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DirtGuy



Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Posts: 529

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you can handle Philly weather, you can handle weather in Beijing. I lived in Pittsburgh for 5 years and temps are pretty much the same but with way less snow. Buy all your clothes in the US and be sure to bring a pair of warm gloves or mittens. If you feet get cold as do mine, bring along a pair of insulated boots - 600 grams should be enough. Thick wool socks, also. The problem in BJ is the wind. You will need wind-proof clothing including a hat. Knit caps without some sort of interior fabric to break the wind will not cut it.

One particular piece of clothing that I really like are wool pants. Either buy something from Cabella's or get a pair from a surplus store. They will look funny by Chinese standards but they will also be oh so warm while you are waiting for a bus.

Don't forget your base layer as you will need it every day. I bought medium weight synthentic and Merino wool and now wish I had bought heavy weight. I particularly like Under Armor but some people don't like the way it feels.

There really are 4 seasons here in the north so you should feel right at home.

DirtGuy
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mcloo7



Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks.
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doogsville



Joined: 17 Nov 2011
Posts: 924
Location: China

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mcloo7 wrote:
Are the days off usually two days in a row?


In my experience, yes, they are. I guess employers know that's what we would expect in our home countries. Make sure that it's specified though, both in the advert and then in the contract. Then make sure you tell them at every available opportunity that you need two consecutive days off. Some places may try to change it if they want you to teach a VIP or somesuch, but if it's in the contract then just say no.
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mcloo7



Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou

PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can anyone give any resume suggestions. There is nothing really impressive to put on it: a few months of tutoring experience. Also, is it ok to have my resume follow the basic format of:

Objective
Education
Experience

Is that all I need? Do I have to put references on it?
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doogsville



Joined: 17 Nov 2011
Posts: 924
Location: China

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mcloo7 wrote:
Can anyone give any resume suggestions. There is nothing really impressive to put on it: a few months of tutoring experience. Also, is it ok to have my resume follow the basic format of:

Objective
Education
Experience

Is that all I need? Do I have to put references on it?


That's pretty much it. As to references, it's probably best to ask your referees to give you their references now, and bring them with you. Schools will often ask to see them, and my last school asked me to email them copies when I sent copies of my passport etc. Then they took the originals with them to the PSB when they were applying for my work permit. They are also referred to as letters of recommendation.
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DirtGuy



Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Posts: 529

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pump up the tutoring experience. You did give directions to someone with limited English a couple years back, didn't you?

DG
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mcloo7



Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 4:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are reference letters important in China? I started a post about this in another country's thread, but I haven't had any jobs since college where a letter of recommendation from that place would be impressive. For about the last two years Ive been helping my Dad with his tree work business, and before that is when I tutored for about 8 months, so it will take some scrapping to get reference letters. It can be done but it will be annoying.


I know that where the letters are from is probably not that important, it's just that I dont feel like getting into contact with old bosses from menial jobs from years ago to ask them for a letter.
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I dont think its going to be important, especially when securing your first job in China, first job is EFL. Its a nice idea to get this type of letter when you leave an EFL post though as you can add it to a portfolio for any future applications.
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chinadad



Joined: 29 Nov 2011
Posts: 291
Location: chengdu

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
For about the last two years Ive been helping my Dad with his tree work business

Just get dad to type up a fine reference letter, after all something is better than nothing. It will look best to a Chinese employer if its printed with some type of coat of arms logo as a header and a Hello Kitty motif on the envelope. Chinese are also really impressed by western signatures - lots of squirls and dots gets them all excited. They don't often understand the precise wording of the actual letter - but if dad writes that many of trees were non-native species, which meant you taught them English over a two year period - I have no doubt (I'm not joking here) - that many potential employers will take that as proof of adequate, relevant work experience. Dad could mention that a few of the trees got quite fluent and you were an excellent teacher.
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DirtGuy



Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Posts: 529

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 11:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with DM regarding the letters. You're probably stressing too much. Go someplace where they really want a Westerner and you likely won't have any problem. Just get a good letter from the bosses when you leave so that you can find a better position in the future.

DG
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doogsville



Joined: 17 Nov 2011
Posts: 924
Location: China

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, do stress about the reference letters, they are necessary for the processing of your work permit, at least, they are here in Guangdong. Your employer will need to take both of them to the PSB. When I first arrived in Zhuhai the person at my school who dealt with the paperwork, and has major guanxi with them, was told one of my letters was not acceptable because it was an email with no signature. I was told I had to provide the original signed document, which in the end I had to ask my referee to scan and email to me, and I had to print off in colour so it looked like the original signed document.

It might be 'annoying' to have to provide the letters, but look on the bright side. It'll prepare you for the many, many way more annoying things you're going to come across here in China.
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mcloo7



Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DirtGuy wrote:
Pump up the tutoring experience. You did give directions to someone with limited English a couple years back, didn't you?

DG


I did, Dirtguy. Thanks for remembering.
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mcloo7



Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Should I account for all time since graduating from college on the resume? Should I be exact about what jobs I had and when? The reason I ask this is because right after college I worked for my Dad for a while, than I worked in a store, than about a year later I went back to working with my Dad again. Then I went to California and did the tutoring for 8 months, then I went back to Pa and worked with my Dad again and Ive been doing that since. Should I put it like this on the resume?
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mcloo7



Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've decided to put the tree work, which is the job with my Dad, as one entry on the resume but for the years I worked there I'll just list all the different times, such as: 2011-present
2009-2010
2006-2007

And then I'll list the other two jobs under that. How does that sound?
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mcloo7



Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm happy to see that I've pretty much completed the resume. I just remembered that I didnt write anything about my TEFL cert though, so where should I put that on the resume...under education? And should I just write the number of hours and "TEFL CERT" and not say the name of the company considering it was online and not as prestigious as the prestigious places.
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