I "dislike" agencies!

**zeusbheld** · 31st May 2012 22:10

Originally Posted by Guy Mandude

Just take some vaseline with you, because the agency will be doing you faster than the guy who's dropped the bar of soap his first time in a men's prison shower.

point taken, but technically the guy who drops the soap is the one who gets done rather than does the doin'. just sayin'.

**dingoman13** · 31st May 2012 22:20

Originally Posted by Guy Mandude

The agency will do the firing

Technically yes, but the agency will fire only when the school informs them that the teacher they signed is not working out. That way they don't get blamed for hiring the "bad" teacher.

**Guy Mandude** · 31st May 2012 22:27

Originally Posted by dingoman13

Technically yes

Do you have a signed contract with the agency yet - yes or no?

**Amanpour** · 31st May 2012 22:30

Originally Posted by dingoman13

I then called the agency after starting work on the 16th but have not met with anybody or even seen a contract yet.

What are you doing starting work without seeing a contract? Do you even know what your salary is? I don't work for free; do you?

**Guy Mandude** · 31st May 2012 22:32

Originally Posted by zeusbheld

but technically

A lot of technicians in da house.

**Don Ho** · 31st May 2012 22:36

Originally Posted by dingoman13

the agency will fire only when the school informs them that the teacher they signed is not working out. That way they don't get blamed for hiring the "bad" teacher.

Why would they not be blamed?

**zeusbheld** · 31st May 2012 22:51

Originally Posted by Amanpour

I don't work for free; do you?

sure, but the only product i provide for free is sex (i'm not fussy, not even about species, but i'm always on top).

**Guy Mandude** · 31st May 2012 23:06

Originally Posted by zeusbheld

i'm not fussy, not even about species

you should be careful if approached by a black widow spider ... you know how they say 'good night' to their lovers.

**NokYai** · 31st May 2012 23:47

For a moment, I thought we might be at the same school, until you said there are other teachers that have contracts directly with the school. I'm in a similar situation, kind of. I worked at a school last year, although through an agency. I am continuing like that this term as well. Last term, the agency, Thai teachers, students, and parents told me that they wanted me back this year. I am also on good terms with the school head. I really like the school, students, teachers, etc. so I planned on teaching there again and never considered another school. Classes started last week. I've got my books, course outlines, met the students, met some parents, gone to school events, etc. The only problem...my agency still has not finalized my contract! We're two weeks in and no contract yet! WTF?! I know they will finalize it and we will eventually sign it and they've told me the raise that I'll get this year, but still, totally unprofessional. I'm keeping the faith that everything will turn out fine, but with no contract yet, who knows what terms I'll be working under, after I've already committed myself to the school.

Oh, and yeah. Apparently my agency skims about 15,000 off of what the school pays them for me.

Agencies, the unnecessary evil. Anyways, best of luck to you.

**NET** · 1st June 2012 07:41

Originally Posted by dingoman13

It's not a good time to look for a different school now - the good positions are taken, the teachers are happy. The ones available now are the leftovers or where teachers left after two weeks of teaching - not a good sign!
I rather stay and work things out instead of starting all over. Of course I keep my ears open...
Just wanted to know if you had similar experiences.

Dingo...you really seem like one of those guys who thinks they can't get anything better, but actually they can if they show a bit of initiative.

Try to do your best when you work with the students and deal with the nonsense like a duck deals with the water on its back.

Or you could just follow your own advice from the other thread.

**Guy Mandude** · 1st June 2012 09:02

Originally Posted by NokYai

my agency skims about 15,000 off of what the school pays them for me.

per month.

**8ball** · 1st June 2012 10:28

I'm the only foreign teacher at my school who 'doesn't' work for the agency the school uses

the agency's teachers often git changed multiple times durin one term

'new-to-teachin' teachers carn hack the stress an leave

or,,,, the kids carn hack the teachers so they agency sends replacements

it's like a merry-go-round

but,,, it saves the school the trouble of havin to interview the foreign teachers

the agency does that

a teacher gits sick,,,,the agency sends in anotha teacher to cover

a teacher has to go home,,, the same thing happens

so the school always has enuff teachers

that's why a lot of schools use the agencies

new-to-teachin or new-to-the-LOS teachers use the agencies coz they dun know any betta

wottitiz

**ttompatz** · 1st June 2012 14:03

Originally Posted by NokYai

We're two weeks in and no contract yet! WTF?! I know they will finalize it and we will eventually sign it and they've told me the raise that I'll get this year, but still, totally unprofessional. I'm keeping the faith that everything will turn out fine, but with no contract yet, who knows what terms I'll be working under, after I've already committed myself to the school.

This may sound like a silly question but, "How did you get a non-b extension or WP extension without a contract?"

Fraid I suspect I know the answer but... just asking.

.

**Hollow** · 1st June 2012 16:03

The best way to avoid agencies is to show that you are reliable. Its the only real reason schools use them in the first place.

**dingoman13** · 1st June 2012 16:53

[quote=Guy Mandude;1676887]Originally Posted by dingoman13
Technically yesquote]

Originally Posted by Guy Mandude

Do you have a signed contract with the agency yet - yes or no?

If you quote me, please don't quote me out of context.

If you have read the thread you would know if I had a contract or not.

I will have a meet tomorrow and will hold all comments until after.

---Update---

Originally Posted by NokYai

For a moment, I thought we might be at the same school, until you said there are other teachers that have contracts directly with the school. I'm in a similar situation, kind of. I worked at a school last year, although through an agency. I am continuing like that this term as well. Last term, the agency, Thai teachers, students, and parents told me that they wanted me back this year. I am also on good terms with the school head. I really like the school, students, teachers, etc. so I planned on teaching there again and never considered another school. Classes started last week. I've got my books, course outlines, met the students, met some parents, gone to school events, etc. The only problem...my agency still has not finalized my contract! We're two weeks in and no contract yet! WTF?! I know they will finalize it and we will eventually sign it and they've told me the raise that I'll get this year, but still, totally unprofessional. I'm keeping the faith that everything will turn out fine, but with no contract yet, who knows what terms I'll be working under, after I've already committed myself to the school.

Oh, and yeah. Apparently my agency skims about 15,000 off of what the school pays them for me.

Agencies, the unnecessary evil. Anyways, best of luck to you.

Thanks, NokYai, for the comment! That's the post I was waiting for, an experience of another teacher.

All the others' advice is appreciated but I've been here more than ten years and can handle.

---Update---

Originally Posted by Hollow

The best way to avoid agencies is to show that you are reliable. Its the only real reason schools use them in the first place.

I know what you mean, but no matter how reliable I prove to be, the school has a contract with the agency and can not hire me directly even if they wished to do so.

---Update---

Originally Posted by Don Ho

Originally Posted by dingoman13
the agency will fire only when the school informs them that the teacher they signed is not working out. That way they don't get blamed for hiring the "bad" teacher.

Originally Posted by Don Ho

Why would they not be blamed?

Sorry, my fault - what I meant to say was: That way the school doesn't get blamed for hiring the "bad" teacher.

---Update---

Originally Posted by Amanpour

What are you doing starting work without seeing a contract? Do you even know what your salary is? I don't work for free; do you?

What am I doing starting to work without a contract? Because TIT - if I only started work with all things in place I would not have started the majority of jobs. You have to cut these people some slack and push for things to get done.
Do I even know what my salary is? Of course I do. I'm not dense; it's not my fault that the agency is not doing its job. I don't work for free, but I work without a contract. At the moment.

---Update---

Originally Posted by dingoman13

Do you have similar experiences with agencies?

I didn't want to start a "hate-thread" but wonder what other people's experiences are, and learn more about these agencies.