Korean Job Discussion Forums

[br_owen]

I've just started the job hunt and have had contact with a number of different agencies.

Which one should i trust/ go with?

Is it true that for public school positions, you can only work with one agency?

Personal experiences (good or bad) from you guys?

a few of the ones i'm speaking to at the minute - Footprints, Work n Play, think outside, flying cows, BCM and ESL

Any info on any of these would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[ttompatz]

[chickyabroad]

It's true that for applying to SMOE (Seoul public school jobs) you can only go through one recruiter. I don't think this is true for public school jobs in other districts (ie GEPIK, EPIK or EPIG).

So I'd say if you're looking for a SMOE job, just pick one of the recruiters listed on their website and start the process. They're all going to have the same application process and contract. If you're looking for other public school jobs or hagwon jobs, go through as many recruiters as you like until you find one that has the best job for you. Or apply directly to the other public school districts (their contact info should be in a sticky or in the FAQ section).

[chickyabroad]

Oh, and do your research!!! Know what a standard contract looks like, and what things have to, by law, be included (amount of vacation time, health insurance, etc). And of course always remember that the recruiters are getting paid by the schools, not you. I'm not one of the people who says all recruiters are evil and you should never use them, but I think it is important to always be aware of that fact. There are good and bad recruiters, but they're all trying to make their commissions. Think of it as buying a car - no matter how much the salesperson says he wants to find the perfect car for you, would you trust everything he said without verifying with someone who's not making money off you?

[br_owen]

great info - thanks guys.

like the link a lot - very comprehensive - with a ready made list of questions i am sure to ask my prospective employers!!

appreciate it

[Cerriowen]

For public school jobs with GEPIK I know there are dozens of recruiters you can use.

One that was very helpful and prompt was a guy named Walter from ESLPLANET. Just got a job through him, and he was totally blunt and honest about what he could do and couldn't do, and how long things would take... (forever).

[Proustian]

you mean walter " trust me with your degree' - which you will get back with more creases than a week-old paper air plane.

Walter is ok - he tries hard- despite the erroneous information and nonsense he would email me, I would say you can do a lot worse.