Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tiger fancini]

Hello everybody,

I just wanted to have a bit of a moan, and see if anyone else had had any similair experiences. I've spent the last couple of months looking into going to Korea to work as an ESL teacher. So I made up my resume, sent it off to some recruiters, did loadsa research (this site is pretty good for that!) and tried to generally get my head around the whole thing.

The response to my resume was pretty amazing, all good and plenty of offers for work. I eventually settled on one hagwon, in Paju city and had a good chat with the director there. She was really keen for me to go and work there, and because I got a really good vibe from her I accepted it. I gave my notice at work, told my landlord that I would be moving out, as the start date was to be May 1st. The recruiter asked for my documents, which I sent via FedEx (�40!!), then it all went a bit quiet.

Then yesterday I got a message from the recruiter, the teacher I was going to take over from has decided to stay for another year so its not available any more. He offered another job immediately, in Ulsan, in a school where I would be the only foreign teacher. I said no, because I want to be near Seoul and have heard a few negative things about Ulsan.

I know there's nothing I can do about the job eing cancelled, but is it being unreasonable to ask the recruiter to refund my FedEx charge? I am still planning to come to Korea, as soon as possible, but if my documents are returned to me I will only have to pay ANOTHER �40 to send them back again. Or should I just not bother with recruiters at all and come on a tourist visa and then look for work? Problem is, I don't really have the spare cash at the moment to be buying a plane ticket.... What do y'all reckon?

[Grotto]

You could ask the recruiter but I would bet that would be last you would hear from them.

Click on a bunch of the jobs posted here on Daves and shoot off your resume....you should be able to get a job within a week or so.

Oh yes.....I hope you didnt send your originals when you FEDxed them over.

[tiger fancini]

[jajdude]

Get a job where they'll pay your way over

[Grotto]

Take your degree to the nearest Korean consulate or Embassy and get a certified copy.

Transcripts need to be sealed and original.

Never send your original degree away though......you never know what the heck is going to happen to it.

[tiger fancini]

[Porter_Goss]

School should pay;
1. Airfare
2. Visa expenses (i.e. official copy of diploma, pictures, actual visa, etc...)
3. Relocation pay

Did I forget anything?

[The Hierophant]

[tiger fancini]

Well I've got another interview coming up today, so fingers crossed for that...

My documents are currently in Korea, and the recruiter that I sent them to has said he will courier them back to me. Is it unreasonable to ask him to send them to another recruiter, if I decide to accept this job? I would not have thought so, as it will be much cheaper for him to do this. However, I dont know if there is much inter-recruiter competition over there, or whether this might be percieved as offensive, or whether it may take an extraordinarily long time....??

[buymybook]

I know its illegal in America to have your diploma scanned but if you have that you can e-mail the scanned copy. Most likely the Hakwon you will work at won't do squat(start your Immigration application process until you get here). They want to see what you are like(good/bad).

So, you can tell the recruiter who has your diploma to hold it until you get here and then go pick it up(hopefully the recruiter is in the same city you will work). Of course this is if you have a scanned copy; you could even fax a copy of your diploma with the understanding that you will get your diploma in the very near future. Good luck getting your diploma and teaching illegally for the first 20 + days!

[TECO]

[jacl]

[OiGirl]

[Grotto]

Take your original Degree to the nearest consulate or embassy, they will photocopy it and certify the copy.

DO NOT bring your own copies with you.

[OiGirl]