Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Us in DC]

Hey all fellow newbies

I just found out that shopping yourself around a bunch of different recriuiters is a bad idea. This may seem like common sense to some but I didn't know and no one, including recruiters, ever told me.

So for all of you just starting off don't give your info to a bunch of different recruiters because they may/may not work with the same schools.

I assumed the ESL recruiting inductry was like other reputable businesses in this world where one agent has a list of clients and those clients are exclusively his/hers. Appearently the case is one recruiter has a list of schools they work with and other recruiters work with the same schools? That is one stupid, dysfunctional way of doing things that invites overlaps and problems. But that's how they do it. Correct me if I am wrong.

Also, I seem to have totally screwed myself by sending out all my info. to all these different recruiters. I am also having trouble finding ads from school directors on Dave's and eslteachersboard.com. Even when I think I am responding to and ad that claims to be from a school director I get a response from a f**king recruiter again! Any advice on how to rectify this situation?

[peppermint]

[Us in DC]

[peppermint]

You're the first person I've ever heard of claiming that they have too much exposure. It's hard to help when you aren't saying what the problem is.

[prosodic]

[Unreal]

If I relied on one recruiter, I'd still be looking for a job in a year from now. I have had contact with about 15 recruiters so far...half of them don't even respond to my initial contact and if I ask a few questions about a position, the half that are left seem to disappear. Sure, maybe a handfull of schools will come across your resume twice (I've had 3 recruiters offer me a job at the same school) but the extra exposure you get from dealing with multiple recruiters is worth that risk. The more recruiters that send you job info, the more you have an idea of what's out there and you can make a more informed decision.

I don't have time to wait around for one or two recruiters to get back to me. I've found 2 recruiters that have been able to keep communications going for more than 2 emails/phone calls. Now that I've sifted through 15 to find those 2, I'll likely take a job with one of them as they've risen above the rest...if I didn't go through 15, It would be unlikely that I would have found those 2 and I'd still be waiting by the phone well after prom night is long over.

Right now I've just refused a job and I've still got 2 on the table. The more options I have, the more control I have over my own destiny and I'm not left dependent on one recruiter.

[Zenpickle]

This is not unique to the ESL industry. It's common in any industry where there's a pool of talent and someone can make a quick buck (or won) by connecting said talent with employers.

This is exactly how the IT industry has worked as long as I was in it. And I don't have close to a high an opinion of recruiters in any field. In the IT industry, if a recruiter calls you about a position, she usually asks if you've already been submitted to that position by someone else.

I wouldn't worry about overexposure by two or three recruiters handing your resume to a director. It just embarrasses the recruiters and makes you look more persistent, IMHO.

Quick story about one of my many recruiter experiences in the IT field:

I was living in Rochester, NY, finishing a contract in Syracuse. A recruiter called me about a sweet job in Albany, NY. I interviewed for the job, and the recruiter said that I got the job, but I needed to move there in two weeks. That was rough because I had to pack up my family (wife and three kids), find a house in Albany, and move there very quickly.

After pulling off that feet two weekends later, I called the recruiter Monday to see what time I needed to be in to work.

"Oh, sorry, they changed their mind. It was a miscommunication. You didn't get the job."

I won't finish the story because it really opens up a sore spot that I have been trying to block out.

Ironic note:
This was in April 2001. I was offered two jobs: one in Albany and one in NYC working in the World Trade Center. So maybe I was a bit lucky in the end.

[Homer]

Most of you do realize that recruiters (the better one that is) get tons of resumes from teachers who are not serious and who are just testing the waters.
Recruiting like any job requires time, money and energy. They might feel that since many teachers just shop around that they will wait before getting serious about a teacher.

Another note, many teachers send in badly presented applications with dodgy resumes and incomplete documentation and then expect the recruiter to go all out to find a job for them.

I am sure this is a two way street where good recruiters probably wait to be sure that the teacher that is applying is serious.

Of course many recruiters are crap and do it just to place as many teachers as possible. These idiots place unqualified teachers and qualified teachers alike and often times they do this in bad hakwons they have not even checked out.

It is an uneven industry but the fault lies on both sides of the fence.

[Blind Willie]

Chum, the way I see recruiters, is if they try to push the first contract they come across on me like it was a job as body oil applyer at the Playboy Mansion, while not being wiling to let you know of other, later starting positions, then screw them. They just want to dump you off and get their pay

[eamo]

One of the recruiters favorite tricks is to tell the job-hunter to not use other recruiters because if a director receives your resume from a few different sources then it looks bad on you.

It's a load of crap. They just want you to themselves. Why would a director mind if he gets your resume a couple of times?

You could find yourself stuck with one recruiter who is just starting out and has maybe two schools working with him!!!

Spread it around.....

[Homer]

Then again eamo, some recruiters don't limit themselves to working directly with a few schools.

Some form partnerships with networks of placement agencies.

It is ok to apply with many recruiters as long as it is done professionally and in the open. That way, all parties involved know what is going on.

[Us in DC]

[Saxiif]

Us in DC: Don't worry you'll get used to getting lied to people in the hagwon industry, until then take it easy...

[Us in DC]

Yeah sooner or later I will stop caring. But only after I make an ass out of myself by publicizing my panic a few more times.

On the other hand I am glad I started this thread for the other people just starting off who might run into the same thing.[/quote]

[Gollum]

Recruiters are there to serve YOU.

Why? It's the only way THEY make money.

To warn people not to use more than one recruiter not only severely limits your job prospects, but also sounds like a Public Service Announcement paid for by your friendly local recruiting agency.