Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Paladin Brewer]

Im curious, because they seem like nice folks. I've talked to them on the phone, they've answered all my questions, and they send out a daily email on some topic covering Korean culture or things I need to bring or know about teaching.

My concern is, they were asking me about sending my documents, and I told them I am waiting on my criminal background check. They got back to me and said they talked to GEPIK because they were concerned I wouldnt get my documents, and GEPIK told them I could go ahead and send what documents I have now, and then send the rest later.

Is that normal? Im not sure Id want to send my diploma and transcripts, etc on, cause that seems odd. I assume they can't get the Visa without all the paperwork anyway?

[joltaxt]

I worked with Hands but didn't go with them, they were always pretty nice and up front. You should do a search, I do recall seeing something about that company on these forums.

Lmao. Don't send your documents unless you are 100% sure you going with that recruiting company.

If you send what you have now, you're at their mercy. Meaning they can stick you wherever they want and you'll have to make do. I'm unsure how Gepik works in terms of placement, but make sure you are getting what you want before you send everything. If it's a situation where you send them the documents then you get placed, I guess you have nothing to worry about.

You never know, another recruiter you could be working with could come up with something great right after you sent half of your documents. The second I got my job in Seoul two more great interviews showed up, but luckily the job I took was fine.

Assuming you're going to meet the deadline just hold out.

[lost at sea]

Are you dealing with Ray, Chris or Hero at Hands?

Junk recruiter from my experience, set "someone" up with a horrible, horrible hagwon with a horrible, horrible apartment.

I suggest finding another recruiter. I did find their email concerning, "This is why Korea is better than Japan" humorous though.

[Paladin Brewer]

HandS is the only recruiter I have though

And I think its Ray, Kim, Rebecca and Hero. I talked to Rebecca on the phone, she was American, or at least not Korean.

I was hoping more people had any thoughts, I'm sure just about every recruiter has 1 instance of being bad.

EDIT: As far as location goes, they gave me a list of 27 places they are hiring, and said to make 3 choices. But it's first come first serve, and I didn't know if sending in at least some of my paperwork would give me higher priority.

[joltaxt]

Sending your docs early will NOT give you higher priority.

Recruiters will lie and tell you everything you want to hear, that's just the brutal truth.

I'm shocked you're not working with more recruiters. Get on that ASAP. You'll quickly see the difference in quality when you work with more people.

[oskinny1]

[joltaxt]

Why Korea is better than Japan
Lower cost of living
Restaurants are not expensive
Bars cost less
Transportation is half the cost
Groceries are cheaper
Free Apartment
Airfare paid to and from point of origin
More economical to travel around Asia
Surplus cash all the time
Easier to save money
Easier to travel
Walk to work
Better hours
Better job
No weekends
Never work on holidays
Consistent schedule
Consistent work environment
Unlimited work opportunities
Get monthly incentive pay
Get holiday bonuses and gifts
Get a severance
Pension returned
Income tax returned

[kinerry]

My recruiter is awesome


They are a great advocate when I have problems, and even take you out to dinner when you get here. I even got invited to my recruiters wedding in Jeju, sweet sweet times.

I still get monthly checkup emails.

[Paladin Brewer]

I guess my question was less about the recruiter, and more about if only sending some of my documents was legit?

[lost at sea]

The recruiter will hire you and set you up at a school and then attempt to sway you into another position with the incentive of a bonus to your pay. They love to push you into crappy Avalons. You should avoid the one in Yeonsu-gu Incheon. They love to push people there.

Ray will pick you up at the airport and listen to things like the Backstreet Boys on the way to your apartment.

Your apartment will depend on the school, but more than likely trash as they love to push you into schools that are below average because they get a nice little kick back from those schools.

Hero will visit you once every couple months and take you out to dinner and pay, and talk to you about many different things he is working on, but none of which will ever happen. All in all not too bad a guy as long as you don't take him too serious. I like free food.

One of the things Hero is working on is a free Korean lesson program for foreign teachers, but it will never come to fruition. It's just something to convince people to sign a contract and keep em' dangling on the hook.

I wouldn't send them anything that is original. Send them copies or digital copies via email only unless you are set on the school they set you up with.

[Solarian]

[ippy]

I actually found them really sweet, but didnt take a job with them at the end of the day. Sad to hear they arent all fluffy (but glad to know i got maybe a lucky escape). What really impressed me with them was that they not only waited for me to get my finger out my butt to do the documents, but when they offered me placements and i told them what i wanted, they made a really big effort to find that placement. Just after id taken the job im in now they came back with a public school position just outside seoul.

It was more that they told me straight off the bat that a public shchool job would be pretty unlikely with them, that made this achievement all the more impressive. They seemed like they really tried to get you where you wanted to go. I guess though i never went with them at the end of the day, so im probably wide of the mark, but i still think of them on rather good terms.

[lost at sea]

"You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" kind of thing.

Use a whole bunch of recruiters and try to talk to the schools more than the recruiters. I think that's the lesson I learned from the sum of my experiences.

[me_voy]

hey "lost at sea"

what recruiter did you go with?

[Daniel_D]

I used them to get my current job which is a good place with a nice apartment. They did, however, offer me a job at Avalon which I turned down because I had heard bad things about them.