Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ReeNah]

Hi all, I hope everyone is having a pleasant but freezing day. It's getting cold real quick and I hope everyone isn't getting sick (like me!)

So I have a question for everyone. However I am afraid that it might violate this rule:

15. No job vacancies, or job wanted posts may be posted on this board. This includes requests for temporary replacements. Jobs may be advertised only on the Korean Job Board. Please post any messages looking for work in the Post your resume section of the site. Any posts that recruit for jobs or solicit work on these forums will be deleted.


However I think it really doesn't because it's asking questoins more than anything. Basically I am doing some market research (I guess that's what you'd call it) on a new business I'm starting. Is it alright to ask questions in here? I really enjoy these forums, find them very useful and the last thing I would want is to get banned!!!

If it's okay please let me know, I have so many questions I want to ask. If I had to give a little preview on what I am going to talk about; basically I'm a Korean/Australian currently on a F-4 Visa working in Korea. I am working teaching English however I also work for another company that is a recruiting firm but I guess our company has tried to revolutionise the industry. That kinda makes us sound very exciting but its not really. I won't be specific but there was alot of questions I wanted to ask alot of the experienced people here. Also I think I would value alot of the people's opinoins here as well!

Please if this is not allowed let me know ASAP because, as I said prevoiusly, I don't want to get banned from here!

Well Cheers,
ReeNah

[Died By Bear]

What do you want? Be more specific. Stop beating around the bush, and get to the point.

[kimmatador]

what is it Reenah ?

[earthquakez]

Well, Reenah, you're probably not violating any terms of service. But to be honest, for some of us recruiters are not our favourite people and I hope you understand that some on here will resent recruiters using this forum as a sounding board.

Personally I don't want to help any recruiters because most of the ones I've had contact with are liars who waste our time. People such as myself have landed jobs in Korea despite, not because, of recruiters.

And do tell us if your recruiter is a member of that organisation of recruiters that blacklists foreign English teachers by letting Koreans write usually defamatory material on a web form. I've looked at their website and one of the reasons a foreigner can be blacklisted is because they asked for a salary raise.
The recruiters who belong to that organisation look unprofessional and vindictive.

Please give your employer my best regards.

[ReeNah]

Ah most pleasant replies thank you! I'm not kidding by the way I'll try to explain why.

Well like most of you (actually probably everyone here) I have taught English in Korea previously and fortunately had a great experience. I am of Korean heritage but I was born in and lived my whole life in Australia. I'm in my mid 20s and after graduating university I decided to teach in Korea and it was great.

I also understand I am one of the more fortunate cases. I have heard many horror stories of people getting ripped off etc. How teachers weren't paid on time, contracts not being honored, living conditions were terrible etc. Coming from a Korean background (I speak fluent Korean and English) I have known that some Koreans (as you all know most Koreans are most delightful) are very very extremely dodgy. However not all problems between Teachers and Hakwons/Schools are purely caused by dodgy Koreans. There are also cultural differences and due to the language barrier I have found some simple problems sometimes get blown out of proportion.

There is so much to right (I meant write but it seems it was a wonderful unintentional pun so I'll leave it there). In contrast to the teachers' perspective there are also many issues faced by the Korean principals of Hakwons and schools; not showing up for work, breaking contract etc. So pretty much in most cases if something goes wrong both sides faced loses.

So anyways long story short, I happen to get in contact with a Korean guy who has his own business (not to do with Hagwons) who been to Australia to study English and made some contacts there. Due to the nature of his work he still had some contacts and when people he knew were looking for Native English teachers he managed to help them out and when issued arose he helped figure them out. Then he though to himself why not make this into a business. He ended up 'helping' 5 or 6 Native English teachers get jobs in Korea and helped maintain a positive relationship.

So anyways me and him had a chat and we were both thinkig the same thing. Most (I think all) recruiters basically recruit and introduce to a Hakwon/school for a fee and they are free from all obligations. However our company actually recruits teachers and they stay our employee but are contracted out for 6 months or 1 year to various Hakwons.

There is so much information, I'll try mentioning what I can and we can discuss other issues later. So pretty much from what I have collected is that we are not doing anything illegal. Since I am from a native speaker background and my business partner is from the Korean background, we have come up with a structure that benefits both sides.

So pretty much:

1. Native Speaker is our employee
2. We organise accomodation, flights, training, everything else
3. If there are any issues we try to resolve them

Is it all come a little together now? We do have a website up but its still coming together.

Has everyone got the jist of it all? So far we've had very positive responses from the Hagwon side of it all, and we have recently starting recruiting people (interviews and organising VISAs etc no teachers acutally here yet) and I think it's all looking very positive.

Basically, as a company we want the best for all involved and we try our best to bridge the gap between Native Teachers and Hagwons/Schools/Clients and help maintain a positive and construtive relationship.

I guess I only really covered 50% of it all. I can't really think of what else to say really.

So what do you guys think? Do you think it will work? We have done some research into the legal issues and there are none really.

Please give me any feedback, opinons, advice or just say hello and leave any kind of comment. All is much appreitated!

Cheers,
ReeNah

[ReeNah]

EQ I totally know what you mean. Pretty much that's why we are starting up the company, well 50% because the other 50% is that some Hagwons/Schools were being ripped off by slack Teachers.

I hope everyone understands that we are not your typical recruiter and our goal is to set up a good environment where everyeone involved; teacher, owner/principal and students, can enjoy a healthy learning experience.

[wiganer]

Reenah, how are you selling this service to the Korean hagwon owners and principals? Are you saying '50% of the blame is on your fellow principals/hagwon owners?'

What child molestation cases? You mean the ones involving Korean staff in public schools?

[interestedinhanguk]

Do you know this poster?

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=195271&highlight=

And what child molestation cases? Drug use (pretty rare considering there's 20,000+ NETs here)?

[ttompatz]

Sounds like about the same as every other rat-azz after school scam program that is running around out there right now.

Hire the foreigner, rent him out to the school and rake in the bucks.

EXCEPT...

- when the school gets mad cause the foreigner sucks you get the stick.
- when the foreigner causes you grief you look bad.
- when enrollment drops cause a new hakwon rolls into the neighborhood your "client" comes up short on the fees at the end of the month. Who has the deep pockets to pay for the FT - where does it come from - your pocket or he just gets let go with 10 days notice and left holding the bag.

So like every other Korean middle man working the game you start to institute policies to protect yourself and in the end the foreigner gets it in the backside again.

Join the queue with the rest of the middle-man companies out there (and there are no shortage of them). One more of the same.

.

[wiganer]

Reenah...

You have just been 'ttompatzed'

When he speaks, we all listen and that is why he has one foot in the eslcafe 'hall of fame'

Personally - I doubt very much you are selling this idea to the Korean bosses and principals in the way you are selling it to us - you are probably telling them 'Hey - leave the firing of any of these child molesters, drunks and absentees to us - we'll do the dirty work' I bet there is no of this '50% is actually your fault' BS.

[Ukon]

Unless immigration gets lax on workplace regulation, good luck trying to do this legally.

[Died By Bear]

[grnmle]

So you want to set up a dispatch company? It's such a hair-brained outside the box idea it just might work.

What an inspired idea! I am blown away. You should definitely move forward with it. There is an acknowledged lack of middle men in the ESL industry. I think just about everyone will agree.

I can totally understand that Hagwon owners want to be insulated from all the drug addled perverts that lie in wait with fake degrees at the gates of this Shangri-la.

The first thing you should do is celebrate your inventiveness by doing everyone else on earth a favor...buy a giant fan and go to sleep. You are a giant waste of space.

[oldfatfarang]

Yes, you are advertising on the job forums, and yes, you will be banned if the mods catch up with this thread.

Good luck.

[wiganer]