Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dartimos]

I just received the following letter from a major recruiting agency:

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I work hard for my candidates� happiness but I can�t guarantee that I can place you the schools that are close to the subway line. There are maybe like 5~6 schools out of 60 schools on <recruiter> DB that are close to Seoul Metro. I think if you want good location I will have to let you go and maybe you can look for a hagwon job since we are specialize in Gyonggi area.

Also I found some factor that I cannot work for you, so I will have to let you go this time with regret.

I am not allowed discuss about this with candidates and I hope you could understand well and I wish you all the best.

----

I have taught two years in America, one year in a Hogwon and am finishing a year in a public school in Ansan. My current employer is very happy with me, but is facing budget cuts. I have just talked with my co-teacher who served as a reference and she said she gave me a good reference. I've had some coteacher issues this year (with another coteacher) that were resolved and shouldn't have been brought up. Also, I had a run in with Dian Bei who is likely unhappy with me.

I'm 28, have a teaching license, from America, male, don't drink, don't smoke but have an inactive strain of TB which is cleared by a chest x-ray. Can you guys give me some insight on what you think "some factor" is? I'm starting to get VERY worried how much of a black mark this is.

[northway]

[dartimos]

I can't think who would blacklist me. My school has told me that they gave a great reference. I would like to stay in public schools, should I be going to another city, or would that even work?

[Girlygirl]

Simple...they want someone who's a complete newbie at the lowest pay scale. Sorry to hear about your situation.

[creeper1]

Could be that "girlygirl" is right. Maybe you are too expensive. Anyway as a qualified teacher the world should be your oyster. As I understand it good positions await candidates like you in other places in Asia. Also an international school should be a possibility.

If Dain Bae has a problem with you then forget GEPIK. Look at SMOE or EPIK or, as I say, broaden your horizens to other countries.

[meaghan]

Recruiters are a dime a dozen. Apply with a bunch more, and see what comes in. (And don't mention the TB. If it's inactive- that means not contagious right? - and doesn't show up on Xray, it's nobody's business but your own)

[earthquakez]

I'm not underestimating the stress you feel but honestly, this recruiter sounds a level above the snakes that habituate 'recruiting companies' in Korea. At least they wrote you a letter.

I rarely use recruiters and haven't for a while but they can make things difficult for everybody because they conceal employer information and so prevent English teachers from getting hired directly. A favourite trick is advertising jobs that other recruiters are advertising, thus inflating the number of jobs available and making it appear that each recruiter doing this is the only gateway to a job.

I worked for a long time in Japan and was free to line up interviews directly with decent employers, some of them very good. Why? The enlightened visa system there for native English teachers helps, so does the absence of a recruiting industry there.

And if you think that recruiter is bad, spare a thought for the poor suckers outside of Korea that are being told by recruiters to spend a small fortune on getting all the docs prepared. You'd think the recruiter would then at least line up an interview, yes? No actually.

I've heard directly of applicants being hung out to dry like that. No demands about where they wanted to go, no pay demands, just wanting an introduction to a possible employer. Expensive documents prepared. Then zero result, not even a token apology from the recruiter. They control the flow of information to the employer and won't give the employer the opportunity to even chat with those applicants.

You're luckier - you're in Korea, go and look around. Employers want to save money more and more so they will be delighted if they don't have to pay an airfare and the leeches that mostly go under the name of 'recruiter'.

[Drew345]

If I had a US teaching license I would apply at international schools or even the DoDEA.
Actually I am studying for my US teaching license now.

[lifeinkorea]

letter?

What is this, 1776?

Why aren't you talking directly with them on the phone?

[dartimos]

Thanks for all the responses. I was getting really worried that something was really wrong. I love working in public schools and its a shame my experience is a negative thing.

[Troglodyte]

Did you only apply to ONE recruiter? If so, that was your biggest mistake. Apply to as many as you can find. Take the best offer you get. If many of them mention some secret reason they can't work with you, THEN consider that you're on the blacklist.

[sallymonster]

The very first recruiter I applied with rejected me, and I was a newbie at the time.

Just keep applying to other recruiters, like Troglodyte said.

[Troglodyte]

In case you're wondering here's the website with The Blacklist.

http://www.kftra.co.kr/list.asp?idx=2

The actual blacklist (or where it should be) is the last item on the top menu.
You have to be a paid member to view it. But maybe you can get a recruiter to check for you.

[happiness]

some recruiters are cool to be fair. one is trying to hook me up with her friend (i got a ringing reference from someone praising me to high heaven, so she liked that, also called me to say merry christmas).

[Junior]