Korean Job Discussion Forums

[FloridaTEFL]

Anyone heard of them? Any advice? Thanks!!

[The Chewbacca Defense]

I used him twice for 2 different schools

It was all good.

[mrd]

I worked with Stephen over the phone for about two weeks while he tried to get me to sign a contract for Avalon schools. I found him, generally speaking, a rather friendly and knowledgable person. At the same time, he at times seemed a little pushy. He was absolutely adamant about having me sign the contract and fax it to him immideately. His sense of urgency, which was never really justified in my eyes, raised my back a little.

When we were talking about the contract details, he always seemed to know what he was talking about. The first contract he offered me, like I mentioned, was from Avalon. It was a pretty standard contract: 2.1 mil/100 teaching hours a month, 200K per monthx3 for housing deposit, 10 vacation days, 5 sick days. But there was some language in the contract I was a little hesitant about, and Stephen told me that its a "standard contract that over 300 teachers have already signed." I took his word. He told me the job started in the middle of December.

I began to back away from the job. I told him that if he could guarantee me 2.2 a month that I would sign the contract, as it is in the original form, right away. He said he went back to Avalon, and they agreed to pay it. So there it was: the "standard contract" being changed, just like he said they would never do. I decided to walk away: I told him that I'm going to look for a job in Korea once I get there. He said, "Oh, that's a terrible idea, schools will think you're a teacher that couldn't get a job from overseas!" Other people on this board gave just the opposite advice: looking for a job in-person is the best approach you can take to safeguard your teaching sanity. So yet again, I was reluctant to take him. On top of all of this, he made me continually guarded with his on-going requests to have me sign it and return it "first thing tomorrow morning." I think I have the ability to manage time, but thanks Steve!

He told the school that I wanted to look for a job when I get to Korea. The school, in a panic, called me to set up an interview once I get to Korea. More than that, they told me Stephen had told me the wrong starting date - an entire month earlier than what he told me. It appeared Stephen was not careful with the details of the contract at all. When it suited him, he changed the contract to get me to sign on that one point. He didn't even really know about the exact starting date: he was a month off! In then end, I got the sense he just didn't care, he just wanted me to sign right away, make me feel pressured so I just signed quick without having a chance to think about it, so he could run off and get his hands on the cash.

I've since moved on, signed with a recruiter who put me intcouch firectly with a school's rep, who I was then able to build-up a health relationship over-emails and the phone, and was quite willing to answer all my questions and put me intouch with other teachers at the school. All my requests were met, and I'm leaving in 3 days!

Good luck with Stephen - but the fact you've come on the board here curious to know about him - suggests you may already have your guard up! Just go with your gut.

Good luck.

[FloridaTEFL]

Hey thanks for that story.... Something I didn't like about my phone call with him was that it sounds like the housing is on the top floor of the school. Thats a little too close for comfort for me! He said the name of the school is LCI Kids Club School. Not sure if its any good but I'll consider it I guess...

[Novernae]

We've gone through Stephen for two excellent schools. We were picky with what he offered, and careful about what we signed. We have a friend who signed with LCI through Stephen. He enjoys parts, but there are a lot of problems (no pension, health care, long hours, bad work environment, etc (but of course there are a lot of LCI schools and not all of them would be run that way). That being said, he does deal with a lot of good schools, too. Just push him to find something better for you.
He has a pushy demeanor, but think of him as a used car salesman. If you know what you're looking for, no matter how pushy he is, you can avoid the lemons and come out with a pretty good deal.

[judge-ing-na]

I have worked with Stephen.

I found him very reliable. I would deal with him again.

mrd - Perhaps you are not used to the 'Korean Style'.

He is an honest recruiter. You could do A LOT worse.

[mrd]

If the "Korean style" you refer to means not being aware of the contract details and being pushy, then you just might be right! I demanded more from a recruiter and I was happy with my decision in the end.

I preferred the "Korean style" of other recruiters

[babtangee]

[judge-ing-na]

[babtangee]

[judge-ing-na]

[seoulsista]

I worked Stephan Cho. I found him to be the typical Korean recruiter. I put up an add saying what I was interested in. He sent me a rather standard contract. I responded with some questions and very mild concerns. He never responded. Then he randomly sent me a few more e-mails weeks after the fact either having forgotten who I was or who knows?

I didn't feel there was anything special about him but I didn't make it that far into the process with him either.

[babtangee]

[judge-ing-na]

[babtangee]

You think, "it was all good," refutes the other posters' claims. It's not about writing an essay: support your claims or why make them, hack?

I truly hope you have managed to lead a fulfilling life despite the apparent obstacles. Ease up with the passive-aggression though; it's not particularly clever.