Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Monochroma]

Hi,

Just got a phone call minutes ago from SMOE saying that I no longer had a job with them for this coming year. I expect a few people on this forum will get this as well.
Reason was they have budget constraints and are cutting all the lower level applicants and not placing in as many school. And they are doing this a week before it starts?!

Bearing in mind, I've already recieved my notice of appointment. Is there a clause in the contract to allow this? Lol

At the moment, this leaves me stuck without a job and around �500 down from all the costs. This sucks.

They said they will keep me on file to apply in either March / August 2010. Do I have any other options now?

[iggyb]

[deleted by author]

I deleted this comment that mentioned my recruiter because we subsequently found out it was SMOE who was the bad guy in this and they forced recruiters to cut 100 out of 600 TESOLers already recruited.

[Monochroma]

Sorry to hear that Iggy. And may I say you are much more qualified than me (fresh graduate + 100hr TEFL) haha.

I was due to arrive on the 27th, nearly missing all of the orientation. My recruiter (Koreaconnections) said it would be fine, so maybe you should query it again. The only repercussions would be the lose of abit of pay. Not to mention you much have spent a packet on those FedEXed documents.

Now I have to compete it the UK job market. This should be even more fun.

If all else fails, fancy meeting in Seoul to petrol bomb the SMOE HQ? heh I could do with a holiday now....

[iggyb]

If you got a call directly from SMOE saying what you wrote before, I doubt orientation has much of anything to do with it.

A couple of weeks ago when people started posting that EPIK had shifted 100 contracts over to SMOE and that SMOE was dropping people who already had a signed contract due to overbooking --- was the time my recruiter got back to me that SMOE now wanted a specific form letter from the hakwons I worked at 10+ years ago.

I immediately said it was highly likely one or more of them wouldn't send such a letter, because the schools had changed hands or closed and one boss (where I did finish a contract) was an ass --- I didn't use that specific language --- I just said I'd likely not be able to get all the letters).

So, I said why not give me a lower level contract to sign? That should make SMOE even happier...

They didn't do that until after a couple weeks delay and at the end of last week.

I could still make orientation on time if they had really FedExed the visa number material on Monday as I was told.

I think this is just a case of poor planning on SMOE and EPIK's part.

Par for the course in the ESL industry in Korea.

I feel sorry for the people who had gone ahead and bought tickets over. Especially those who did so after getting the visa who might now be dropped.

--- Knowing the ESL industry, I was waiting until I got the visa stamped in my passport before booking it - even if it would have cost me more than SMOE was willing to pay back...

But, I'm still determined to get over to Korea. I have to for my family.

Fall back, regroup, move ahead...

[martinpil]

This is why SMOE should pay DIRECTLY for the employee's plane ticket. I would sue them for the cost of your ticket if I were you under international law.

[t1m1ty]

I was dropped after I sent my contract out (never received NOA). I thought that was the only time they made their cuts. I'm sorry to those that have recently been cut. Good luck to all of you in finding jobs. I felt as though everything fell apart when I got cut, but within 2-3 weeks, I received 3 job offers (2 asap positions and 1 starting in January). It's just a matter of deciding which one to go with now.

[iggyb]

t1m1ty,

Avoid or thoroughly vet a job offer that wants a position filled ASAP - especially in today's ESL market when so many people are wanting to come over. If the school is desperate to fill a job, there is a good chance it is because other instructors have fled, and that is not a good sign...

martinpil,

Grab a lance and help Don Quixote destroy windmills - you'll have more luck with that than suing someone in the Korean ESL industry over airfare...

[gaffe]

I don't understand. Why are they still interviewing?

[bbbcd]

My guess is that they're paying lip service to all of the recruiters who worked to get their applicants this far. I was told during my interview that I would most likely be put on a waiting list.

[gaffe]

I was told if I miss orientation it would be okay. There's a whole lot of bullshit being shoveled around.