Korean Job Discussion Forums

[a friendly pioneer]

My friend apparently got a job at a Hagwon that was supposed to begin on the 15th. A few days before the 15th and the school had yet to send him his visa. The recruiter he went through first claimed something to do with the Korean Thanksgiving held up the visa. Now the recruiter, several days past the 15th, claims that the school canceled the semester because of low enrollment.

He says he still trusts the recruiter and will take a job if they offer another... Wouldn't you find this kind of suspicious? I know the recruiter isn't responsible for much, but after a person spends time gathering his documents, etc., this seems a little shady to me.

What do you think?

[brandonlk]

Well Hagwon's are a business first and a school 2nd so this does not seem at of the ordinary to me.

[nomad-ish]

Korean thanksgiving probably did slow things down a bit, however your friend should use a couple recruiters if he's planning on going the hagwon route.

[Draz]

[son of coco]

I'm using a few recruiters at the moment for jobs in Ulsan and they seem to range from decent to a pain in the arse.

Have had one send me 4 emails clearing up stuff I'd already answered in the previous emails...so in the last one I was a little blunt. Granted, he might have a lot of people to deal with, but I deal with enough disorganised Korean people at work without doing the same on the phone/via email when looking for another job.

Had a call from one recruiter today though who seems genuinely good. She's kept in touch with progress of applications and has called directors to follow up on applications they've sent on my behalf before getting back to me to tell me what's happening.

I heard some people on here say that they'd heard some places won't hire foreigners who have been here for a year or more as they're 'too much trouble'...and I've just clicked as to what that means. It means we know the regulations and what we're entitled to, so they won't be able to put one over us in the contract (no pension etc etc)...doesn't it!?

[lifeinkorea]

Well, pension is something you can collect on. I think it has to do more with hours of working and fudging the numbers when it comes to overtime.

They promise all this wonderful overtime pay, but when you get there and work they give you less hours and then tell you the extra hours are no longer considered overtime.

[brandonlk]

[Gnod]

It's usually a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. The recruiter either does not care what the school is doing. Cares, but is lied to by the school. Knows what the school is doing, but lies to you to avoid losing a potential commission. Cares, but is lied to by the school, and upon realizing the truth, lies again to avoid losing a commission. Or simply laughs maniacally as he pulls the strings of fate that bind you.

My first visa process went something like:
1. Sent my paperwork to Korea.
2. According to the recruiter: the documents arrived, and were submitted to immigration.
3. I was informed by the recruiter that the process was taking longer than usual due to Buddha's B-Day/influx of immigrants/outbreak of fan death.
4. I was told by the recruiter to use the airline tickets the school had already provided, hooray for nonrefundable!
5. I arrived in Korea, and was told by the school and the recruiter that the visa should be ready in another week.
6. Three weeks later, I found out the school had the documents...buried...apparently under a filing cabinet...and guarded by seven rabid Tibetan monks. Apparently the English "I'm going home" sounds like an ancient Tibetan chant that cures rabies. The school rushed off that day to submit everything while the recruiter told me that once my documents were submitted I was locked into the school for a year.
7. My papers were finally submitted, and 7 days later I got a wonderful 2 days and 1 night trip to Osaka. Ah, those Osaka days. Oh, that Osaka night.
8. I returned to K-land and four weeks later I resigned for lack of payment, found another school, and went back to Osaka. Ah, Oh.
9. Two weeks later I found out through previous coworkers that the original school was going bankrupt.

[son of coco]

I've been dealing with a recruiter about a job in Ulsan too, I won't be taking it as after reading the contract, posting it here and sending to a mate all arrows seem to be pointing to 'avoid it' but thought it was interesting that she was pressuring me into making a decision within a day or two of being sent the contract.

Have asked for the current teacher's contact details, but will be giving it a miss and looking for something better anyway.