Korean Job Discussion Forums

chinook · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Location: canada

I got an email from Andrew Lin about Taiwan, even though it was in a response to a resume post about korea. The thing I found concerning is that his email contained people I could email for references, I have done so and I sort of think at least one of them might not be real. Have other people ever doubted the references given? The English in the email was really shoddy. The second email was really impersonal.

do I have to worry that when school's give me references by email from other teachers that they might be faked?

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Yes, it happens. That doesn't mean it happened in this case, but it's best to talk to someone on the phone. YOu still can get tricked, but at least you'll know if the guy is real or not.
suerte

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

Yes, tone of voice and response speed would be much better gauges of sincerity.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

I think just go with your gut. If your sense that something is wrong then it probably is.

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

It's kind of awkward being on the other end of this also. At my first job, which was neither hell nor ideal, they had me phone some prospective teachers and stood there in the office while I talked to them. It was awkward telling the truth to these teachers while trying not to sound offensive to the owners and supervisors listening in.

phaedrus · Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Location: I'm comin' to get ya.

The best idea would be to ask if you can speak to teachers who have left the school as well as those who still work there. At the very least make sure you talk to all the current teachers and not just the one the boss hand picked to talk to the potential newbie.

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

W.T.Carl · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Be very careful. Some schools may require that you give a rosey picture of conditions if you want to get your bonus and/or ticket home. I have even seen DOSs actually lie to people inorder to get them to come. Trust your gut--Caveat Emptor!!!!!!!!

Neil · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: Tokyo

I have had emails from Andrew Lin in the past. To be fair from the emails and one telephone conversation he seemed like a nice enough chap, giving me lots of reasons why Taiwan was a better bet than Korea or Japan and I must admit despite the poor English in the email he sold the country well to me. But he was too vauge about the logistics of the move there, it was along the lines of "fly over on a tourist visa, stay in a hotel for a week and I'll find you a job straight after that".

I contrasted that with my Korean recruiter who sorted out the E-2 letter, airfare and details of the job and I decided that Korea would be a better bet.