Korean Job Discussion Forums

royce242 · Joined: 03 Oct 2007

Hi everyone. I'm brand new to the process of teaching abroad. I'm a former doctoral student who has taught business and English for 3+ years and am thinking about going over to Asia to teach. My best friend is currently doing it, and seems to like it very much...

My question...

I noticed on the job board that there are dozens (maybe over hundred) different recruiters looking for suitable teachers. I've picked one at random, sent them my app. and am now waiting.

How do you go about finding the right recruiter when there are a ton to choose from?

I went with "Intl ESL Gateways".

Any comments?

biggpoppa · Joined: 14 Jul 2007 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

you should be looking for a university job, directly through a university if you have your doctoral...don't settle for anything less...

royce242 · Joined: 03 Oct 2007

I do not have a doctorate. I dropped out, ABD.

Dome Vans · Guest

Get in contact with a lot of them. Fire off the CV. Sift through the rubbish, there'll be plenty of them. Have email contact with the current teachers, check out the area to make sure it's right for you, and post the contracts you're interested on here for a critical look. Then accept. That's the best way.

The recruiter I found had the best jobs was www.tenetkorea.com They got me my job which is an EPIK job.

MarionG · Joined: 14 Sep 2006

If you use a recruiter, INSIST on speaking to the on site director of the school on the phone...it's the only way you'll know if he or she speaks any English, and if there's no English, how will you ever get a problem solved?

Don't trust the recruiter to tell you the truth..."He used to live in the US" may well mean "He passed through JFK airport when he was a baby."

MiniMoonks · Joined: 30 Oct 2007

Great tip MarionG.

I'm actually considering using a recruiter as well. There are so many things to take note of when considering to teach in South Korea or overseas for that matter.

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 3:19 pm Post subject:

absolutely NEVER trust recruiters, they will do & say just about anything to get u on a plane to SK. i have a friend that came over after being told she was at a public school in suwon, turns out she was in a hagwon somewhere else (not even close!)
the recruiter then made little to no effort in contacting her about the situation

be extremely careful with recruiters, get a bunch of them and tell them exactly what u want, after they start turning out jobs, ask to talk to current teachers,directors,etc. and also ask some ppl on here about the recruiter's rep

good luck!

MiniMoonks · Joined: 30 Oct 2007

Alexander · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Location: Seoul

I'll agree. Most of them are terrible. I spent weeks weeding them out, one by one. Even a number of the rather large ones were pretty appalling in terms of response times.

There has, however, been one exception. Consequently, he got the nod.

Rowan
ESL PLANET
http://www.esl-planet.com/

My other half and I have spent hours (seriously!) chatting with him via telephone, email, and Skype. We're pedantic, and he's earned his fee.

Like everyone says, tell him exactly what you're looking for.

Do a search, and you'll find plenty of similar posts.

MiniMoonks · Joined: 30 Oct 2007

Alexander, thank you for providing a recruiting company whom you had a positive experience with. I'll be sure to check out the recruiter and the company.

The reason I had first considered going through a recruiter was because I've been reading through the Korean Job Board and most teaching positions being offered are through recruiters and not directly from the schools themselves, except for the occasional university position.

From reading through other posts, it seems a bit more difficult applying directly to a school.

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

Also if possible speak to the school's current or previous teacher and make sure they call you from outside the school (from the own house would be preferable).

If a recruiter starts pushing you to sign without any information (meaning they refuse to give you access to the school and native teachers), then simply tell them to go to h*** and hangup (or in the case of email put them on your block list). Don't put up with the recruiters crap!

crazy tigger · Joined: 06 Aug 2006

I actually had a bad experience with Rowan, I was offered a job and at the last minute had the old bait and switch routine done. Just to say thatmany recruiters can be both good and bad!

Go through asmany recruiters as you canface ealing with, I used about 12, I received 20 - 30 job offers but after researchetc there were only a couple I would like to have accepted.

Also insist on speaking to an old teacher, don't believe a recruter if they say the old teacher hasleft and it's common not to have contact details for them etc, its a bad ign (I found this out nearly to my cost).

Just do your research, wade through tyhe ofers and then comeon here and ask specific questions about the job(s) you are interexted in. Don't forget to post your contract in the sticky section

MiniMoonks · Joined: 30 Oct 2007

Draz · Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

All very good advice. I'd only add that you should fire off your resume to EVERY recruiter, then kick back and wait to see what comes your way. DON'T be in a sweat to take a job; these people have a mission, and that is to place you and make a buck.

If they feed you that line that the position might not be there tomorrow (or in a week), just say no. Let them know that you have peppered the market with resumes and are getting a lot of responses.

Fight the good fight. Good luck to you.