Job Discussion Forums

[Sophisticate]

I have been offered several pretty good uni teaching jobs now, though my age is sixty. I now am choosing between them. This is a peak time for hiring teachers, and I am very happy with the results of my efforts.

[starlight]

Quite bluntly, yes. Being 60 years old and hoping to become a first-time hire in China -- or really, anywhere else in the world -- is being unrealistic.

In fact, if you look at other ESL job sites, you�ll see that in China, some schools have now set their age limits as low as 45. Many, many schools have set their upper limit at 55 years old.

Undoubtedly, there will be a barrage of replies on this thread saying that yes, of course it�s possible. However, keep in mind that those people over 60 years old who are still teaching in China either have �connections� OR have already been teaching at the school for several years (and even the latter case is not guaranteed).

It�s a sad fact of life, but age discrimination is alive and well all over the world, one of the rewards of longevity.

[johntpartee]

This has been on here a lot lately. I don't mind saying it again. I'll be 59 in two weeks. I just started a new position in February. Shortly after I arrived, I was offered a five year contract (I didn't accept it, I told the administrators we could negotiate on a a year-to-year basis). There is a married couple from the US downstairs, he's 66, she's 64; they were offered a renewal.

And no, I don't have connections and I've never been at this school before.

[starlight]

We can all come up with individual exceptions, but how many teachers 60+ years of age who apply for jobs in China -- or anywhere else -- even get considered, let alone hired?

[xiguagua]

[roadwalker]

[starlight]

From Xiguagua:
If we can all come up with individual exceptions......wouldn't that mean it's common enough that people over 60 DO get hired?

To: Xiguagua:
Not really, XGG. It would depend on the sample size of 'we'. So for example, on this thread, you could have 6 people who all represented exceptions. In this case, 6 = 'we'.

However, you could not reasonably extrapolate the experiences of those 6 people to the general population of all the 60+-year-old ESL teachers who apply for a job in China. (To do so might be considered giving 'false hope'.)

Perhaps a better indicator would be to 'track' the OP's experiences in applying for a job in China. I'm certainly willing to stand corrected.

Have a good day.

[lemak]

I have a co-worker at my uni who is 67 and still working legally on a Z visa.
Since he turned 65 the school has to sign some kind of form every year that he's still healthy enough to teach, and the PSB continues to approve him, although word on the street this may be the last time.
His wife is in his 60s also.
Point being keep applying if you're getting older. There are plenty of schools that value experience over some relatively new "model" in their 20s.

[Non Sequitur]

I secured my last job (no connections) at over 65 and a friend at over 70 was hired by a new school after spending time at home. He's a great teacher and had good referees.
Apply direct to state vocational tertiary colleges outside the provincial capitals and include some good lifestyle pics that show a positive active individual.
Best

[choudoufu]

[Zero]

Because the policies and enforcement vary so much throughout the country, you have to apply for more jobs in order to get an offer. It's partially a numbers game. If you are fishing in the right pools, such as less popular cities and provinces, I'd say you probably have to apply for about three to four times as many jobs as a young white person would in order to get the same number of offers. It's still better odds than for Asian-featured Westerners, even when they're young. I'd say they have to apply for at least 10 times as many jobs as a white person would. Similar situation for black people. But if you keep applying and are open as to location, you WILL get a job. It just won't be in Shanghai or Beijing, and won't be at a training center.

[Guerciotti]

Mr Sophisticate, all other discussion aside, now is the time to apply. It may be a little early, but I just call that practice. Start applying now, directly or through agents. I believe it's a good way to figure out where you can go and where you can't as well as other considerations you may not have ... considered.

Like Non Sequitur said: "Apply direct to state vocational tertiary colleges outside the provincial capitals and include some good lifestyle pics that show a positive active individual." If you're not familiar with the syntax, this may translate to: apply to any school named university or college.

You won't get hired at Tsinghua (but then neither will I!) but there are well over 2,000 unis/colleges in China and from the other's posts, some hire over 60.

Do you have any teaching or training experience or anything that relates to teaching?

TL;DR - Start applying, send many applications and someone will say yes.

[Sophisticate]

Many thanks for the articulate replies to my posting. This would not be my first time teaching in China, as I taught most recently from 2010-2011, and I received a beautiful red and gold framed certificate of honor for my efforts.
I was asked to stay on, but did want to return home to visit family. There is a teacher at my former university who is almost seventy, so maybe the key there is to not leave.
Having read the replies here, I have hope, and will continue to pursue a teaching position with a positive frame of mind. My teaching experience is broad, and I appreciate the advice about including evidence of an active lifestyle, which I do definitely provide in the form of photographs, as I am fit and active daily.
Here's to new adventures and long life!

[Zero]

Why not try the uni where you worked before?

[Brian O'Nolan]