Korean Job Discussion Forums

dtowler · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

I'm exploring the possibility of starting up a recruiting company back in Canada for ESL teachers here in Korea. I'm not quite sure where to start to be honest so if anyone has any information I'd really appreciate it. Are there any specific accreditations I would need in Canada or in Korea? Any info would help. Maybe I'll be your recruiter in a few years!! I'll take good care of you!! aha well any info would help so hopefully I'll hear from some of you!

Derek

Optimus Prime · Joined: 05 Jul 2007

first you need to sell your soul to the devil.

dtowler · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

done... what else?

johnpeterson2008 · Joined: 23 Jul 2007

Go to immigration and fill out the proper paperwork.

lastat06513 · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:54 pm Post subject:

You need:

- To start a database of schools (hopefully good ones and not just anyone who will pay you a commission for "a fresh body")

- To start a database of teachers (hopefully good ones with real qualifications and who can pass the necessary background checks required by Korean immigrations)

Why do you want to start it in Canada?
You should think about setting up shop in Korea so you can go take a look at the schools to see if the school can live up to the contracts that you would be mediating between them and the teacher and being in Korea you will be able to keep up to date with the new regulations that seem to change with every full moon.

I think starting a recruiting company in Canada, far from the situation doesn't sound like a good idea......

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

I'm honored to use the idiom "coals to Newcastle" for the first time this millenium.

dtowler · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

well yaya, thanks for the constructive response! You sound like a stand up guy! In any case, if you knew anything about starting up your own business you would know the first aspect to become familiar with are the market's contact points. Again, didn't mean to offend anyone. All criticisms are welcome as long as they're constructive, otherwise you're just some *beep* surfing the forum pages making negative comments because you have nothing better to do.

Yesterday

dtowler · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

Thanks Yesterday.. that makes a lot of sense. I haven't considered doing it voluntarily but I can definitely see the benefits in terms of building up a good base of contacts. I've only reffered three teachers so far but thus far it seems to be working out for them. Maybe I should continue along this route.

As for the part about being in Canada, I do fully agree that it would be irresponsible to send teachers over without having sought out responsible hagwons. Maybe I should have mentioned in the original post that this would actually be a joint venture (should it happen at all) between myself and a Korean esl teacher here in Korea who would be the one checking out the hagwons.

There's always a lot of complaining about the credibility of recruiters, myself included. Personally, I've had problems and I know that I would really have appreciated talking to a native English speaking recruiter when I first signed up for this a few years back. This is the reason I... we, are considering getting into it.

You are correct in assuming I don't speak Korean fluently. Having said this, I highly doubt I would do the communicating here in Korea in any case.

If you have some time to kill maybe you could pm me and let me know a little more about any problems you came accross.

Thanks again for the opinions... as for the summer camps, I'm not sure that's for me but I do have a friend who just finished his first summer camp in Manilla and says it went well.

lastat06513 · Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:03 am Post subject:

Ummm.......
I think going to the schools with your partner and actually speaking to the native speaking English teachers would be ideal, not just depending on someone in Korea and you living in Canada...

I think the Korea contact might do well at first, but as things get tight, you might not know what deals would be made without you being there......

I think the best thing would be to contact the schools directly first- find out their short-term and long-term teaching needs and plan that way....especially with the way the new regulations look.

Then as soon as you develop a database with schools and what kind of teacher they need, then you can schedule to attend college fairs and make contacts........

Also as another poster had said, the best thing to do for the new school would be to guarantee their first teacher placement for free and they would only be responsible for the flight ticket and the legal formalities for getting the teacher to Korea. Once word gets around that you are reliable, you can start charging any sum you want and only then you can see the money rolling in.......

Starting any business can mean a small loss at first......

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

I'm too lazy to do a search, but I remember someone posting all
the problems he had with applicants while running a recruiting company.

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

dtowler · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

yaya: case and point.

lastat: guarantee sounds like a good plan. seems like doing it on a voluntary basis for a little while is the way to go

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul