Job Discussion Forums

[wood]

[refazenda]

Wood:

Thanks for your comments. I think given my qualifications I'll probably want to ask for more than 500/hr.

Your comment on NY is correct; sometimes the air is okay, other times it is simply horrible.

[juzstylin]

...with HESS. I'm not too sure on whether I should accept this position or not. NOt too sure if this is bottom of the scale or not, even though I have seen a few mention 500NT is about average for starting. My hourly wage would work out to approximately $23CAD/hr, which might take me 5-10 years to get up to in my field of study. I have relatively no teaching experience aside from 5 years of tutoring and 2 years of being a T.A. I have a TESOL certificate, 23/m from Canada and a native english speaker.

I want to pose a question to all that have worked for HESS or may know someone that works for HESS.

To begin with, I'm an Asian-Canadian, but do not look like a typical Asian. I'm very tall (6'2) but with a rather slim build and not so squinty eyes. I've been told that I look half black or even polynesian before. My question is, given that I am Asian, what is the likelihood that I will receive more than the minimum hours (20) per week they promise???

As one without any formal teaching experience, this minimum hours stuff brings a concern to me. I feel maybe I should be better off going to teach in Japan (Nova?) where the hourly pay is about the same, can have more fun, breathe better, and not worry about getting hours. The last thing I want to do is go over that far and get shafted.

On a side note, I have heard Taiwanese people tend to be very skeptical of FBC that are native speakers of English. In fact, during my interview, the interviewer even asked me how I was going to deal with parents that question my fluency in, let alone ability to teach, English. This is why the concern.


Thx in advance

[matchstick_man]

The likelihood of getting the promised hours is higher at a chain school however sometimes here you are pomised more hours and get less or promised less and get more...................as for the looks factor that will be down to management decision. Location is a huge factor for the hours chain schools and independent schools can give.

[juzstylin]

I've let it be known that I would highly prefer Taipei over anywhere else.
Am I more likely to receive more hours in Taipei than anywhere else?

In other words, is the demand the highest in the city?

[wood]

[juzstylin]

Really?

I've heard that teaching privately is illegal in Taiwan, yet everyone does it. Is it really that easy to attract private students? Moreover, the consequenses for doing this could be deportation and termination from an employer. I've read somewhere that the visa you get in Taiwan is tied to your employer and does not let you work for anyone other than the institution written on the back of the ARC card. If this is the case, why do I hear of so many teachers teach privately with all the risks at hand?

[brian]

I would agree that there would be less competition for jobs in some areas outside of Taipei so some jobs could offer you more hours. However, in many cases these very schools don't really have many hours to offer and therefore teachers often don't get another hours that they want. Additionally, it is safe to assume that some of the smaller schools may not offer many new classes. In some cases a bigger school may offer you minimal hours first until you settle in and until they are sure that you can handle more hours. As new classes open up, good teachers will often find that their schedules fill up.