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col89
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Location: Geoje
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 Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:39 pm Post subject: General Question about Recruiters' Vacation Time |
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Hi there,
I'm just wondering, if anyone can tell me whether or not recruiters do -- *officially* -- have an allotted vacation time?
The reason I ask this particular question is, because I have asked for my recruiter's assistance after having some troubles with my school, and she told me, after answering my phone call when she did not respond to emails, that she would get back to me in the next week as there is a vacation period right now. I wasn't aware of this before, and certainly didn't think there was one now. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Any help whatsoever would be great. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: General Question about Recruiters' Vacation Time |
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| col89 wrote: |
Hi there,
I'm just wondering, if anyone can tell me whether or not recruiters do -- *officially* -- have an allotted vacation time?
The reason I ask this particular question is, because I have asked for my recruiter's assistance after having some troubles with my school, and she told me, after answering my phone call when she did not respond to emails, that she would get back to me in the next week as there is a vacation period right now. I wasn't aware of this before, and certainly didn't think there was one now. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Any help whatsoever would be great. |
They are entitled to vacation time the same as anyone else as per the labor standards act.
Getting them to help with problems at your school however is usually a waste of your time. It isn't their job and if you have been there more than 3 months their obligation to the employer (who paid them) is probably already finished as well.
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col89
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Location: Geoje
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: General Question about Recruiters' Vacation Time |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| col89 wrote: |
Hi there,
I'm just wondering, if anyone can tell me whether or not recruiters do -- *officially* -- have an allotted vacation time?
The reason I ask this particular question is, because I have asked for my recruiter's assistance after having some troubles with my school, and she told me, after answering my phone call when she did not respond to emails, that she would get back to me in the next week as there is a vacation period right now. I wasn't aware of this before, and certainly didn't think there was one now. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Any help whatsoever would be great. |
They are entitled to vacation time the same as anyone else as per the labor standards act.
Getting them to help with problems at your school however is usually a waste of your time. It isn't their job and if you have been there more than 3 months their obligation to the employer (who paid them) is probably already finished as well.
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I was told by another teacher that this is simply not true. It appears that they are obliged to assist the teacher through any difficulties -- especially in severe cases -- given that they are the ones who found them the position in the first place.
Thank you for the response. |
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comm
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: General Question about Recruiters' Vacation Time |
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| col89 wrote: |
I was told by another teacher that this is simply not true. It appears that they are obliged to assist the teacher through any difficulties -- especially in severe cases -- given that they are the ones who found them the position in the first place.
Thank you for the response. |
I'm not sure I've seen ttompatz be wrong about anything on this forum. In any case, he's 100% right about this. The recruiter worked for your employer, not for you. The recruiter has been paid by your employer, and their relationship has ended. The recruiter has no legal, contractual or even moral obligation to do anything for you.
If you signed some kind of contract with the recruiter, consider this to be invalid. But I'm going to assume that's not the case. |
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whiteshoes
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:37 pm Post subject: Re: General Question about Recruiters' Vacation Time |
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| comm wrote: |
| col89 wrote: |
I was told by another teacher that this is simply not true. It appears that they are obliged to assist the teacher through any difficulties -- especially in severe cases -- given that they are the ones who found them the position in the first place.
Thank you for the response. |
I'm not sure I've seen ttompatz be wrong about anything on this forum. In any case, he's 100% right about this. The recruiter worked for your employer, not for you. The recruiter has been paid by your employer, and their relationship has ended. The recruiter has no legal, contractual or even moral obligation to do anything for you.
If you signed some kind of contract with the recruiter, consider this to be invalid. But I'm going to assume that's not the case. |
I know some recruiters, they rotate their vacation so they can always have someone working. One place has three main recruiters and two are always on duty, so to speak.
Also, while ttompatz is right in the sense that they don't "have" to do anything for you after that point, a good recruiter will. They are business people and want to build good contacts. They know that if you have a good placement, get paid and have a good time you are more likely to recommend that recruiter in the future.
But above all, it's the job that matters, not the recruiter. |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:27 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I was told by another teacher that this is simply not true. It appears that they are obliged to assist the teacher through any difficulties -- especially in severe cases -- given that they are the ones who found them the position in the first place. |
Generally, in Korea, a typical E2 visa holder will sign a contract with the school and not the recruiter. The recruiter works for the school, not the teacher. So, it would be like a waiter/recruiter to patron/teacher and restaurant/school. If you have a problem at the restaurant, you talk with the manager of the restaurant, not the waiter.
In China, they farm teachers out. You can sign a contract with a recruiter, and they will get you schools to work at. In this case, you will have legal and working obligations with the recruiter. With the easing of visa regulations in Korea, it's possible someday the same thing will happen but it's still a long ways away from happening. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:39 am Post subject: Re: General Question about Recruiters' Vacation Time |
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| col89 wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
| col89 wrote: |
Hi there,
I'm just wondering, if anyone can tell me whether or not recruiters do -- *officially* -- have an allotted vacation time?
The reason I ask this particular question is, because I have asked for my recruiter's assistance after having some troubles with my school, and she told me, after answering my phone call when she did not respond to emails, that she would get back to me in the next week as there is a vacation period right now. I wasn't aware of this before, and certainly didn't think there was one now. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Any help whatsoever would be great. |
They are entitled to vacation time the same as anyone else as per the labor standards act.
Getting them to help with problems at your school however is usually a waste of your time. It isn't their job and if you have been there more than 3 months their obligation to the employer (who paid them) is probably already finished as well.
. |
I was told by another teacher that this is simply not true. It appears that they are obliged to assist the teacher through any difficulties -- especially in severe cases -- given that they are the ones who found them the position in the first place.
Thank you for the response. |
Lets clarify something here.
Recruiters are middle men that match applicants to jobs. That is their mandate and anything else they offer is icing on the cake and certainly not an obligation.
Taken them as such, and they can be a very useful means to find a job in Korea.
They do not owe applicants anything beyond offering them connections with employers because teachers/applicants do not pay them a red cent. Schools pay recruiters a placement fee which varies in value and is usually dependant on a teacher staying a set amount of time.
So, once a recruiter matches you with a job, that is the end of their mandate and after this, for all intents and purposes it is between you and your new employer.
If they help you with visa matters and answer questions...great, but know that this is not something they have to do. |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:00 am Post subject: |
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| If they help you with visa matters and answer questions...great, but know that this is not something they have to do. |
Initial visa matters and answering questions might as well be a duty. I wouldn't deal with a recruiter that refused to help out with visa arrangements. Even the shady ones will do it because they then know you are set for the year.
This spells inexperience more than anything else.
You are better off trying to handle things with the school owner/principal, and if that doesn't work post the problem here. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:46 am Post subject: |
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| YTMND wrote: |
| Quote: |
| If they help you with visa matters and answer questions...great, but know that this is not something they have to do. |
Initial visa matters and answering questions might as well be a duty. I wouldn't deal with a recruiter that refused to help out with visa arrangements. Even the shady ones will do it because they then know you are set for the year.
This spells inexperience more than anything else.
You are better off trying to handle things with the school owner/principal, and if that doesn't work post the problem here. |
Most recruiters will deal with the visa process because it simplifies the hiring. What I am saying is that some people tend to expect far too much from recruiters. In even more direct form: all a recruiter owes an applicant is to match him or her with job(s). When the applicant is hired the recruiter has fulfilled his or her basic mandate. Helping with the visa has become somewhat standard but you do realize that a lot of times it is the employer who deals with visa matters and only uses the recruiter as a communication intermediary.
Expecting or worse assuming a recruiters is obligated to offer support services after placement is a mistake in my opinion. If a recruiter does advertise such services, great. If they also provide such services, better. |
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JustinC
Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Location: We Are The World!
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 7:10 am Post subject: |
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I've worked overseas in four countries and only spoke to one recruiter after I'd arrived. It was my first teaching job and in China, the guy said 'Hey, it's all good, let's meet for a beer sometime' and never turned up when I went to meet him.
Once you've signed and turned up their job is over. You're on your own apart from any help and relationships you can have with your colleagues and other expats you meet. I imagine that they would've tried helping their first few teachers but after being asked about so many mundane subjects got quickly bored and it took time from actually doing the job they're paid for. |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| I've met both recruiters that got me into Korea, one I have been playing email tag with for a few months (my first contract) and she put me in the school which was owned by her recruiting firm. The second worked for Korvia, unfortunately she left. I met both of them for just a casual meeting to say hello, I love Korea, and thanks. Haven't heard from them again. |
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