Korean Job Discussion Forums

shostahoosier · Joined: 14 Apr 2009

My recruiter keeps telling me that they have a position for me with GEPIK and that I shouldnt worry, however, I have yet to hear exactly which school I'll be placed in.

Im getting worried because school starts in 6 weeks and I thought I would be placed by early July (I see that other people on here are getting their GEPIK placements).

Does it sound like my recruiter is stalling?

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I think Gepik is similar to Epik in that regard, you won't know the name of the school until after you are committed to the process.

You can however demand that the recruiter find out for you, not sure if they will be able to, but mine did. I work for EPiK tho.

dietdrpeppersoda · Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:03 pm Post subject:

i think I have the same recruiter or one like yours. They wont tell me what school...it really sounds like they want to place me in a rural area. I think I will change recruiter.

eurasian76 · Joined: 09 May 2006

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Yes, but if you haven't submitted your stuff yet, you can ask and change if you so desire, that's what I meant.

summer33ny · Joined: 10 Aug 2006

At EPIK, we didn't know anything other than our province until the very last day of orientation... Our school, our grade, our housing, our town.. it was all a mystery.

andrewchon · Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:02 pm Post subject: stalling

It's only the first step of many. At the moment, unless you specified that YOU want to go rural, you'll be put into a pool, GEPIK will forward your name to a school, and the school will consider. The schools are busy with summer plans and whatnot. Next NET isn't their priority, yet. GEPIK may like you but the school may not. The school will contact you for phone interview about a week before the semester begins. By then they are desperate to get a teacher ( lots of slap stick, panto mime comedy, etc ) and you charm their pants off, and you'll be on your way to the land of "what the #$%^?"
It's like the Draft in american pro sports. Your agent says YOU are certain #1 overall choice but you and your agent won't know it until it happens.

thoreau · Joined: 21 Jun 2009

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Chambertin · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Location: Gunsan

90% of the time yes, they are lying.
However there are good recruiters out there.

I submitted many different applications to many different recruiters for all the major *EPIK programs. I was never rejected. If you follow the official EPIK government process then you might get a reject for dual apps, I find it hard to believe.
When I saw contracts I saw the same province a couple times, so I wasn�t auto defaulted for applying more than once, I doubt you will be.

I had a recruiter who assured me I was all ok. After each question about which school in the province I was going to work at I was offered a "better" contract and he would work harder to get that one. I gave up on that gas bag.

I had another recruiter who was all smiles and flowers and was honestly working to get me a job. Then I got a visa from a different recruiter first and I meet Mrs. Hyde.
I felt for them and offered to help, and tried to work with immigration to change the visa, but none of that mattered. I was a real POS for going with two recruiters. Somehow it was my fault their paperwork was the slowest.

Try a different recruiter and get a real contract that you can agree with then send in your full documentation.
Don�t send in hard docc's until you feel that they will deliver and have reviewed the contract.
The system is a crapshoot and immigration doesn�t care and is of less assistance than a good recruiter.

shostahoosier · Joined: 14 Apr 2009

I'm probably SOL as I have already given them all of my documents (about a month ago).

I thought the benefit of GEPIK was that you knew which school you were going to be working for before you got to Korea.

I had no idea that they would wait until August to decide which teachers they wanted.

I would like to buy a plane ticket soon while the prices are still reasonable.

My recruiter has a very good reputation on Daves so I chalk it up to me being a worrier.

ilovespaghetti · Joined: 01 Jul 2009

Why are people sending in docs without getting a job first? I thought it was get a contract first then send in the docs?

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:05 pm Post subject:

Chambertin · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Location: Gunsan

I only sent in my docc's after reviewing the contracts. I even sent a copy of said contract to be clear thats the one I expect to be held to.

However it depends on the employer / recruiter. One recruiter said "Just sign and scan the last page, the rest of it doesnt matter or will change."

Thats honesty. Shifty as all hell but very honest.
So in essence, when you send them makes little difference. The people or agency you send them to matters much more.