Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sjane1234]

I am supposed to be starting an orientation week with the SMOE on March 1. I received my VISA a few days ago, so I booked and paid for my flight to arrive in Seoul on the 27th Feb, this will give me two days to rest before I start the orientation - or so I thought...
My recruiter rings me today and tells me that the orientation is now starting on Saturday 27th!!!
He told me that if I miss the start of the orientation, I will lose my job!
Lovely! So now I have paid my flight in full and I dont know what to do!
By the way this is the first problem ive had with this agent...
Does anybody know if this is true, that it is starting on the 27th?
Im thinking of telling him to s*** his job!
I even have emails from him telling me it starts on March 1! It even says it on my contract!
Please give some advice-im really thinking of pulling out of this Korea mess!

[BoholDiver]

Your own way out seems to be to enforce the contract.

Who paid for the ticket and booked the date, btw?

[passport220]

[Seoulio]

The orientation starts on the 1st of March.

[cincynate]

Usually the orientation is outside of your contract. For example, my contract started on September 1st, but my orientation started on August 20th. I'm with Epik, so I think it should be similar to SMOE, as they are both Government, but not sure about this year. SMOE really f'd stuff up last semester, so you better tripple check before you fly out.. Hopefully they don't cancel your contract while you're in the air en route to Korea! Good luck my friend!

[JJJ]

Take a deep breath, and relax. You are fine. Don't worry. I don't know when it starts, March 1st or not but even if it started on the 27th, you will be alright.

I remember teachers coming a day or two late and another teacher who stayed for one day and left (without telling anyone) and I saw him at a meeting months later. You are NOT going to lose your job. It's one of the many power tripping exercises that SMOE loves to do. They told you when it started, you bought your ticket, it's done. Unless, they want to transfer a few hundred bucks to cover the cost of changing the ticket to your bank today, don't worry, enjoy the flight and good luck.

[Seoulio]

The last poster is correct.

There are always some people who arrive a day late, it is no issue.

It has been confirmed by Jon Pak on the Facebook group that the orientation starts on March 1st. There is shuttle service available on the 26th, and you can get the bus on the 27th from Seoul high school.

Sat and Sunday is for getting over jet lag and health examinations.

[eljuero]

I just posted this on the facebook group and I'm hoping for some help.

A bit of this information is vague intentionally for obvious reasons.

I came into the interviewing process a bit late and went through document hell to get everything there on time. I had an interview with someone from SMOE and it went well. Later that day I received an email from my recruiter saying that I had been hired, congratulations etc.. I finsihed up a remaining paperwork issue and the recruiter emailed saying that SMOE (as I recall) would send a FedEX packet for the work visa within the next 1-2 days. Today is day three and I emailed my recruiter to see what the latest was. He said he was going to check on it but I should get the FedEx info today. I see it's still only mid day on Friday there.

Maybe it will all come through but I'm wondering how much is potential BS and how much is just a little lateness and/or disorganization? Am I being set up for a really bad situation? Should I be concerned?

Thanks for any reassurance or thoughts on this.

[probablylauren]

Definitely don't stress. I'm pretty sure there are people arriving at the airport on the 27th. I read something either on the 2010 facebook group or in the forums here (I've had a bit of a look and can't find it. If I do, I'll post the link).

However, from Jon's post -
http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=158126429647&view=all - you could be safe to assume that there will be people who won't be at the Orientation centre until the 27th (as they are getting picked up from Seoul High School).

Just email your recruiter and ask them how you can get from the airport to the centre. Considering your recruiter will only get paid if you turn up, they should be pretty helpful!

[probablylauren]

eljeuro- I think the reason you aren't getting much help on that is that things can be a bit flexible and there isn't a definite answer (especially with my experience with FedEx).

I found that most of the process in getting my job was very stressful as I like to have everything planned and organised.

You may just have to wait and see. Keep in contact with your recruiter, maybe phone them if you can.

From these forums and various blogs, it is possible to do all the visa stuff very last minute (i.e. last week), so you may still have a day or two up your sleeve?

[yingwenlaoshi]

Your recruiter is a moron.

[Seoul'n'Corea]

[eljuero]

Thanks probablylauren - do what you can and expect the unexpected.

[wings]

Tell your recruiter you will be there on the 27th. Then on the 27th send him an email from "the airport" telling him that you have been bumped from your flight, give him your "new" flight information.

In Korea just always say "yes, of course, no problem". Then continue as usual.

[egrog1717]

August 2008... Because of a visa delay (F-ing Toronto consulate... I can't b*tch about them enough, a year and a half and I'm still bitter ) I didn't show up to the SMOE orientation until Friday night... We left the next afternoon for our respective district offices.
(There were also people who arrived after I did)