Korean Job Discussion Forums

[xpatmatt]

Hi Everyone,
My name is Matt Gibson. I'm a journalist working on an article about teaching agents in different countries around Asia.

In Taiwan (where I live) agents traditionally have had a bad reputation for being untrustworty, greedy, dishonest, etc. However, it seems that this has been changing in recent years.

Since I have little experience with agents, I am looking for teachers' opinions about agents so that I can find out what the general attitude towards them is in different countries.

I'd like to know:
1) Do you feel that most agents are honest?
2) Do you feel that agents work in the best interest of teachers?
3) Do you feel that agents contribute to lower overall teaching wages by trying to convince teachers to accept less pay (so that they can make more money)?

Also, I'd really like to hear about anyone's personal experiences with agents, or anything else that anyone has to say on the topic. My article will be based mainly on the opinions of the teachers who respond to my post.

If you would like your opinion included in the article (although I can't guarantee it will be) please include the following information about yourself:
Name (just a first name is OK)
Home country
Country you teach in.

This is just so that I can attribute quotes to people, for example, Beth, a British English teacher living in Japan said,...

If you're not comfortable with providing personal information, that's fine too. Your input would still be useful.

Thanks very much for reading!
Best,
Matt

[ttompatz]

What is an "agent"?

If you mean dispatch agent - there aren't any (legal ones) in Korea when it comes to foreign teachers. Unless the foreigner is married to a Korean or has managed to obtain permanent residence they are tied to their employer and are NOT free to "freelance" so using the services of a dispatch agency would be illegal (but it does happen).

If you mean recruiter / headhunter then:

they are what they are. Some are better than others.
some are worse than others.

]They work differently here than there. (they get a flat fee from the school to find a teacher, they do not find "hourly", part-time, casual and they do not take a percentage of the salary (for the typical E2 teacher).

In most cases using a recruiter is akin to dealing with a used car salesman.

You walk on the lot (website), and check out the cars on offer (look at what positions are posted).

If you see something you like, you inquire about it.
If you like what you see/hear you do further and take a test drive or have your mechanic look at it (look at the contract, talk to other teachers, etc).

If you still like what you hear you buy it (sign the contract).

You go through the visa application process (send your documents to Korea), get your visa confirmation number, go to a Korean consulate (quite possibly in your home country if it is your 1st - consular interview needed) and get your visa, get on a plane and head over.

Honesty of the recruiter is not an issue. Due diligence on your part is.
Keep the analogy of the used car salesman in your head and you will be fine.

Sign me ttompatz.

[PRagic]

You could do a search for C. Benner and labor intermediaries. He has a book out and some key publications (e.g. Regional Studies). Good way to ground your research.