Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mithrae]

Yes I know bribing is frowned upon in Korea , but my buddy is thinking of bribing a recruiter to get a decent job. He's a bit older and not getting a lot of responses from recruiters, so he needs to try a different tactic. Has anyone heard of bribing a recruiter before? Why should that be the only industry in Korea that's 'bribe free'? Teachers take bribes here all the time. So why not the agency that provides those teachers?

Any thoughts?

[Ukon]

A recruiter is like a travel agent...he can't force the client to accept your pal.

If he's having that much of a problem, go public schools.

[Kaypea]

The recruiter has to provide good teachers, ones that aren't going to get themselves fired before 6 months. They lose money if they don't. I think your friend would have to bribe a lot ($1000?) to tempt the recruiter. Couldn't he put his/her energy into convincing the recruiter that he/she is a good candidate? Provide references, awesome photos, great essays... tell the recruiter stuff like "I heard you're the best recruiter, all the FT's say so..."

[Mithrae]

My buddy is an excellent teacher with good references. He's also very presentable. This isn't someone who is going to get fired in 6 months.

[Ramen]

[Mithrae]

[big_fella1]

[hockeyguy109]

Wow, qualified teachers needing to bribe recruiters to get work. Is the job market that bad now?

I feel like the recruiter should have bribed me to come here in the first place.

[rt]

Many, if not most Korean teachers, especially professors, pay for their jobs - why should you be any different?

[waseige1]

Bribe has such a bad sound to it and I don't think it is a bribe.

Offer to pay the recruiter if you take a position that you like. Pay them for their services. There are many such services in the western world.

I would get rid of the idea that it is a bribe. It is money for a service.

[Mithrae]

Good point. I went to a 'head hunter' (job finding) service in Canada once, and they wanted $1,500 to find me a good job. So I guess you could be right, it's not necessarily a 'bribe' per se. He'd be paying for better service.

But how would he word it to a recruiter??

[loyfriend]

If you want a job offer, I have about 8 recruiters, and 5 job offers. You can have the jobs or the recruiters emails.

Just Pm me.

[Steve Schertzer]

[deessell]

[Nexus11]

I can guarantee that the recruiter isn't holding out on your friend. They get paid only when positions are filled, so it is in their best interest to fill positions. They are often competing with other recruiters to fill the same job. If your recruiter takes a bribe and only forwards your friend's resume to the top schools instead the resumes of other qualified candidates, he will simply not get a commission because the school will just hire a qualified candidate from a different recruiter.

Your recruiter will miss out on the commission from the school, plus he will not get his "bribe money" because he didn't get your friend a job.

It won't work.

Unfortunately, many Koreans think that youth and beauty somehow make one a better teacher. Without ridiculously high credentials, older applicants need to either go the public school route or simply be extremely patient.