Job Discussion Forums

MBA_guy · Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Texas

I am very interested in teaching in China. I am a 26 year old American and I have both my BBA and my MBA. I have 1 year of teaching experience at the University level in economics, and 4 years experience as a private English language tutor. Will an online 60 hour online TEFL certificate be enough to secure me a job in China?

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

Apply for work with what you have already. Experience, plus your passport, plus a BA / Bsc (or equivalent) are enough to land you a job.

I personally think the idea of industry specific training is a must, but Chinese employers and visa regulations dont seem to share my idea. However, a 60 hour online course isnt going to prepare you for anything and is best avoided. Its a waste of money and time ... the time being closer to 10 hours rather than 60 based on my experience.

If you want to do job specific training, CELTA and Trinity are the standard entry level courses. Anything below that is a bit of a waste of time I think. Bottom line for you is you are already qualified for legal work in China.... the training course is the icing on the cake ... but honestly .... avoid a 60 hour online thing.

Bat_Guano · Joined: 02 Feb 2013 Posts: 25 Location: Medan

Agree with Maniac... your US passport is the most important thing, followed by your BBA and MBA and teaching experience. Some schools might still require or ask for a TEFL on top of all that, but many very likely will take you as you are. I was hired to teach in a public school in China in 2010 with just a US passport, BA and some tutoring experience as an undergrad. In my experience it's people who don't have a uni degree who have the most difficulty. (assuming we are talking about native speakers holding passports from the "recognized" countries). Some employers will even offer you TEFL training in-country or pay for your (mostly worthless, as noted) online TEFL course if they want to hire you. I have one of those 60 hour ol certs acquired between my first job in China and my current job in Indonesia. The only thing it has done for me is that my school here wouldn't have been able to get me a legal working visa without it - in the eyes of the government here it constitutes a teaching license, although just by the skin of its teeth. As far as training or actualpreparation for the classroom, yes, it is worthless.

MBA_guy · Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Texas

Thank you both. About 20 minutes after I posted this question, I received a provisional job offer from my current university Shocked

. It essentially comes down to traveling with this summers exchange students and teaching English at one of our affiliated universities in China. In return they have offered our university's TESOL certification. So that covers July, now I just need to find something from August on.

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

Disagree with Bat somewhat.

Passport is most important.

Second most important is ->

What colour is your skin?

MBA_guy · Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Texas

No problems there, I'm White.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

GreatApe · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:52 am Post subject:

BA, MBA, teaching cert., White skin, Native-speaker ... check, check, check, CHECK!, CHECK!

You are highly employable ... the sky's the limit! Now be sure to remember the wax in your wings, and don't fly too close to the sun! Laughing

GOOD LUCK! (and ENJOY!).

--GA

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing