Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Pender]

My first post - (subdued applause) but this site has been great to ghost for info. anyways... to the point.

I'm using a recruiter (one I've heard mostly good things about). She has been great and sent me a ton of info on the public school I'll be teaching at, etc... She also says they are already processing my visa on their end. I sent them many docs 3 weeks ago but I'm curious. I haven't received a contract yet? Can they process a visa issuance number without a signed contract?

My recruiter has done nothing to make me question her sincerity but I'm about a month from when I should be leaving and since (obviously) this is my first time working in korea I'm not 100% sure if this is the right procedure. Of course I'll carefully read and get feedback on a contract but I've put a lot of investment into this trip (TEFL cert, sublet apt) and don't want to be jerked along and have nothing set up in 3 weeks. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but if a few of you more seasoned EFL folks could clue me in I would really appreciate it. Thanks!!

[Aussiekimchi]

You need a signed contract to get issued an E2 visa.
She can't be processing your visa if you have not yet signed any contract and you may also want to take a glimpse or 2 at that delicate peice of paper before you sign your year away.
You could also try to contact your recruiter and make sure things are on track.
The best times to call recruiters is at 4am any morning (Sunday being the first choice)
Good luck

[Sody]

Be very careful, many recruiters do this last minute type of scenario and then pressure you into signing a contract that is not right or good for you. Signing a contract should be the very first step towards accepting the job. Everything else before it is simple speculation and negotiation. If I were you I would email them pronto and tell them that you are interested in the job and would like to look at the contract BEFORE you agree to anything. Make it clear to them that before the contract is signed you are not fully decided.

Sody

[Missile Command Kid]

I had this experience with several recruiters too.

"Send me your diploma! We'll get you your E2 next week!"

"Uh, can I see the contract?"

"No time! You can read it when you get here!"

<click>

[Homer]

A good recruiter will not corner you into sending your diploma and push you to hurry.

However, you have to know that most jobs in Korea (exceptions exist of course) are advertised 4-6 weeks before the start date so that does put a crunch on time....

It also means that if you apply for a January job in....July...you will not get much feedback from the recruiter until it is closer to job offer time.

[Pender]

Thanks everyone for your help. Good Times!

[Cerriowen]

My advice:

Bend over, and walk in backwards. It'll hurt less.

Don't let them push you in to doing anything you don't want to.

There are tons of jobs out there. Assume that about 75% of what your recruiter told you about working in Korea is complete BS. The more they insist that they're nothing like the other recruiters, the more they are exactly the same.

[Hotpants]

If I were to use a recruiter, I'd want to get personal recommendation directly from someone who has already used them.

There are literally hundreds of recruiters in Korea at the moment, many of them desperate to clear a pile of unfilled posts. In fact, anyone who has a job to offer will call themselves a 'recruiter'. I once did a round of recruiter offices - just for research. Some of them seem professionally organized, while others were a single man set up working in an office which was no more than a broom cupboard.

I've noticed a common Korean trait in that many will promise you the world when they first introduce themselves to you. But, strangely, as time goes on, some of those promises suddenly don't look promising... Be very careful when you accept something unknown from the otherside of the world.

[PaperTiger]

The best way to deal with recruiters...avoid them whenever possible, expect the worst when forced to use them. Try to negotiate directly with the school whenever you can. Few recruiters can tell you anything solid or verifiable about your job beyond the fact that someone is hiring. Most of them seem incapable of remembering your name, nationality, or requirements....regardless of how much time you've spent relating all that information to them.

Some job sites like worknplay.com make it possible to deal directly occasionally. If it's your first time working in Korea, save yourself a lot of hassle and misdirection, don't use a recruited if you don't have to.

In my case, I used "Education de America" a recruiter based in LA...not even in Seoul as it turns out. They assured me everything was good and that if I had any problems I could let them know, and they would help me. Well, I worked my first job in an isolated town outside of Seoul and boss was raving psychotic, I said I was uncomfortable working in an environment where trainees were shouted at so frequently. They phoned my boss and told them everything. I was fired and had to scramble to find another job, which brought me right into the grasp of mistake number two. Be careful.