2 The Facts Keep your wits about you. Do you believe that a person or organisation, acting on commission, is going to look after you? Always be suspicious of agencies that charge advance fees and operate exclusively by email.
2.1
Before you sign up, ask yourself whether job placement services or agents meet the following criteria:
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I can actually speak with them
They have a good reputation
Conditions are spelt out clearly
The conditions are better than jobs I can apply for independently
There are clear benefits in using their service – e.g. they have an in-country representative who will support me in an emergency
If you have doubts about any of the above, perhaps reconsider using their services.
2.2
You’ll notice many agents or ‘consulting firms’ advertising on the job websites, offering to arrange work for you in schools. Why do you think many make statements like the below: Reputable & Reliable Recruiter Trust us to find you a good job
There are reputable agents and disreputable agents.
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There are many critical stories about agents on teacher forums (e.g. withholding pay, disappearing).
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Consider carefully – is there a need to go through one when you can contact schools directly? What value do they add?
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Agents receive a signing commission that can be as much as one month’s salary and often a percentage for every hour you work. This will often mean the jobs they arrange have lower rates of pay.
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Section 3: Finding Good Work
We Suggest:
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