. You never know!

[pukeko]

A friend and I both answered an ad for EnglishDutchland Language School in Amsterdam. We got a reply the next day with a contract. The contract details are very brief but the money looks good and accomodation is included. The pay is $US4000 per month and 4,000EU (Euros) severance pay. We have been given an address for the school but no other details. There's something about the briefity of details that's bugging me somewhat.

Has anyone heard of this organisation? They advertised on http://www.worknplay.co.kr/JobSeeker/JobOfferView.aspx?&pageNo=12&categoryType=0&positionType=0&searchText=&offerSn=84076&alertMessage= If the link is too long, look in www.worknplay.co.kr. The ad was place on Nov 28.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Frizzie Lizzie]

This looks rather dodgy.

Did you actually send them a copy of your passport?
And how are "all nationalities accepted" when the laws are well-known for their tightness as far as giving work permits to non-EU citizens?
Plus, 4,000 euros is A LOT even in Holland.

Perhaps someone else will be of more help, but my advice is be very very careful.

[spiral78]

I agree with Frizzie - what do they want you to send them??
It sounds WAY too good to be true.

[pukeko]

It's funny, I was trying to convince myself that it wssn't a scam. But, I reread the email I had recieved and there were just too many alarms bells ringing when the email I was given for the Ministry of Labor had this email address: [email protected]. I did some research and .se refers to Sweden. I also contacted the Netherlands Ministry of Social Welfare and Employment and they told me that it was very suspicious.

Then I got an email from a mate who's also applied for the job and told me that they require a $US100 registration fee and a $US100 tax registration fee.

It gets smellier and smellier!

[dagi]

Smelly indeed!

This is an advertisement looking for foreigner staffs or people who want to work in Holland (As many as 100 people)
Most of the work are secretary,drivers,english speakers,Esl Teachers .
salary pays around 4000 thousand EURO per month (No agency fees)"
- no secretary, driver or ESL Teacher in Holland makes 4000Euro a month! This alone is suspicious. What they need the drivers for? To smuggle drugs across Europe?

This is not an agency and there is ZERO profit made me
- Yeah sure. As of a non-profit agency would do this kind of jobs.

working duration per day is 6hours
- Odd. Normally it is about 8 hours.

Housing : single
- What, they offer housing? They either do better than thousands of Dutch people (there is very serious housage shortage) or it's just a cartoon box behind central station.

Starting date : ASAP
Working hours : 6hrs(Mon ~ Fri)
- see above

Free Round airplane ticket : YES
- never heard of people in such kind of jobs who had their airfare paid.

Free housing : YES
- see above

Severance :4000 EURO
- see above

Vacation : 7 days plus all national holidays
- they got to be kidding. Legally they must give you 21 days a year plus national holidays.

Holiday bonus: 200 EURO
- another joke? By law they must pay you 8% of your yearly gros salary as a holiday bonus.

Medical care : 100%
- anyone who holds a legal job in the NL has medical care. Nothing to brag about. Even better, you must have medical care or you get to pay a fine.

all Nationality accepted
- Who are they? Best friends with the IND? Related to Rita Verdonk? Or do they simply have no clue about immigration laws in Holland?

This just stinks.

[pukeko]

I wrote to the Netherlands Ministry of Social Welfare & Employment again and they told me it was definitely fraud. I don't know if they've followed it up or not. I also contacted www.worknplay.co.kr and emailed them the emails I had received but I don't know if they've pulled the plug on the ad.

I can't remember whether I wrote about an email my mate received from the "school" or not - they told her that she had to pay a $US100 registration fee and a $US100 tax registration fee.

Hopefully no one has been stupid enough to think this is for real.

[dagi]

Tax registration fee? There are no tax registration fees in the Netherlands!! You just go to a certain office and get your tax number.
The registration fee should also ring alarm bells.

[jonniboy]

To add to the above, why would a recruitment agency based in Dublin have a *UK* contact number?!

Golden rule: if it sounds too good to be true, 99.99% of the time it is!

[swetepete]

Yeah, there's been a few scammy pseudo-recruiters operating right now for sure. Anyone get the 'teach my family in Nigeria for 4500 a month, I am a rich oil worker' one?
It's in the international general forum here at eslcafe. Kinda sad really.