Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crheine]

I just spoke with a recruiter and he told me that this fall there hasn't been many teaching jobs available. This is the first that i have heard of Korea being over populated with teachers. Is there any truth to that or does he just not have many jobs available. Looking for a position in Seoul by the way. thanks for everyones help.

[kiwiliz]

There seem to be just as many jobs advertised if not more. Are you sure the recruiter is just not trying to scare you into taking theirs?

[bassexpander]

Did the recruiter's name start with a K?

I heard that as well. Wasn't sure I believed it. I kind of got the feeling that it meant that THEY couldn't offer as many available positions this year... meaning that the gov't was doing its own public school recruiting to bypass recruiters fees.

It also sounds good when they're trying to get people to jump at crap offers.

I would wonder about the NOVA/Japan crash/situation and the impact it may have on the teacher pool here, however.

[ttompatz]

[Dome Vans]

I heard for the EPIK program that they wanted 2000 new teachers but for the induction week they only got 1600, and there was expected to be at least 100 or so dropping out after a few weeks. So there's plenty of jobs out there, as ttompatz said try more recruiters, don't let them kid you into taking the only jobs they have to offer.

[bassexpander]

I really think there are lots of jobs... just not so many for recruiters.

[crheine]

Thanks for the responses. I only heard it from one recruiter so I think it may be a problem with his inventory of jobs.

[VanIslander]

he wants you to be less picky and take what he offers you

find another recruiter

i went through FOUR recruiters before i found my first job myself on pusanweb.com

remember: don't send ANY documents until you commit to a particular job in your own mind

[Pak Yu Man]

Here is what your recruiter is really saying.

" I hope this person is stupid enough to fall for my B.S. I want my money".

Don't use one. Use many.

[crheine]

I have been speaking to many now. Anyone recommend some good recruiters?

[bassexpander]

One thing I'd like to mention is the fiasco behind filling these public school positions.

This is all heresay, but I heard it from a reliable source:

As I understand it, when these positions opened up a few years ago, they just let recruiters fill them as fast as they could. Some Korean in charge of this "got smart" and figured out he could give exclusive rights to filling the positions to his relative, and he could make a million won on each teacher placed. Problem is, there were TOO MANY to fill, and NOT ENOUGH TIME to fill them.

So the solution was to auction off the remaining open positions to other recruiters to fill AT A PROFIT.

In other words, this Korean family member gets to fill all of the positions he can through only his agency, and keep the million won recruiter fee for each teacher placed, and what he doesn't have time for, he can "sell" to other recruiters -- meaning he keeps about 40 percent of the 1 million won placement fee. So the recruiters actually only get about 600,000 for placing a person (not sure if this fee amount is current), and this family member of the gov't official still pockets 400,000 won for each teacher placed.

So you've now got a Korean involved at the gov't level who has a relative who is "allowing" certain recruiters to actually recruit for these positions, but they get a kickback. This individual/s are making a killing -- all off of government funds -- and also hampering the ability of the gov't to fill these positions. (again, this is rumor).

That is why there are "not so many positions available" as stated by some recruiters. Truth is, they aren't on the "A" list for enough of the jobs, so they can't place you in one of the hundreds open and available.

I can't vouch that this story is 100 percent true, but what needs to be done here is some investigative reporting. I have to think that certain members of Korea's government, as well as parents, wouldn't be too thrilled by things happening this way.


One can only bet that something similar is going on with the evening school program hiring illegal teachers, as well. We all know they are "fudging the books" by using a joint account, opened in the teachers' name, and making it appear they pay the teacher for a lot more then they actually are (and pocketing the rest tax-free).

I'm sure certain gov't members are very much involved, because this practice has mysteriously been allowed to continue.

Any more questions, see the Korean corruption thread on this board.

[Dome Vans]

[bassexpander]

Best way to find a good public school job is through someone you know who works at one.

When I was at a public school, my boss came to me at least 3 times each semester, asking me to help find teachers for other schools in the area.

I never knew anyone who was "in country" and available. I also bet he would have gotten some money for me giving him my recommendation.

[kat2]

What is the NOVA/Japan crash about? I heard some other reference to it and didnt pay attention, but now another reference....I'm curious!

[bassexpander]

Some threads are on here about that. Basically, NOVA is the largest employer of foreign teachers in Japan - to the tune of several thousand. Most from Australia, according to the article. The company has been going downhill after being seriously penalized by the Japanese government for unfair student recruiting practices. They have been hemmoraging money and losing students left-and-right for months, and now they are late paying teachers by as much as two weeks. Staff has been waiting even longer. It's a sinking ship, with nothing good in sight. Some have been lucky, and been paid, but overall it seems like the Titanic in its death rattle.