From everything I've read it's rare to get the airfare costs upfront, usually half after 6 months worked then other half after completion of contract at 12 months. How do these recruiters work, do you have to pay them to find you a job?

Gringo,

They purchase your departure tickets for you. Its like standard, you would have to be a fool to accept a job and it not provide airfaire! lol on top of the severance pay, pension, healthcare, and 10 days vacation not including the national holidays. All standard things that go into a normal NET's contract.

Strange because all the job adverts I've seen for teaching gigs in South Korea have stated 'Airfare (paid after completion of contract)' or similar. Some paid half after 6 months. I'll have a look at some more adverts today and see what the situation is.

And it's definitely not standard world over, in fact Korea and Japan are probably the only places which will pay your airfare

EDIT:
Just had a look at a good few job adverts on Daves ESL website and all the companies are not offering airfare. The majority don't even mention it, some say they will pay one way and a few roud trip though. And it seems to be much more of a case that you buy it and they reimburse it rather than them purchasing it for you in advance.

Quote: (06-25-2011 06:33 AM)Gringo Wrote:  

Strange because all the job adverts I've seen for teaching gigs in South Korea have stated 'Airfare (paid after completion of contract)' or similar. Some paid half after 6 months. I'll have a look at some more adverts today and see what the situation is.

And it's definitely not standard world over, in fact Korea and Japan are probably the only places which will pay your airfare

EDIT:
Just had a look at a good few job adverts on Daves ESL website and all the companies are not offering airfare. The majority don't even mention it, some say they will pay one way and a few roud trip though. And it seems to be much more of a case that you buy it and they reimburse it rather than them purchasing it for you in advance.

I wouldnt go off jobs that are being advertised. Most schools/hagwons use recruiters to fill their staffing (recruiters get a thousand emails without advertising specific jobs). Also Id read the forum to find out the real scoop. Like I said I dont know of ANYONE that pays for their airfaire out of pocket up front! Now if you come to SoKo without signing a contract in the states than you will have to pay airfare and can then look to get reimbursed.

As it stands now, if someone pays their airfare out of pocket than they just got HAD lol

I'll look into it more over the weekend and read up on the board to see what the deal is.

Finally got all my documents in order. Will hopefully be signing a contract SOON!

Looking to peace out of the US right after I get back from Central America!

In most of Asia you buy it and they reimburse you up to a thousand dollars or so. If your ticket costs a few hundred dollars more than is normal don't expect them to cover all of it. Teach a year = roundtrip, 6 months= one way. This is standard, there are exceptions.

I seriously doubt they will pay for your ticket upfront because then they have zero leverage and you can leave after 2 weeks and they eat a thousand bucks. You get reimbursed if you live up to the contract, you want to leave after 50 weeks and you signed up for 52....guess what you might not get jack sh!t back.

Remember they own you (they provide your visa) You work hard and students like you then you get flexibility, you suck and are unreliable they will try to F you over.

Quote: (07-10-2011 05:17 PM)redneckpunk Wrote:  

In most of Asia you buy it and they reimburse you up to a thousand dollars or so. If your ticket costs a few hundred dollars more than is normal don't expect them to cover all of it. Teach a year = roundtrip, 6 months= one way. This is standard, there are exceptions.

I seriously doubt they will pay for your ticket upfront because then they have zero leverage and you can leave after 2 weeks and they eat a thousand bucks. You get reimbursed if you live up to the contract, you want to leave after 50 weeks and you signed up for 52....guess what you might not get jack sh!t back.

Remember they own you (they provide your visa) You work hard and students like you then you get flexibility, you suck and are unreliable they will try to F you over.

Well its a good thing Korea pays for rountrip airfare bc I certainly wont be having the money to pay for that after I get back from Central America. Obviously if you dont finish your contract they wont be paying for your departure ticket.

I wouldnt say they own you. If you dont like your school all you have to do is pull a "runner" and find another school to work for.

Quote: (07-10-2011 05:41 PM)Dash Global Wrote:  

Quote: (07-10-2011 05:17 PM)redneckpunk Wrote:  

In most of Asia you buy it and they reimburse you up to a thousand dollars or so. If your ticket costs a few hundred dollars more than is normal don't expect them to cover all of it. Teach a year = roundtrip, 6 months= one way. This is standard, there are exceptions.

I seriously doubt they will pay for your ticket upfront because then they have zero leverage and you can leave after 2 weeks and they eat a thousand bucks. You get reimbursed if you live up to the contract, you want to leave after 50 weeks and you signed up for 52....guess what you might not get jack sh!t back.

Remember they own you (they provide your visa) You work hard and students like you then you get flexibility, you suck and are unreliable they will try to F you over.

Well its a good thing Korea pays for rountrip airfare bc I certainly wont be having the money to pay for that after I get back from Central America. Obviously if you dont finish your contract they wont be paying for your departure ticket.

I wouldnt say they own you. If you dont like your school all you have to do is pull a "runner" and find another school to work for.

Not exactly. They sponsor you, if you want a new visa at a new school you need a letter of release. If they hate you, you won't get that letter. Then you have to leave the country and try to get a new visa. Obviously it can be done but it will cost you a trip to Japan (not a terrible thing) and hotel fees for however long it takes to get a new visa.

Yes that is correct, that is what I was referring to when I said pull a "runner" (leaving the country).

It def is a pain in the ass, but it is fairly common thing to do when you find urself with a terrible boss and working conditions! lol

I've been researching the South Korea situation and many people who are out there teaching are telling me the normal deal is reimbursement on arrival, usually within 14 days if it's a reliable school. You sure you'll get it upfront Dash, whats to stop them forking out for the flight then you don't even bother to get on it or go AWOL on arrival?

Quote: (07-12-2011 02:31 PM)Gringo Wrote:  

I've been researching the South Korea situation and many people who are out there teaching are telling me the normal deal is reimbursement on arrival, usually within 14 days if it's a reliable school. You sure you'll get it upfront Dash, whats to stop them forking out for the flight then you don't even bother to get on it or go AWOL on arrival?

Nothing to stop someone. But it would be highly unlikely with all you have to go through in getting all the documents and finding a job. With the main issue is landing a job. The flights are paid for with everything other than after school program jobs and other special type jobs (non public & hagwons) You dont get that money. Actually you couldnt even get an after school program job that doesnt include airfare then get another job that pays for a flight to only skip out on the job when you get here because u cant get 2 visas at the same time. It would come up when you are going through the visa process. Only thing I can think of is getting here, then pulling a runner. then look for another job while you are here. Way to much work if you ask me and for the most part rare imo.

Not sure what you are researching or where but every job im seeing and everything ive read involves them purchasing the ticket for you.

So I d had my second interview tonight. It was a girl that worked there (teacher) from canada that interviewed me. She pretty much didnt even ask me anything. Just was like my school wants to offer you a job. Said there is a decent amount of other teachers there.

She gave me her email, so ovcourse I looked her up on facebook and DAMN! She is a hot blonde! Its pretty bad protocal to accept the first job offer you get! Although it has decent hours but is in the far southern part of the city. But fuck, there is another hot blonde in her pic so Im thinking about going ahead and accepting this job!

Not a smart thing to do, but having hot girls at ur work makes shit soo much better!

I wouldn't take a job for a chick. What if things don't go well and she tells you to fuck off after a week? Then you're not getting the booty AND you're stuck working in some shitty part of the city that you don't want to be in. Find a good location and go fuck some hot Korean girls instead.

Quote: (07-12-2011 10:12 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  

I wouldn't take a job for a chick. What if things don't go well and she tells you to fuck off after a week? Then you're not getting the booty AND you're stuck working in some shitty part of the city that you don't want to be in. Find a good location and go fuck some hot Korean girls instead.

I have never had a chick not like me that I put some effort into or cared about. Not looking to get in a relationship. A cool fuckbuddy out gate wouldnt be bad.

I would primarily use her as social proof.

The location isnt terrible. And I like the hours. It is just not in the MAIN PRIME area of the city. Those jobs are hard to come by.

I dont know though, wait and see if this contract gets emailed to me.....

Quote: (07-12-2011 10:28 PM)Dash Global Wrote:  

I would primarily use her as social proof.

Don't think this would work in Korea. They'd probably just view you as two Westerners sticking together because they feel intimidated in an unfamiliar environment. Befriend some attractive locals, then you'll have social proof.

Quote: (07-12-2011 10:59 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  

Quote: (07-12-2011 10:28 PM)Dash Global Wrote:  

I would primarily use her as social proof.

Don't think this would work in Korea. They'd probably just view you as two Westerners sticking together because they feel intimidated in an unfamiliar environment. Befriend some attractive locals, then you'll have social proof.

I plan on doing both. having hot western chicks in one of my social circle along with a handful of hot local chicks in the other.

Gotta have ALL your bases covered

So the school just sent me the contract to sign and sure enough they fail to mention some important stuff. Like having to be at work an hour early for prep time everyday. Then saying you get off at 4:30 on Tue and thur but no mention of it in the contract. Don't think ill be signing this one lol no way I'm working 10 hours a day for 2.1 mil won

You're a complete newbie to teaching English with either none or very basic TEFL qualifications can you afford to be picky?

Everyone says you'll work harder and longer in Korea than anywhere else in Asia. That's why I'd rather take a job in BKK even if the money is only about half of Korea.

I heard it is pretty standard for them to have you do things outside of your contract. It seems like teaching in S. Korea is a full time job. I'm trying to find better places to go. I have some experience and qualifications.

Plenty of jobs to be had in Korea. Sometimes u just gotta be patient and keep digging around.

Unfortunately for me, my patience has steadily decreased since high school......

I just sent off an email to this recruiter who is trying HARD to get me to sign this contract. I talked to one of the current teachers on facebook and she said the korean teachers do all the prep work and that you dont have to be there an hour early. So i sent the recruiter an email saying I will accept the job if the school agrees to increase the pay by one more hundred a month. Initial offer was for 2.1 mil won, I said Im not trying to work those hours and the recruiter countered and said the school would pay 2.2 mil won. So my last email was a double counter for 2.3 mil won and ill sign lol. Im thinking there is a 40% chance the school accepts this offer as they need a teacher by the beg of August. Ill find out tonight.....

TonySnow,

Most of the the job is simply babysitting kids. it all comes down to if you wanna make money or if you just wanna get by in a funner place such as BKK. You can save 15K in one year in South Korea. Your not saving anything in BKK. So it all depends on what your trying to accomplish.

Oh and if your school does anything outside the contract all you have to do is go to the Labor Board and a simple call from them will usually do the trick.

it's more like entertaining kids than babysitting them. U make the most in Korea bc u work the most in Korea. If you want to live there you will need to learn patience

So how about the school that I agreed to accept there contract offer renigged on me. Guess i was to expensive for them. After we both agreed on the contract the dumb bitch went and found some dumb ass willing to work the most hours for the smallest pay. This is actually good for me as I didnt want to work those hours anyway.

Only problem is that night I went and payed to change my flight reservations for central america! waste of money! smh

Good news is I got another offer last night and another interview tonight for jobs with alot better hours.

Quote: (05-03-2011 03:06 PM)Dash Global Wrote:  

Decided to go teach in Seoul starting in August.

Mailed off the documents for the FBI criminal background check today. This takes the longest amount of time (6 weeks). Now I have to get my degree notarized.

Looking forward to getting implanted into a new culture for an extended amount of time. Gonna build new social circles and try to develop a harem of women (korean & other english speaking teachers). Also will be able to hit up China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Philippines on the weekends and holidays.

I think im gonna make a lil blog to cronicle the the job, women, and Seoul. Should be helpful for other guys looking to do the same.

Only concern is the Korean women. Im sure there is hot ones, esp in a large city like Seoul. Just gotta to adapt my tastes and strategies. Ive been on a strict Hispanic diet for the last 2 years! lol

"Id recommend getting a CELTA (4 week intensive course) in Bogota (they have connections to help land a job). CELTA's are expensive costing about 2k in Bogota. Cheaper course in Ecuador. Also if you have a degree or other certs id get them apositilled in your home country."

At one point it looks like you were recommending CELTA over TESL....Why the change of heart or are they really one and the same?

I know a guy that almost exclusively hung with Colombianas that went to teach english in Korea....he liked it and enjoyed his stay even though he is chubby and anything but a PUA. jajaja

I think you'll have a good time but you will have to work a little harder than you are used to...if you have been mostly banging chicks in Colombia.

Yo Dash,
Are you now in Korea? If yes, drop a report on how it is there man. How fly are the women there? Approachable & friendly or major bitch shield? how do you like teaching there?