Job Discussion Forums

ChineseDwarf · Joined: 03 Oct 2013 Posts: 16

So a certain recruiting agency (yea, I know you all told me not to go to them) keeps telling me that China's bigger cities enforce their "2 years teaching experience and a TESOL" requirement. She has told me that it will be very hard to get in and that none of them will break the rule. Although from the stories I have heard on here, it seems that they break it often.

Anyways is this BS? Is she trying to get me to fill her small town job positions? She has suggested I go to smaller towns and offered me jobs in towns like Daqing and Changzhi.

If is is true, what is the cheapest and quickest TELF I can get that will pass when applying to universities?

Thanks for your responses guys.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I think that is fair comment from the recruiter. Also, if you are looking for a Feb start then you are prospecting in a smaller 'mine' than if you are looking at September.
If you have limited qualifications the a smaller town gig to start with would be the way to go. Any city with a proper tertiary uni or vocational will be a sizeable burg in China. Ask how many other FTs there are. Less than 3 would be a very puny operation. Also don't be sucked in by any deal that suggests a tourist visa and where you don't get to talk to the school direct.
The school must be the only employer and get confirmation that you live and work on the one campus.
As to an ESL qual a foundation cert from someone like Teach International could be useful but they may not have a course location where you live.

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

I started working in Shenyang without 2 yrs experience or a certificate, and many of my coworkers at that job did the same.

Shenyang is not Beijing or Shanghai, but it is the largest city in NE China and definitely not small.

ChineseDwarf · Joined: 03 Oct 2013 Posts: 16

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

Ehh just to throw a few such cities out there, one of my friends worked in Suihua, Heilongjiang, which is about 90 minutes from Harbin.

Another friend worked in Huludao, which is like 60 minutes from Shenyang (or less with new train?).

Of course both of these are cold areas, which some people don't like. Obviously, I have mostly worked in the northeast. But I'm sure there are comparable cities in the warmer parts of China.