Korean Job Discussion Forums

[verok]

[Chaparrastique]

[trueblue]

[bibichoo]

Don't worry about the recruiter. They will say and do anything to get that commission. Not excusing the behavior - just saying that it's easier to not care about their threats when you realize how desperate many of them can be if they can't meet their quota for the month.

I've been in a similar position to you. I was accepted into EPIK, but never signed anything. I needed to think about it. The recruiter tried to use the "you are screwing me over!" emotional blackmail. I did feel bad, but it wasn't personal, it was business. Then she went berserk, and told me that I would never be able to work in Korea after that. Um...ok, Ms. All-Powerful.

I sent her a very polite email that I had received a better offer somewhere (not true, but it was a way to save face for everyone), and that I was sure she would understand that I would have to go with the better offer, thanks for her efforts, and good luck.

She left me alone after that.

[verok]

[tob55]

NOTE:This post is simply my opinion of the situation the OP started a discussion on, so if your opinion differs, take no offense at what I write.

Remember, this business is either busy or not, with the latter option being more regular these days. 10 years ago, recruiters had little problems meeting quotas for potential employees. They had extravagant tastes, so typically they would go out and buy their fancy cars, live life on the edge spending every penny coming to them with no plan for the future because it was going to be this way for ever. Fast forward to today. Now the economy isn't as solid as it was in the past. Most of the recruiters are either mortgaged or credit bound to the limit and they have to rush around trying to get money from Peter to pay Paul. They are sinking into the abyss, with little hope of recovery, so they have become ruthless in their dealings with potential recruits. Each person they recruit does not represent a suitable worker for a school position, but they represent cold, hard cash that helps keep the recruiter or the recruiting company afloat from month to month.

Some will argue the fact that recruiters have a hard job, but they have only made it hard on themselves. Lack of ANY financial forecasting or knowledge about how things really work in business is their curse. Having no understanding of people or the needs and/or wants of people regarding the positions they are applying for, i.e. no people skills, is beyond their mental capacity to do the right thing when it is in their control to do it. Seeing their recruits only as a 'paycheck' is one of their biggest mistakes. The list goes on, but let it be known that no one feels sorry for them. They have dug their own graves, so they get what they get. Honestly fewer recruiters or recruiting companies like the one mentioned in this thread would make it easier for those who are honest and trying to a good job.

As for the blacklist, do yourself well and steer clear of any agency listed on the KFTRA website. It was said to me once and I truly believe it: "you cannot trust someone who has no trust for others." The agencies on that list are trying to be the version of the recruiter police and their types have no place in honest business. Agencies who perform such acts are crooked to start with and cannot be trusted to work for the benefit of those who come to them on the basis of trust.

You don't typically hear good things about recruiters or recruiting companies, because there is not really anything good to say about them. For every success story regarding a recruiter someone has, there are twenty horror stories. It has been this way since I arrived in Korea 10 years ago. Stories of signed contracts to work in one place only to be shanghaied to a completely different place; stories of recruiters telling their recruits total and complete lies regarding their placements; stories like the one mentioned by the OP. Most all of my friends who have come to and gone from Korea literally have zero confidence or trust in recruiters or what they do. So why do recruiters continue to thrive? My wife checked it out and found out that in an industry like recruiting there are very few rules, regulations or laws provided for their oversight and supervision. Basically, it goes like this:

Kim (at coffee one day): I need something to do.
Lee: What do you have in mind?
Kim: Well, I am not sure, got any suggestions?
Lee: Why don't you become a recruiter?
Kim: Isn't that hard to do?
Lee: Not at all. You just go down to the tax office and sign up. It takes 20 minutes to get everything done. Then you can set up your own business.
Kim: Sounds like fun, let's go down together!

In a segment of the education industry with such an impact on children and adults, you would think the government would at least create some monitoring system over recruiters. However, as long as a guy makes it look like he is paying his taxes, recruiters can do what they want and with little consequence for their unethical and crooked behavior.

Now, back to the discussion.

[Smithington]

There should be an agency where we can report recruiters who threaten to 'deport' or 'report to immigration' completely legal activity such as turning down a job. It's akin to impersonating a police officer. They are intimidating people (foreigners unaware of the law) with an alleged legal authority they do not have, and should not pretend to have.

I once worked at a hakwon and the pay was consistently late. I complained about it and the scumbag owner threatened to report me to immigration and have me deported. For demanding my pay!

A law needs to be brought in regarding this. You hear far too many stories about this kind of threat from recruiters for it to just be an 'occasional' thing. But as foreigners would be the main beneficiaries of such a law, I wouldn't hold your breath about seeing it introduced anytime soon.