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banjois
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
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 Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:01 pm Post subject: Is this a warning sign from a recruiter? |
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I just got a job offer, and the recruiter said that if I wanted to make more money he could help hook me up with privates or part-time work.
Should I take this as any kind of a warning sign about the guy's legitimacy, or this just how it goes? |
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lifeinkorea
Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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| hook me up with privates or part-time work |
If the job is full-time, then I don't see how "part-time" fits here.
If there is an offer on the table for 1) FULL-TIME, 2) GOOD PAY, and 3) NO STRINGS ATTACHED, then I would look into it.
I would make it very clear that I would not work privates if I didn't want to. That's basically overtime. So, better to treat it as such. Do a few hours of overtime, and if you get paid extra, do more. If you don't, stop overtime work but continue your regular full-time hours. |
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banjois
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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It was just on top of the job (which had decent hours (10-7 thrice, 10-3 twice a week), and was at 2.2, which as a first-timer I figure is not too bad. I suggested that since I had experience teaching music (on my own, as a private business, not with a school) I might get 2.3. He said they could only do 2.2, but that he could hook me up with other work if I wanted to make more money. Not sure if it was with this school or somewhere else.
I dunno, the job looks decent, but it's my first offer (I only started calling recruiters three days ago) so I don't know if I'm a chump to take it or not. I'll have to see what the contract looks like. |
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Nierlisse
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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If you're coming in on an E-2, you can't work privates anyway (unless you have permission, I believe, and it doesn't sound like that's what he meant) and the recruiter should know this. If that is the case, I would avoid him from now on; sounds totally dodgy to me. I had a recruiter tell me that health insurance and pension were not offered by this certain school because they were optional (untrue) so I stopped talking to them altogether.
If you won't be on an E-2, this of course would not apply! |
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banjois
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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No, he said "It's kind of illegal, you know, but most people do it anyways." Which I knew. But I didn't think the people that did it worked with their recruiters to do it. He also said that this school doesn't offer pension, like lots of schools he deals with. When I talked to the school, the guy said that lots of teachers don't opt to pay into pension, but that I could if I wanted.
Jeez. After I talked to the recruiter I was sketched out and was basically doing the interview as a practice run with no intention of taking the job. Then the interview made things sound kinda decent. Now I'm sketched out again. |
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Nierlisse
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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| banjois wrote: |
| No, he said "It's kind of illegal, you know, but most people do it anyways." |
Based on this sentence, I wouldn't take the job. I probably wouldn't talk to that recruiter again either. And although now I am sort of doubting myself, I am almost 100% sure that pension is NOT optional. Another reason to walk away...
Jobs aren't that hard to come by that you have to take the first one offered. Just consider it interview practice and keep looking.  |
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banjois
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:17 pm Post subject: |
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Is it possible for a good school to come out of a bad recruiter? The recruiter makes me want to run far, far away, but the school made me feel slightly warm and fuzzy inside.
Also, I know that pension is NOT optional, but wouldn't it be a favor to non North American teachers to offer them the option of not having to deal with pension, since it doesn't get refunded anyways?
Hmmm. I just don't know WHAT to think. I this my infamous "welcome to Korea" moment? |
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Hamlet
Joined: 18 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Also, I know that pension is NOT optional, but wouldn't it be a favor to non North American teachers to offer them the option of not having to deal with pension, since it doesn't get refunded anyways? |
No, because it does get refunded. When you leave Korea, you will get the 4.5% of your salary that you paid into the fund AND the 4.5% of your salary that your employer paid into the fund.
I have over 10 million in my pension account...5 million that I paid and 5 million of my boss's cash...will be a nice little bonus when I leave.
Also, if you get caught doing privates, you will get fined and deported. I would be hesitant to work with a recruiter who suggests that you do it. That being said, it is possible to find a good school through a shady recruiter. Ask for the email address of the foreign teachers who are at the school now...get the real picture from them.
EDIT: I just noticed that you said NON North American. What country are you from? You may or may not get it back. If not, by all means, partner up with your boss and do the shady thing together!  |
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lifeinkorea
Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Nierlisse wrote: |
| banjois wrote: |
| No, he said "It's kind of illegal, you know, but most people do it anyways." |
Based on this sentence, I wouldn't take the job. I probably wouldn't talk to that recruiter again either. And although now I am sort of doubting myself, I am almost 100% sure that pension is NOT optional. Another reason to walk away...
Jobs aren't that hard to come by that you have to take the first one offered. Just consider it interview practice and keep looking. |
Based on that I might take it. If a recruiter wanted to screw you, they wouldn't tell you anything is illegal. They would make it sound as legit as possible. In the end, what they say means NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. It's the school you have to talk to.
Just talk directly to the school and see how they handle things:
"Hello, I want to work for you. You WILL pay for my flight before I leave. I WILL NOT accept a reimbursement deal. I WILL ONLY work for you. If you have extra work, I WILL consider doing it as overtime and as outlined in the contract."
If the school doesn't accept this and changes these basic parts, then you should move on. If they consider them reasonable requests, don't assume you will get the overtime, but the job itself may not be bad.
Even if you get a 100% safe job, there are always people out there coming up to you asking for lessons. If you are on the bus they often ask you to teach their children. Regardless what you choose in the end, you still have to think. Don't put your trust in any recruiter or school and stop thinking. |
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banjois
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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I want the pension. I'm Canadian. But I can see how people who wouldn't get the refund wouldn't be too bothered by lack of it. Although, isn't pension tied to health benefits, somehow?
I'm not planning on it, but if I WERE to do privates, it certainly wouldn't be through this recruiter. He's about as subtle as a flying brick to your (other) privates. |
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Michelle
Joined: 18 May 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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| banjois wrote: |
I want the pension. I'm Canadian. But I can see how people who wouldn't get the refund wouldn't be too bothered by lack of it. Although, isn't pension tied to health benefits, somehow?
I'm not planning on it, but if I WERE to do privates, it certainly wouldn't be through this recruiter. He's about as subtle as a flying brick to your (other) privates. |
Hi,
Don't let them try to tell you that either. Pension is pension. Because we are temporary and foreign workers we can get it back before leaving.
Health plan is health plan. It is always seperate and is also legally required. Often though the health plan fee is split between employer and employee, that's ok. But they need to do it too many don't.
nb. Don't give dodgy recruiters the time of day. |
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djsmnc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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| I would tell the recruiter that if they offer you a bail out package including a free flight home in case you are jailed and deported for doing privates, you'll be all for it! |
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banjois
Joined: 14 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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I'm still waiting on a contract to look over, which hopefully arrives soon.
Is my best bet to "review" the contract while I interview with other places? How long can I do this for? What's the best way to keep things nebulous? I'm waiting for some better looking recruiters to hook me up, which they've said they'll do. I think I'm pretty employable (English degree, lots of independent teaching experience). I THINK I like the looks of this school, but I've got no grounds for comparison, yet. I can't find anything good or bad about it on the internet (which kind of seems like a bad sign).
Sorry. Too many questions. I'll figure it out, hopefully. |
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djsmnc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 5:08 am Post subject: |
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| banjois wrote: |
I'm still waiting on a contract to look over, which hopefully arrives soon.
Is my best bet to "review" the contract while I interview with other places? How long can I do this for? What's the best way to keep things nebulous? I'm waiting for some better looking recruiters to hook me up, which they've said they'll do. I think I'm pretty employable (English degree, lots of independent teaching experience). I THINK I like the looks of this school, but I've got no grounds for comparison, yet. I can't find anything good or bad about it on the internet (which kind of seems like a bad sign).
Sorry. Too many questions. I'll figure it out, hopefully. |
Why not just find places directly (such as on this site), look up the blacklists and type in the names of the schools and their particulars in a search engine (such as director's name, email addy, etc.) and make sure they don't pop up on some shytelist? Then you can have a much higher probability of getting what you are looking for than counting on a recruiter whose sole job it is to collect a couple thousand bucks for placing people in jobs that have a hard time finding people for one reason or another. |
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Nierlisse
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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| lifeinkorea wrote: |
| Nierlisse wrote: |
| banjois wrote: |
| No, he said "It's kind of illegal, you know, but most people do it anyways." |
Based on this sentence, I wouldn't take the job. I probably wouldn't talk to that recruiter again either. And although now I am sort of doubting myself, I am almost 100% sure that pension is NOT optional. Another reason to walk away...
Jobs aren't that hard to come by that you have to take the first one offered. Just consider it interview practice and keep looking. |
Based on that I might take it. If a recruiter wanted to screw you, they wouldn't tell you anything is illegal. They would make it sound as legit as possible. In the end, what they say means NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. It's the school you have to talk to.
Just talk directly to the school and see how they handle things:
"Hello, I want to work for you. You WILL pay for my flight before I leave. I WILL NOT accept a reimbursement deal. I WILL ONLY work for you. If you have extra work, I WILL consider doing it as overtime and as outlined in the contract."
If the school doesn't accept this and changes these basic parts, then you should move on. If they consider them reasonable requests, don't assume you will get the overtime, but the job itself may not be bad.
Even if you get a 100% safe job, there are always people out there coming up to you asking for lessons. If you are on the bus they often ask you to teach their children. Regardless what you choose in the end, you still have to think. Don't put your trust in any recruiter or school and stop thinking. |
Well, I (personally) wouldn't take the job exactly because the recruiter is advocating something illegal, regardless of his honesty or admission that "lots of people do it". Anyone who advocates breaking the law in that way, especially someone you are trusting to place you in a good school, is someone I would avoid. Just the way I avoided a recruiter who told me pension and healthcare were optional. If they say one thing that I know to be false, what else are they lying about? But that is just my personal opinion; to each his own, of course.
And I agree 100% with the rest of your post. |
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