Korean Job Discussion Forums

[plato's republic]

It seems that 95% of all job postings on the various job boards have been cornered by recruiters. This isn't good for the potential jobseeker. What's your take on this?

[bellum99]

Seems fine to me. They do the running and the hassles and I accept only exactly what I want. I deal with many different companies and make sure everything they promise is in the contract or I don't sign.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I think that some schools probably use more than one recruiter for the same job. I got mine through a school district and it had lots of advantages; however, my school had no idea what the visa process was. If I hadn't worked in Korea before and known the process I probably would never have even got my ARC.

[plato's republic]

I see your point but if there were more independant job offers out there where potential teachers could contact the school directly, then we might have less crap to deal with in terms of all the BS recruiters give in order to get teachers to sign a contract.
Dealing with recruiters has its benefits and its downsides.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

One also has to consider Koreans' research skills. How many hogwan directors or school principals would know how to go about recruiting themselves? How many schools know how immigration works? Unless they have Western staff who can do it for them I doubt many of them would know how to go about it.

[some waygug-in]

I've used recruiters 2 times and found my own job 2 times.

Both times I used recruiters, I ended up regretting it.

You can never find out enough about a proposed job from a recruiter, they will always try to sugar coat things or out and out lie to get you to sign. Often they will, take you to some job interview way out of town and then try to make you feel guilty that they have done all this for you.
I have yet to have a positive experience dealing with a recruiter.

Of course, I am only one person. But it has been my experience that it IS very worth my while to do the research myself, talk to the past or current teachers, etc. etc

I've even had a recruiter, who set up an appointment for me with a school, but gave me the wrong time and then tried to blame me for the mistake. This all made me look irresponsible to the school, so I didn't get the job, then the recruiter tried to lay a guilt trip on me, saying that since I had messed up the interview........ I should be willing to accept some other crappy job offer that I would never be interested in for love not money.

Use them if you like, but do so with caution.

[TOGirl]

[crazylemongirl]

Part it is the prestige factor.. oh look we paid money to this service so it must be good. A glossy brochere goes a long way here.

[Homer]

[some waygug-in]

I don't know about other cities in Korea, but in Busan, I've had nothing but run arounds, time wasted, dead ends and terrible job offers from recruiters.

The only thing recruiters have cornered is people who are too lazy to do anything for themselves.

[plato's republic]

Homer,

Are you a recruiter or were you a recruiter? You always seem to be jumping to the defence of recruiters. The vast majority of them are scumbags. I call it like it is. Of course using them has some benefits, but not always.

[Homer]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I had no problem with my first recruiter, even though I ended up having to leave because of a little difference of opinion with my f*cking boss. I've also made friends with two recruiters, both really nice people (though one can be a real ass when he's drunk). Just think, they're getting it twice as bad because they get the run-around from both schools and would-be teachers.

You should also hear some of the things one of them has told me about how openly racist and ageist and sexist some hogwan directors are.

[paperbag princess]

recruiters are horrible creatures. twice i was put in really shite hagwon situations by recruiters. my second recruiter actually recruited for my first school, even after he new everything that happened to me there. i'm sorry to anyone i referred him to.