Job Discussion Forums

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

My first job in China was at a high school in Anhui.'
I was earning 9,000 RMB a month for 10 forty-five minute classes a week.
On Saturdays I was tutoring for 4 hours at 250 RMB an hour.
So, two hours of work each day M-F, and four hours of work on Saturdays, and I was earning 13,000 RMB a month.
I easily saved 11,000 RMB a month. Not bad for someone with only a BA and two years experience.

The reason that I am posting this is that the current teacher at my previous school recently emailed me, and he is now earning 10,800 a month, and tutoring at 300 an hour.

I have often read on this forum, and elsewhere, that there is less money to be made in the poorer provinces.

The reality is that most foreigners do not want to go to the less popular cities, so the schools must offer more money to lure foreigners to teach there.
The school arranged my tutoring job, and since there were so few foreigners in town I could ask a higher fee.

Anyway, if you can tolerate a less active social life, and fewer Western amenities, then you can make a lot more more money by working in a less popular area.

I know Anhui is not in the West part of China, but it is West of the more popular places in China.

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

I'm all for it. A lot of people want to be out clubbin' and drinkin' and shoppin' and coffee-housin', though, so Beijing and Shanghai will always be the most popular.

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

It is an interesting point, and interesting counterpoint to the idea that wages are stagnant in China.

Comfort doesn't help if you are here in the long run. What often sucks isn't that there aren't better jobs, but that schools are reluctant to reward those who work hard with salary increases. A key thing to look out for when signing a contract is general information on year-by-year salary hikes. Some places pay well year one, but then hope that your lack of motivation to up sticks means that you will be happy to earn the same year two, three or four rather than go through the trouble of finding something new. Fair enough in the world of business I suppose, but something to be aware of (and negotiate).

Another annoyance is the struggle to collectively bargain for better conditions. Schools don't like it, and sometimes those you work with would rather not for whatever reason. A school that contracts you against discussing a salary is pretty much driving the nail in the coffin in this regard. Again, from their point of view it makes sense, but it sucks for those who are trying to hammer out a better (or fair) deal for themselves.

But (and not to disrupt this thread and its positive approach with the above) there are good jobs, good salaries and good positions available. Often (like back home) you need to look for them, or be willing to trade one thing for another (i.e. location for salary, much like working on a suburban industrial estate rather than in the centre of a vibrant city, or face a long commute).

As always, pounding the pavement and looking at all options will tend to pay off.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Was that first position of yours a high school affiliated some some sort of international program or a joint venture program with a western university?

BenMason · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 8 Location: Hefei

Would you mind telling me what city in Anhui that was?

Mr. English · Joined: 25 Nov 2009 Posts: 298 Location: Nakuru, Kenya

I don't believe the stated tutoring hourly rates, unless you are talking groups. Anyone who knows tutoring in China can see these rates are totally bogus

Mr. English · Joined: 25 Nov 2009 Posts: 298 Location: Nakuru, Kenya

I add that I have seen a number of phony claims regarding tutoring on this site over the past couple years, though this is the first I have called. Further, if it is groups, working with groups invites a host of issues when it comes to the money, for example, if you have a group of five paying a total of 300, believable for Anhui, what do you do if only two or three show? They won't want to pay more than the 60 share that they agreed to.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

I can't believe 9k for only 10 hours a week, unless it's some sort of program affiliated with an international organization or university.

BenMason · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 8 Location: Hefei

It is possible to get some great hourly rates, but as a previous poster said, there are people who take their best short term earning and generalize it. There are also people who just make stuff up so they feel better about themselves. This may not be the guy in Anhui, but if that kind of rate was easily available (both the full and part time rate mentioned), it begs the question: why not do more hours? and why not stick around?

The time available from the full time position plus the few hours of part time work required to earn 20k or more would allow great savings for very little time - in relation to a 'full time' normal job. Requiring so little business sense to save so much is quite something to walk away from.

I'm missing something.

Simon in Suzhou · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 404 Location: GZ

I know the OP personally, and he has had to return home this week for a family medical emergency so I'm pretty sure he won't be responding here anytime soon.

He is an honest and stand-up guy. I do believe he told me the contracted hours were 16 for the job in Anhui, but they never filled his schedule and he only taught about 10 hours a week. As well, the private tutoring on saturdays were small groups of 3-4 students.

I also know he left Anhui after a couple of years for social reasons and feeling very isolated there. Money isn't everything for a good quality of life. However, as many people are looking to make a little more money he made this post as a suggestion that shanghai/beijing etc. are not the only places to make cash- especially if you are willing to teach at the middle school or high school level. His goal was not to boast, but rather to offer an alternative path of job searching for people who want a decent salary but have been told that can only happen in the big cities.

BenMason · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 8 Location: Hefei

That's a good explanation. Since I've been in China I've heard so many stories that I suspect everybody of fibbing.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

BenMason · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 8 Location: Hefei

I'd like to offer my apologies to the OP - and his friend. The contract isn't unrealistic. I have just spent so long listening to liars since I've been in this industry that I get cranky when something sounds too good to be true - and 10 hours did sound a bit too good a schedule for 9k. I don't have much experience of middle/high school jobs - just universities and training centres. I wrongly generalized my university experience for middle/high school contracts.

Regarding Anhui, I live here and I do know a few people here who earn more than 10k a month. There are various ways to do it, and the OP's way is the simplest most immediately available way of doing it.

I retract my first post completely (in spirit - I don't know how to delete it!)

In fact, if anybody wants to earn that kind of money in Anhui, I can help. PM me.

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

Thanks "Simon in Suzhou" for explaining my original post, and also for the kind words.

As an additional clarification, I was contracted for fourteen classes a week, but was only scheduled for ten.

The Saturday tutoring classes had 5 students in each class, with each student paying 50RMB per hour, for a total of 250RMB per hour.

Yes, the intention of my original post was just to let people know that the larger cities are not the only places in China where you can earn a decent salary.