Job Discussion Forums

[Wiganesi]

Hi all,

I've had a bit of a nightmare getting a consistent answer to this question, so hopefully there’s someone here who can point me in the right direction.

I recently graduated with my Masters Degree in Biology, focussing in genetics.
Due to the dire lack of work in the North of England, I would very much like to drastically change my career path and go to teach English in China.

I have tried searching for the answer on the internet; but as I’m sure you can all appreciate, a lot of the information out there is rather old, and I’m assuming the situation has changed a lot since it was published. I think since it’s my first experience in Asia, I’d like to be in a big international city like the ones mentioned in the title of this thread. However, when looking for work in these cities I get conflicting information as to whether they all require three years teaching experience. Most state so in the requirements, but are these solid requirements for visa reasons or can they be worked around?

After going to university in a city with a large Chinese community, and indeed living with several Chinese nationals, I know that the huge cultural differences between Chinese culture and Western culture may make it very hard to settle in in China at first. Therefore, if it is not possible for me to work in one of these named cities, are there any recommendations for a more international city in which I might be able to find work?

Thanks in Advance

[davelister]

[choudoufu]

i too wanted to make a million renminbucks in the land of niunai and
fengmi where the streets are paved with baobaolashi, but thanks to the
STFU i learned that foreign teachers are the lessest paid creatures in all
of china! see here:

www.spam.com
www.spam3.com
www.spam4u.com
www.ilikespam.com
www.spamspamspam.com

c'mon b4uregretit, try to at least make the sob story somewhat believable.

[Wiganesi]

Thank you for the career advice. I appreciate your replies.

I apologise for going off topic so early in this thread. To do ITT in Biology, which isn't one of the Science subjects in great demand at the moment, even with a (possible) bursary of 9k to cover tuition I would still have enormous living costs to cover. At the moment I simply cannot afford that, especially with the level of debt I have built up over the last four years attaining my MSc.

I realize maybe my post sounded a bit negative. Please, allow me to clear a few things up. Firstly, it wasn’t a sob story! I genuinely want to go to China primarily for an adventure. It is a great opportunity to pay off my debts whilst learning about the culture that will become dominant in this century, and also learn a language that is becoming more and more important. Maybe later on, if I fancy it, I will use my savings to support me through ITT and become a biology teacher. I can't say that experience teaching abroad will be a hindrance to this possible career plan.

I’m not naïve, I realise I won’t be becoming a millionaire by doing this. However, even if I was lucky enough to get one of the few biological science jobs open to MSc holders within 50 miles of my hometown (Which I wouldn’t,) believe me now, I would not have much more, if any more, disposable income than a low paying job with benefits in China. At this moment in my life, I don’t fancy moving else where in this green and pleasant land either.

Now we’ve cleared this up, and maybe you’ve seen a bit more of my optimism and reasons for wanting to do this, can we return to the topic in hand?

[buffalobill12323]

[davelister]

To save time ..

1) You will not earn / save lots of money in China as it is.

2) Have hope serf! For our spamalicious saviour CFTU is our knight in shining armour! Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth! Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope! CTFU, we are there for you!

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You are my only hope!

[teenoso]

yes , the three year teaching experience requirement can be worked around.
As for cities , there are other threads which cover this , but consider :
Ningbo, Qingdao, Dalian, Xi'an, Hangzhou , Tianjin, Wuxi, Suzhou, Nanjing, Zhuhai.

There are lots of cities in China with an international presence, and with plenty of jobs.
In your situation I would think about teaching at a Uni first - less chance of getting shafted by recruiters and private language school owners, and a possible bonus additional monthly income of 500RMB for the MSc (!), yes a whole £50 extra.
But seriously , a Uni job can be a great entry job for China, and you will make lots of friends among the students. And have time off to travel.

not sure why other posters think you are a troll/spammer , but never mind

[buffalobill12323]

[choudoufu]

[Wiganesi]

Thanks for your replies buffalobill and teenoso.

During my search I've not seen these kind of jobs advertised. Forgive me if I'm being a dunce and looking in the wrong places. Do they tend to have specific hiring periods? 10 hours on the beach seems right up my street!

I'm not quite sure why people think I'm a troll either, I thought it was a perfectly reasonable question, phrased in a polite and inoffensive manner!

[Bud Powell]

At the risk of being suspected of being one of those wumouses, I say to give the guy a break.

OP: We've been inundated with spammers and people of a certain ilk to the point that there's a lot of skepticism in this forum. With your qualifications, you'll shoot yourself in the foot if you come to China for a few years for an adventure. You'll not get much encouragement for your reasons for coming to live in China. A lot of people on this board are quite dedicated folks who take their jobs seriously. China is not the place for adventure. Really.

Prague is the place for you if you wish to make some money and live a Bohemian lifestyle among the younger just-graduated set.

Are you looking in enough places for work in your area of study? The Masters degree is just the beginning of a comprehensive formal education in any given field, so you're really not hemmed into any particular area, nor are you necessarily blocked from entry to many fields. Consider the food industry. I know a bioengineer (that's what they called them back then) who went to work for General Mills, one of the world's largest producers of food. Your field of study will open many doors if you are willing to knock hard enough.

But your idea of coming to China to teach English for an adventure is a bad idea. A lot of foreign teachers who teach English in China don't have a lot of time for adventure.

If you drop out of the local work force after graduation, you can pretty much count on a very difficult time returning to work in your field of study.

Good luck in your pursuits.

[BlueBlood]

If the OP indeed has his heart set on China, I think starting at Tier 1 city is his best bet. Not only bc he'll experience less culture clash, but mainly for the opportunity to later use his education in China.

If he's in SH/BJ/SZ/GZ, after getting a year of standard ESL training under his belt, he could look for a job teaching biology in English. That would make him very marketable, I'd imagine. Even if he found a college wherein he could teach both biology and ESL. There'd also be the possibility, I'd hope, of a multinational company wanting to hire him in his field. At least that's what I'd do with his impressive academic background.

As far as his plans to make and save enough money whilst in China to set himself up for a return to the UK, that I'd expect will take many years.

[Wiganesi]

Thanks for your replies,

Again, I see some very conflicting reports when it comes to saving money and teaching English in China. It's hard to know what to believe. With a standard salary of 10000 RMB + rent is it possible to save half? If so, that's my overdraft and a large chunk of my student loan paid off in one year.

I know these questions get brought up often but there doesn't really seem to be a consistent answer.

Looking at the possibility of applying to Sciency universities at the moment. Might be the best of both worlds.

[Non Sequitur]

OP
You're looking for a 'set piece answer'.
If have X qualification and go to Y city I will receive Z pay.
China isn't like that and you will learn about the way things are done as you go along.
To put it simply you will find impenetrable barriers where you expected a free ride and vice versa.
The ONLY way of sorting your way through this is to apply for jobs and get into conversation with potential employers. As a newb look at north rather than south, public rather than private, 2nd tier cities rather than BJ, GZ-type.
You will get 5500pm, not 10,000 together with accom, paid winter holiday and up to 10,000 airfare refund. You should also look for schools that have a proven history of satisfactory employment of FTs.
This is your start job. In Y2 you can look at something better and in China you don't know what that might be.
If you get a job in Dalian, you might see paradise as Hainan. If you get a job in a foreign language U, you might see a technology U as a better fit.

[Wiganesi]

I think you may have misunderstood me. I didn't ask a question like that.

What I originally wanted to know, was if I could work in a large metropolitan city without experience.

There's been some valuable input in that area , but it seems the jury is still out.