[mesmark]

That seems like excellent advice! There is no need to rush for any job. If you are a week or two late, only the agency will look bad. You may even want to just hold out for a job that starts two weeks later if the agency doesn't have its act together.

And, I'd say absolutely 'No!' to the recruiter. If they continue to bother you, just tell them as long as they keep calling, you will post on every ESL teachers forum about the treatment you have received and recommend other agencies with better track records.

retread - welcome to the forums BTW!

[livinginkorea]

I didn't have many problems when I came to Korea or by using agencies but it really can be hit or miss at times. Some agencies are really good but they can make some big mistakes and then that bad rep gets passed around between the teachers via the net.

I have a story...

When I was going for my present job I had some interviews for different schools and I found this guy, claiming to work for a lawyer from L.A. in the US on some website (worknplay or davesesl, one of those). We chatted on the phone and he was stating that he had a lot of experience in hiring people and he was orginally Korean but lived in America for about 10 years. His English was perfect so I had some faith in him. He said to give him a few days and that he would find a job for me. I wanted to teach only adults and my previous job was teaching mostly adults and it was the way forward for me I thought.

He phoned me the next day saying that he had a job near where I lived. It wasn't adults but he said just to have the interview anyway and if I said no then he would find another. I was annoyed that he even considered me for a kiddie school. I had a pretty bad experience in my first job and really didn't want to teach kids again. But I thought that I should go anyway and meet him and figure out if he was any good.

I met him outside the school and after a quick chat we went inside and has an interview with the owner of the school. Of course they chatted in Korean and I didn't have a clue what was being said. He said that he was able to get the school to pay 100,000 won (maybe 100 dollars) extra a month for me since I had my own apartment! Now anybody who is in Korea (I know some are from other places) will know that offering 100,000 a month extra is a joke. The average ia at least 300,000 where I live and even higher in Seoul. I was pretty browned off about this but decided not to say anything until later.

After the interview he was telling me how much the owner liked me and that the other teachers there were all female (3 or 4 teachers) and since I was the only guy I would be a treated like a KING! I would be able to have lots of fun with them! WTF! My girlfriend was with me at the time and she tried very hard not to fight with him. I tried hard not to tell him to stick his head where the sun doesn't shine! What an idiot - to tell me that right in front of my girlfriend.

It really annoyed me and I realised that he had no idea about hiring people in Korea and that he was trying to get me to join the school 'cas I would be able to have some fun. If I wanted to have some fun the why don't I live in the school apartment and not with my girlfriend and get the housing allowance? He called and I never answerd the phone. He gave up after a week.

[fishead soup]

Firsly getting a job teaching adults is really difficult. I know of only two hogwans that specialize in Adults one is Pagoda and E.L.S. Sisa Youngo.sams. Both have very high standards and are difficult to get hired.

One hundred thousand won as a bonus for not taking free housing is lousy. You can't even stay in a motel for that.
I've always had fully furnished housing. Getting the free housing is better than getting a tiny bonus.