Job Discussion Forums

dragonfly58 · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 10 Location: U.S.

Has anyone encountered a recruiter who tried to collect fees from the teacher after starting work in china? I have a recruiter doing that - I told her back in august that the school should be paying her fees, not me. Nothing more was ever said -- until now and she is trying to pressure me into paying 2000rmb. I sent a copy of my reply to her to the Foreign Teachers Director here at our school. I'm a bit apprehensive that she could get him to cut that amount out of my paycheck. Any ideas out there? Mad

big_big_bang_theory_fan · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 105

Ummm, since the recruiter is doing work for YOU to get YOU a job, why shouldn't you pay? Sure, the usual thing is the school does it. But, then it's the school screwing itself when you bolt on them because you eventually come back here and complain that the recruiter told you one thing and the school told you another and how you "get screwed" or "lied to" or "this or that was changed without your knowledge" or "I was promised this or that" and so on? Why shouldn't you pay for the work the recruiter does since it's you that is given a job based on his/her work?

Otherwise, if you disagree, then why are you wasting time with THAT recruiter and spending time looking for advice, when there are hundreds of recruiters, and thousands of job? Why don't you find your own job, for FREE?

Interesting...

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

Probably a bluff just to try to get some free money out of you.

You might want to casually mention it to your FAO, and let him know that
you consider it as a "joke". Then wait to see what your FAO has to say.

The light approach is probably best at first. Your FAO should know that it is the school that pays, not the teacher.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

Lobster · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject:

Unless the teacher hires the recruiter to do a job search because they're lazy or clueless, and has agreed to pay them for this service, no charge can be levied.

If the school reneges on the terms of the contract with the teacher, and the teacher bolts, that's their own damn fault. They can go crying to the recruiter that the teacher left because they didn't pay on time, added extra classes or gave them a dump to live in.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Recruiters exist in all economies and fill an essential role.
Recruiters are almost always paid by the hiring firm.
Occasionally payment to the recruiter is from the job seeker or his/her representative. That's called outplacement and is usually part of a severance package.
Recruiters in normal mode operate on a contingency basis. This means 'no hire no pay'. A school letting a recruiter handle vacancy filling isn't up for a payment unless they take someone put forward on the shortlist.
Some FAOs may lack skills or capacity to handle large numbers of applications, so the winnowing a recruiter does is a worthwhile service.
Anonymity is also a factor in using a recruiter. Employers and employees can test the market without alerting current employees.
Unless OP inadvertently provided the recruiter with some suggestion that he/she would pay, then ignore the request for money. Certainly involve your FAO. But they may be in cahoots looking to skim a fee for personal gain.
MOD EDIT

dragonfly58 · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 10 Location: U.S.

I never made any such agreement. She tried to tell me I signed an agreement, however, I knew to never do that and told her that it is the school that pays, not the teachers the world over. There is nothing I signed like this unless she lifted my signature from the school contract agreement and superimposed it over another form.

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:39 pm Post subject:

Comments attacking or commenting on the alleged inappropirate actions of other members here are not permitted. Instead, advise the Mod Team by Report Post or PM of your complaint. If the personal attacks continue, there will be severe sanctions.

TexasHighway · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 779

dragonfly58 wrote:

askiptochina · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 488 Location: Beijing

Lobster · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 4:25 am Post subject:

If you have no signed agreement, there is no obligation to pay. The recruiter must present you with the signed agreement to expect payment. Respectfully request that she show you this agreement that indicates you should pay.

RED

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

Baozi man · Joined: 06 Sep 2011 Posts: 214

Shakedown. Why? Fee is too low. No respectable recruiter would provide qualified help to a school for 2,000RMB. If you look at some of the very real figures I have posted elsewhere, you can discern that I earn a quarter million RMB for my school every year. You going to sell golden egg laying geese for 2,000RMB?

You should discuss this matter with your school before your pay is messed with. The person may approach someone with an ofer to split whatever money is taken out of your check for a recruitment "fee." Once that happens, it's going to be impossible to recover.

You should make it very clear that if your pay is tampered with, you are gone. Be nice about it. Say it with a smile. But make it clear that your school will lose if they mess with your pay. If they don't care, move on, unless you like to be punked.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

Baozi man · Joined: 06 Sep 2011 Posts: 214

Opiate, What I meant to convey is that the 2000 is a shakedown. Evidence that it is not a legitimate fee is the low figure. I could have mentioned that the fee is to be paid by the school, although if they can swindle it out of an FT, they will.

In the end, every FT needs to decide what they can bear. I have been ripped off at times because I had other goals I was pursuing, so the money wasn't an issue.

A newbie, gaining experience, should plan on paying some extra fees. Completing a contract and gaining experience comes at a price. Do what you have to do.