Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tampabulls]

"There are typically three ways to apply. However, we are not using recruiting agencies for the Fall 2015 term. Please see the "Apply Now" section for more information on how to apply directly to EPIK."

https://www.epik.go.kr/contents.do?contentsNo=57&menuNo=288

teh sad?

[isitts]

Yeah, just found that out on FB via this blog:
https://www.esl101.com/blogs/epik-end-era#.VObYTtkazCT

[schwa]

Makes sense. They've always had the infrastructure to guide applicants through the process, why pay a middleman?

[isitts]

[Chaparrastique]

EPIK may well institute actual hiring standards. A welcome development.

I can't imagine anything better than a job market without recruiters.

[Weigookin74]

Is this just EPIK itself? I mean is GEPIK and specific POE's still hiring direct via recruiters? If so, don't fret. If not, well, it's annoying as EPIK's hiring doesn't always seem so straightforward as I had heard before.

[maximmm]

I never had any problems with recruiters.

There are a number of countries (Japan/Thailand - for example) where getting a job via recruiter meant that you'd work for the recruiter and not for the school - now that was bad. Korea? Your dealings with recruiter were limited and lasted only a brief moment prior to getting a job.

I would even say that recruiters (most but not all) were quite helpful during that first stage of the hiring process as it was in their interest for you to get hired.

Having said that, from a financial standpoint of view, it makes perfect sense for EPIK, GEPIK and others to hire people on their own especially in today's market where teachers are aplenty while jobs are scarce.

[Troglodyte]

[DaeguNL]

[isitts]

Seems to have been a false claim. EPIK is still working with Korvia.

[Ben Glickman]

I wrote the initial article stating that EPIK was not using recruiters this fall. This was there initial plan, as they sent me and the other recruiting companies notification that they would not be using recruiters.

However they changed their mind, and they are now working with recruiters again. I think ReachToTeach, GoldKey and Korvia are working with EPIK, maybe more. My company, Footprints Recruiting, bowed out after working with EPIK for 8 years. It has become too onerous to work with them and they have not raised the fee for recruiters ever despite way more work. Not that I am complaining - we had a great relationship with EPIK for years. However if you are looking to teach with EPIK - at this point I would suggest applying directly - they are tipping the scales more and more towards teachers that apply directly rather than applicants who apply through recruiters. They accept direct applicants earlier and later than through recruiters, interview direct applicants first, etc. In years past recruiters were treated on a equal footing. It remains to be seen if they actually take applicants through recruiters, or are merely allowing them to participate in case they can't get enough applicants on their own.

[Ben Glickman]

You can see the 4 companies selected to work with EPIK here:

https://www.epik.go.kr/board.do?boardConfigNo=77&menuNo=271&action=view&boardNo=1682

Korvia

Reach To Teach

Canadian Connections

Korean Horizons