Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Summer Wine]

My first year in Korea.

My recruiter sold me on a job.

Its in Seoul and you will be teaching High School Boys. I was ok, that sounds ok.

After 48 hrs without sleep I arrive in Gimpo, there's a guy with a sign with my name on it. We jump in a car and after a half hr, I say that Seoul is pretty big and how long will we get to the school.

He says that the school is in Suwon and not Seoul. I tell him, that I have never taught High School and what should I do. He says �h, you dont teach High School - its Kindergarten and Elementary.

When we get to the school, as I am walking up the stairs we meet the teacher who's leaving and he's heading down the stairs. (I am paraphrasing as its while since then).

The Manager "Aren't you working?. Hell No, I am finshed here. I just got paid - you can *beep* off"(He was making a fair point I found out).

Intro to Korea.

[shostahoosier]

I'm not sure if I already commented in this thread but here goes.

My recruiter told me:

"Your school is in northeastern Gyeonggi-do by Seoul Korail Soyosan Station on Line 1, but first you'll need to take a short train ride from Singmanri Station."

Um....my school....actually my entire %$@^$ city is nowhere near either! I'd have to hike over a mountain to get to Singmanri station.

So I ask "well, it looks like it's a little far from Seoul"..or everything actually.

My recruiter told me:

"No, Korea is tiny country...you can cross the entire country in 4 hours. Not far at all!"



I actually love my location - but there's no way my recruiter was "confused". They outright lied to get me to take the position.

[diver]

Just curious - is there anyone here who came through Mike Oh at Bok Ji Recruiting?

[Riker]

[winterfall]

1st recruiter I called and at very reputable recruiting company. Said. So you went to school x, I never heard of it. (Near Ivy, Top 20 US school). I see your applying to SMOE. I have a teaching degree, license and 4 yrs experience under my belt. If I can't get a job in SMOE, neither can you, someone fresh outta college no experience and unrelated major.

I said well, thanks for your time. Called another recruiter and heard "Wow, that's a really good school, good grades and lots of tutoring experience, you won't have a problem getting a job". Two days later, I got an interview and a contract by the end of the week.

Most of the recruiters either don't know what they're talking about or they met way too many losers and it conditioned them to think everyone as losers.

[OiGirl]

[OculisOrbis]

This is taken directly from an email I received from my recruiter from my first job when I was 'fired' in my thirteenth month after extending when my employer pleaded with me to stay until the replacement arrived.

"I've been recruiting long enough to understand that we don't need your kind of white trash.
Vice-pricipal told me he will call the cop and go to APT if you don't leave there by noon.
I hope you don't leave there, so that the cop could take you to the jail and make you leave without anything.

also, I'll put your name and resume on our black list, we actually do have Union.
and also, I'm e-mailing all the praivte and public elementary, middle, high and Uni that saying that you're on our black list.
all we have to do is list you on our union web-site and everybody will know about you.

it's not about you don't belong in Korea, it's not about working with bad principal

your kind of white trash should learn how to respect people.

Plz DO NOT waste my time.

Thank you."

[MacLean]

It's not just that they lie to you using words. They also lie to you by the pictures that they display on the websites. There's one recruiter that posts the most beautiful photos, giving the impression that they are represeantive of reality in Korea. So you're all excited about visiting this beautiful place, then you get here and....

I can just imagine Homer Simpson stepping off the plane and immediatedly doing the face palm thing. Doh!

[mayorgc]

I posted back in July 09, but I'll add to it.

I contacted a bunch of recruiters back in August of 08. I just wanted to get out of Canada and was willing to go anywhere. My buddy warned me to stay near Seoul, but I was willing to accept any city.

The first recruiter advised me that since I was Chinese, I would not be able to get a job near Seoul. The schools only want people with white faces. The recruiter did however have a position in Uljin. Only 2 hours away from Seoul, she said. And it also had a 24 hour grocery mart. I accepted it and did the paper work. but before I submitted the docs, I contacted another recruiter and she told me that she'd put me near Anyang, near Seoul. I ended up sending 2 sets of documents to Korea. Photocopies went to the Uljin position and authentic copies to Anyang.

I ended up in Anyang and had the time of my life the 2 years I was in Korea. I coincidentally visited Uljin on a school trip and holy crap I dodged a bullet. It was a boonie town near the ocean. 5 Hours from Seoul, 1 family mart and just a whole lot of nothing.

[MacLean]

Sorry, my computer is messing up.

[Xuanzang]

[sojusucks]

If recruiters make any promises about doing things with you after you sign at a school, just forget it. They lose your numbers and/or block it once they get their commission. One promised to introduce me to "everyone" at RMT. Sure, right. Another talked about taking vacations together in Thailand. One even said that she would "swing by" and drive me to Costco once a month. I'm still waiting for any of those promises to come true.

OK, I know those aren't big lies, but newbies be warned. Recruiters lie, even about Costco.

[MacLean]

From Younikorea's job adverts:

"Korea is the undiscovered jewel of NE Asia offering a modern infrastructure, friendly people, magnificent cuisine, and an unparalleled land of beauty."

The mind boggles at where to begin.

[Skill]

So I take it I should ovoid Uljin?

I looked all over the net after a Job offer but did not find much.

[happiness]