Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tiger fancini]

I stupidly let my school keep hold of my degree certificate when I arrived here - I know, this was a really dumb thing to do. Now I'm leaving next month, and have been requesting it for the last week. Today they told me that they don't know where it is. This is not a hagwon, this a very "prestigious" private high school in a wealthy part of Seoul. However, right now I'm severely angry at the incompetance of the idiots that work here.

I'll have to contact my university later and find out the process of getting a re-issue. Any costs will be met by the school. Does anyone have any experience of getting a new certificate issued? How long is it likely to take?

[spyro25]

depends entirely on the university. mine took a week at minimal cost. others i have heard dont even do reissues. check with your uni asap. losing the degree is a very low trick by the school to get you to try to stay with them for another year. more than likely they know exactly where the thing is, as the chances are it won't have moved from the place they put all the other teacher's degrees.

[Julius]

The tendency for Korean staff to lose the most valuable of documents is actually quite astounding. You can virtually expect them to lose them. Its a 60% chance you won't get it back.

They always do it, too. Its quite unbelievable. There just seems to be some programmed propensity to immediately misplace certificates. I lost my CELTA reference at the hands of a recruiter 3 years ago. In Korea, degree certificates are apparently easilly replaceable it seems, so they assume that to be the case in every other country.

[Bear256]

In the same vein, I had my CT tell me I need to bring my original copy of my contract to our public elementary school's administrative office. I told him no problem, I will make a copy for them. He said, no, they had to have the original in case they were audited and they would make a copy for me. I asked what happened to their copy of the original contract. He said they lost it. I asked "What makes you think I am going to give you the only other legal copy of my contract to lose, too?" After several days back and forth they finally gave up.

I am asked for a copy of my passport, ARC, degree or TEFL certificate at least once a month. I am in my fourth year here. I always ask what happened to the copy I gave you whenever and always get the same answer. They have absolutely no idea what happened to it after they used it for whatever they used it for. I asked, "Don't you have a file with my name on it and all my employment information in it?" and was told that nothing like that existed, had ever existed, or would exist in the foreseeable future. How does this country even compete on the world markets?

[Atavistic]

[tiger fancini]

[Bibbitybop]

Wow, I'd contact a lawyer.

[Julius]

They think its just a worthless piece of paper.

They probably think a police check, transcripts, notarisation, and apostille are all very simple things to get hold of and it doesn't really matter if they get thrown in the trash can too.

[SuperFly]

Next time, ask them for a million won deposit before you give them anything. That'll learn em!

[ttompatz]

[MarionG]

The diploma is YOUR PRORPERTY. Report it stolen, and tell the police who you believe stole it.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[jeffkim1972]

My guess is that they sold it.

[tigerbluekitty]

[Draz]

According to my university, to get a new copy I have to mail them the old copy along with $50 and an explanation of why I need a new copy. Surely they'd make an exception if it got lost or stolen right? RIGHT??

Yeah, it's not coming with me.