Job Discussion Forums

[ESL.Professor.Roger]

Me: newly minted Oxford TESL cert, no formal classroom teaching but gobs of both official and unofficial corporate training experience, needing to start over and so limited up-front funds available. US native. Needing to bank as much as possible, and China seems to be my best bet for that.

Various recruiters have contacted me with offers for these three, among other offers direct to schools. I'm seeing some talk about them all, but that talk is years old. The consensus at the time of last posts:

Birmy -- stay away
Meten -- meh, but making progress
Bond -- no worse than any other position for a foreigner.

Does anyone have recent information (in the last year or so, say) or reliable contacts within any of these groups?

[danasoverseasemail]

You are desperate for money but think China is the best place to do that? Why? Why not get a job in your own country?

[Javelin of Radiance]

I wouldn't say China is the best bet for banking as much money as possible. You can save some decent money here but you can save lots more in other places. You never mentioned that you have a degree or not. you do appear to be a professor though With a degree there are other countries where you can do better but without one then China is one of your better options I guess.

[ESL.Professor.Roger]

I have two degrees, and am several hours into the thrid -- none relevant to ESL. And while I have a *lot* of corporate training experience, my formal classroom teching resume is very light.

I live in an English speaking country, so the need here for ESL teachers is slight.

I have changed careers because the other became untenable -- I worked in a highly technical field, and my last formal job was paying me almost what I am worth in the field -- which is far more than the going rate, and in today's economy I have found it difficult to even get that first interview (oh, he won't like what we're offering, let's move on).

My children are grown, and my own needs have always been modest, so a much lesser pay rate is fine, assuming benefits. I am not looking to become rich as an ESL, nor am I desperate (and do not think I implied that I was), I just want to replenish my savings which I have had to dip into far too much of late. I am, as my reference to grown children might suggest, an older person (tho far from retirement age) and was advised that balancing my need for a speedy process to starting the gig, climate preferences, and experience (or lack thereof), China would be my best match. I'm open to other suggestions.