Korean Job Discussion Forums

[glenn]

Currently looking for job in Korea but am overwhelmed with all the posings, offers etc. What's the deal with Recruiters anyway? Should I just run at break-neck speed in the opposite direction if offered anything by these people or are some legit and decent folks?

cheers

g

[laogaiguk]

Recruiters are the easiest way for newbies who don't want ot spend the money to come over here themselves (that's a lot of people). Just be careful, ask and demand answers to pertinent questions and ask for advice here.

[glenn]

Cheers.

g

[mourningclam]

I've got a buddy who got into recruiting, a Canadian dude and his wife. He has as much of a disdain for money-grubbing, unethical schools as much as the other teacher that has been taken for a ride by those seeking profit from people who are ignorant of the indigenous modes of capital. I think they are called Hydarecruit or something like that.

[kat2]

They aren't all bad. I have had great experiences with KimnJoe Recruiting in Busan. I highly recommend them.

If you do your research well and ask the right questions, you have the same chances of landing a good job with a recruiter as without one.

[PRagic]

The culture is built to rely on intermediaries, and there is a propensity for markets in easy, unskilled 'white colar' work to flourish, if not pop from over competition in Korea. Recruiters don't do anything that a motivated person could do for themselves. They save time in a job search, but that's about it. Once you sign, and once they've received their cut, you're on your own.

Some decent rules to go by:

1) NEVER pay for a recruiter's services
2) Never work through only one recruiter
3) Never take their advice on where to work geographically. Don't budge on this. Almost all new people coming to Korea should be coming to Seoul or Pusan. You can always move out of the city once you've been here and gotten used to Korea a bit. There aren't enough foreigners here to ruin your sense of adventure. Let's be honest, moving abroad is a big deal for most, and most like to have a fantasy that they're cutting new ground. You're not, but hey, live the fantasy.
4) Never be in a hurry. Offers come and go, but you're talking about a year of your life. Take your time.
5) Don't be pushed into teaching kids if you really don't want to. There are a ton of adult institutes. Don't budge on this, no matter what they tell you.
6) ALWAYS talk to a foreign employee at the school FIRST, and more than one if possible. If they can't get you that info, they aren't worth their salt to begin with.
7) Make the recruiter supply pics of everything (School and apartment) in advance. If they can't, they aren't putting in enough time to make the money they are making.
Ask for stats on the recruiter: What percentage have finished their contracts? What percentage of repeat customers? What percentage of disgruntled teachers? If they don't have stats, they don't know how to run a business. If they won't give them to you, then run away. If they are 'too new', then they should be able to tell you off the top of their heads.
9) Make sure that your recruiter has an OFFICE IN KOREA! You will want a place where you can go for help, if that is offered as part of their services. If recruiting is an out of the house job for them, then they aren't taking it seriously enough.
10) DON'T introduce your friends to recruiters! Only do this if you get a cut of the profit. This is what THEY do, not you.

There you go. Others will undoubtably be able to add to this. Cheers.

[Saxiif]

Always always always remember that the schools are paying the recruiters, not you, and so the recruiters are working for the schools, not you. As long as you keep that in mind you should be fine.

[Aussiekimchi]

Once you sign, and once they've received their cut, you're on your own.

If only this was true.