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Newbie work in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzen or Beijing
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Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To your question, my implied answer was 'unlikely'.
In an effort to be helpful, I posited the alternative.
Getting a job in China isn't a flow chart.
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teenoso



Joined: 18 Sep 2013
Posts: 365
Location: south china

PostPosted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 12:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The assumption about the standard salary (10K) is not achievable for a first position. If you are working on this assumption , in order to pay back your student loan, then China is definitely not the place.

You could consider Korea, where the pay and workload is much higher. A young American I worked with said he paid back all his student loans after two years grind in Korea.

But you seems to have conflicting aims - partying on the beach , in a high paying metropolitan area?
Realistically, you may earn here 5K a month, possibly more if you find outside work (and your employer lets you do this). You can save 2K-3K a month of 5K , if you cook, don't travel at the weekends, and don't go to KTV/western restaurants and bars. That's possibly 25K (£2500) in a year - not a fortune.

Budpowell made some valuable points , but I disagree in some respects - most FTs here take their job seriously and want to have some adventure (why else would we put up with some of the s*it we get here.) Nobody would come to China just to work (as maybe they would go to Qatar or Saudi). For me, sometimes, daily life here is an adventure .

Don't bank on the idea that the MSc in Biology will get you a better job in a science/tech uni. In allocating teaching , most times, unis here just ignore your subject/quals/preferences.

As nonseq says , find a uni which looks after its FTs, pays reasonably , is in a major city, where you won't be isolated, and from where you can launch yourself into a 2nd year here in good standing.

Finally, having spent several months back in "Poundland", which is severely depressed and has a very gloomy outlook, I can fully understand why you want out.


Last edited by teenoso on Fri Oct 04, 2013 7:09 am; edited 1 time in total
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buffalobill12323



Joined: 18 Sep 2013
Posts: 115
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wiganesi wrote:
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.


GuangDong doesn't readily accept fresh-faced 21 yr olds with a bachelors degree, (so - what is your age?) but your Masters will count in your favor. Anything that you have done that might be construed as teaching experience will also help. Tutored a friends kids? Invigilated some exams? When I was first coming I got my drinking buddy, who's kid I had tutored to write a glowing reference on headed, stamped company paper - it helped. Even tho it is not as easy as in years gone by, it is still possible for you to get in to such a city / province.

If you go to GuangZhou, go to Da Xue Cheng - an island of universities. You won't get your 10,000 target as a newb in a university, but you might get 8,000, for maybe 15 classes (40/45 mins each). Thereafter, you are surrounded by 250,000 students many looking for extra tuition - your actual earning limited is governed only by desire and how long you can stay awake. I limit myself to 40 classes a week, I could do 80 if I had the drive, but, 40 earns you a very nice income, even by British/Irish standards
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BlueBlood



Joined: 31 Aug 2013
Posts: 261

PostPosted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bill, how many students, total, would you estimate are in Da Xue Cheng? I've heard it's immense.
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doogsville



Joined: 17 Nov 2011
Posts: 924
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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


That's a good point and I think the reason there's never a consistent answer is because we're all having a different experience. There doesn't seem to be a really average uni salary, although the 5000 figure, especially for newbies, gets posted a lot. Then, as wise members often point out, it's all about the package. That only seems to distort the average though, since two teachers on the same monthly salaries annual package can vary by thousands. Some of us are better savers than others too. If you have a girlfriend you'll likely spend more than if you were single etc. etc.

Whenever I read posts that say 'how much money can I expect to save on a kindergarten teachers salary in a third tier city in the North West during a leap year?' I usually think 'well, how much have you managed to save so far in your life at home? If the answer is nothing, then do you really expect that to magically change when you come to China? If you manage to tuck away a small amount every month, or pay off your credit card bill and student loan before buying video games and going drinking with your friends, then you'll probably do okay here.

I guess what I'm saying, and this is not aimed at anyone in particular, it's just my personal observation, is that China is not a magic bullet that turns spenders into savers or vice versa. Nor is there some concrete formula for wages and savings that you can use to predict your future finances. I would go as far as to say don't come to China just to make money and pay off your debt back home. Come to China if you want to enjoy a very different way of life to the one you are used to at home, and if you want to have a pretty good standard of living while working far less hours than you would back home. If you manage to send money back and pay of some debt before you've had enough of China and return then great, but don't bet the farm on it.
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buffalobill12323



Joined: 18 Sep 2013
Posts: 115
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BlueBlood wrote:
bill, how many students, total, would you estimate are in Da Xue Cheng? I've heard it's immense.



I know there is room for 300,000 plus, but I know that most of the universities are under-capacity, for now - they were built with an eye on the future. The outer ring road is very quiet and you can see lots of empty real estate, some of these universities are still building. At a guess maybe 200,000 now, but not done growing, not by a long shot. I have seen my own university gradually move into previously unused class rooms year by year a little more.
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You dont just need to look at major cities IMO. In fact, I think the major cities may be a place where culture differences and culture shock is the worst. Big cities can represent the worst (as well as the best perhaps) of China.

Tourist places can also be an easy entry into China. Im within walking distance of foreign owned bars, an Indian, Spanish, British, German and Mexican restaurants all staffed by people who speak good English and have English menus. Tourist towns arent everyones cup of tea, but they can offer quite an easy living experience I think.

Forget the high salaries though ... these places are often thought of as being desirable so salaries can be lower than the average. The experience rule isnt enforced where I am though so you wouldnt have to worry about that.

Look at Yangshuo, and also perhaps LiJiang in Yunnan Province.
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

teenoso wrote:
The assumption about the standard salary (10K) is not achievable for a first position. If you are working on this assumption , in order to pay back your student loan, then China is definitely not the place.


To be fair .. looking in the private sector 10k for a newbie would appear very realistic. Most members of the forum work in the public sector with lower salaries (but more chances for private work perhaps!)
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davelister



Joined: 15 Jul 2013
Posts: 214

PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wiganesi,

I would like to apologise for my rude and unhelpful behaviour towards you on this topic. I wrongly assumed you were yet another manifestation of CTFU, sorry.

Best wishes,

davelister (not real name, just a Red Dwarf fan)
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Wiganesi



Joined: 02 Oct 2013
Posts: 46
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No worries at all Dave, I know there's been problems here.

Glad to see I've passed the troll test! Very Happy
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