Korean Job Discussion Forums

yoonish · Joined: 01 Apr 2008

Hi everyone.

So I got an official offer from CDI a few weeks ago, and I've been waiting for their contract to arrive. However, in the meantime, I got an email from a different place that offered me a better position. It's not an official offer yet, but I actually think I'd like this other position better than the one offered by CDI.

However, I feel uneasy about sending a rejection letter to CDI, because I've negotiated for a position in Seoul + they've said that they'll send me to a location in Seoul, which makes me a bit obligated to work for CDI. But then, I haven't signed the contract yet because they still haven't sent me my contract yet, and plus, to be honest, I'm quite a bit irritated with how they don't communicate with me in a timely manner. (They told me to wait on booking my tickets till they tell me to purchase it, which I find it a bit odd.) I've only told them that I'll accept it because it seemed like it's a better deal than other offers.

So in this situation, if I do get an official offer from the other position, would it be appropriate for me to send a rejection letter to CDI after I've responded via email that I'll accept their offer, since I haven't signed their contract yet?

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

Do not worry about it. Just email them that due to their poor communication and lack in getting you a contract in a timely manner ,you have decided to go another way. This is the way life works. Do not worry about hurt feeling, they are a big company, they can handle it.

sojourner1 · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:38 pm Post subject:

I love it when employers can receive rejection letters from candidates. Since when did you see that at home in our generation?

Tobias · Joined: 02 Jun 2008

Rejection letter? I wouldn't bother even to think about writing a rejection letter, let alone actually writing one.

These people don't care if you write them such a letter. Besides, what would they do if you didn't? Koreans don't care about that sort of common courtesy. Don't waste your time writing the letter.

Go have a great time at your new job.

TBirdMG · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: SF, CA, USA

Yoonish,

Welcome to the new world order: there is no loyalty or obligation between employer and employee....especially when you haven't even signed a contract yet.

Hey, if something better comes down the pipeline for you, and CDI or any other mediocre 3 initial glorified hagwon hasn't even polished a contract to send you, what's the problem.

In all reality from a legal point of view, you could sign the contract and still get out of it all. As long as any potential employer has not yet submitted your documents to immigration, AND you haven't received an E-2 in your passport...no problem.

Take the best offer out there for YOU. That's the Korean way.

reimund · Joined: 01 Oct 2007

^ I agree, but to a small extent. It's not necessary to write a letter, but at the very least, a small e-mail saying "I apologize, but I've decided to take another job" or something similar should be done out of courtesy. There's no need to take it further than that, though.

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

A few weeks to send a contract? They probably forgot about you. Should have been overnighted in a day.

Move along!

GoldMember · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Feeling, uneasy about hurting the other persons feelings!

Looks like we have another person who is going to leave Korea walking funny, because they take it up the rear.

Does the other side care about your feelings when you don't get paid.
Does the other side care about your feelings when they lie to you.

This is the real world now. If you want to be touchy and feely, go back to your save the lesbian whales support group.

CPT · Joined: 25 Mar 2007

Maybe you should just use the new offer to try to squeeze some more out of CDI.

CPT · Joined: 25 Mar 2007

Maybe you should just use the new offer to try to squeeze some more out of CDI.

As in, I've now been offered XXXXX and XXXXX by XXXXX. Are you willing to change our contract to compete?

Put the ball in their court, and it will be a win-win for you.

Unless of course, there's something about the other position that CDI can't match.

Poemer · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Location: Mullae

Just take the other job if you think it will be better. As someone else said, if they haven't sent a contract yet, something might be fishy anyway.

I accepted a job in Korea while still in the states, negotiated a salary etc. and was told everything was a done deal. The contract never materialized, I called several times and the guy kept telling me they were really busy, but the contract was definitely coming soon. Then after stringing me along this way, they sent me a form rejection e-mail. I had talked to this guy personally several times and gotten his assurances that everything was ok. How professional. That's when I decided to come to Korea first, then find a job.

Look out for yourself, because there will be few (absolutely none) professional courtesies extended to you by potential employers.

suadente · Joined: 27 Sep 2004

Write the letter. If things don't work out with the other job, you want to be sure that you're still on good terms with CDI.

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:09 am Post subject: Re: rejecting an offer?

KoreanAmbition · Joined: 03 Feb 2008

Basically you have 2 job offers on the table.

Play both sides at this point.

Don't say "no" to either side until you are 100% sure you have the other option secured.

There is no need to a tell a company that you don't to work for them at this point. In fact, you can still wait for the CDI contract to come to you, and then hold onto it for a week while still deciding. There's no rush whatsoever.

Please note: Never count on a job offer in any industry until it's 100% official with everything in writing; especially in Asia.

I remember when I investiged CDI. I wrote them an email with a few questions. They wrote me back basically ignoring my questions, asking me to send them certain information. It was almost like a form-letter but I couldn't tell since it asked a couple other specific questions.

In any event, I wrote them back and said that I wouldn't work for a company that started off by not answering my questions. I said if they wanted to deal with me they'd have to respond adequately and then I'd send them their information.

Result: They never emailed me back. I ended up talking to them again by accident about a month later (another office in the USA that was recruiting and I didn't realize it was CDI at first until they emailed me job information) and it would have seemed like nothing happened.

Don't waste any of your time emailing them. As a previous poster said, they might have already forgotten about you; you just never know.

Good luck with the other job. I hope you take that one instead.

Fresh Prince · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Location: The glorious nation of Korea

I would wait to make sure that the offers actually materialize before making a decision. If a school told me to hold off on buying a ticket and hasn't sent a contract or responded to questions, I would be operating on the assumption that they are no longer interested, and would actively seek other employment in the meantime.