Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chachee99]

I am in a strange situation and desperately need your advice!!! This may sound a bit confusing. I am currently in Seoul at the moment and looking for an ESL position. There is a recruiting agency called SnB who recruits teachers to work part-time at public school in various rural locations near Seoul. Basically you sign a contract with various public schools then sign a contract through SnB, which apparently overpowers all the public school contracts. Now here is my situation. The person SnB agency told me I would be working at 3 or 4 public elementary schools during various days of the week. At the moment the rep at SnB and myself have only signed one public school contract, but have not signed a contract with SnB. The principal of the Elementary Public where I signed contract made it clear that he would not let me start teaching until I obtain my E2 visa. All the E2 visa documents are currently in my possession, and I was told I would not be doing the visa run until after I sign a one-year contract with SnB. After thinking it through, I am a little weary about working part-time at several schools rather than a single school because it just doesn��t make sense. Plus, I fear that it may be potentially some sort of recruiting agency scam. Has anyone ever heard or experienced a system like this before? Can an agency legally contract out teachers to different schools? Since I already put my name on one contract does it mean I am legally bound to work at that public school even through I haven��t made the Visa run yet? If that is the case, I am fully prepared to fulfill the contract at the public school because it expires in February. However, I am not sure if I want to sign a deal through SnB because I may be setting myself up in a sticky situation of having an agency having full control me. If I refuse to sign a contract with SnB can they press any legal action against me for breaching a contract and have me deported? Someone please give me some advice on what to do because I am utterly confused at the moment.

[Grotto]

[chachee99]

I just found out some more information about the position. Apparently the recruiter makes you set up two bank accounts. He keeps the card for one account to collect the money paid for each public school under contract and uses the other to transfer the salary from the SNB contract into your account. Again this sounds funny because if he contracts me to the school why can't the schools just put money SnB's bank account then transfer it into mine. I have a funny feeling this system may be a method for the recruiter to pocket extra money for himself.

I am starting to believe that the agency/recruiter is nothing more than a pimp and the teachers are his hookers. That's just my opinion.

[cruisemonkey]

Don't touch the deal with a proverbial ten-foot pole.

[dulouz]

Yes, you are hooker and your agency is a pimp. This is a newer scam taken to the next level. These deals can be good but more often than not, the agency gets abusive.

There can be alot of money for you if you do this right but its a little difficult and you need some experience here to pull it off.

[jacl]

Yeah, give 'em your bank card. Then write "stupid" backwards on your forehead with a permanent marker so you can check it in the mirror every day. Just to make sure.

Recruiters are worse than hagwon owners. Much worse.