Job Discussion Forums

[Firearcher]

Apparently I have 2 schools in china who want to hire me - both on their face without seeing the contract are great jobs. same recruiter. same city. both will not send the contract and want me to sign it in china. after its signed then they will process the visa. first of all - what if the contract sucks once i see it - but lets suppose its a dream job - can i apply for the z visa while in china on a tourist visa? legally?????

[johntpartee]

[Non Sequitur]

Ask to speak to other FTs who've worked there.
In the unlikely event you do make contact I expect they are on tourist L visa and equally likely the school(s) do not have the right to employ foreigners.
A would also hazard a guess that you have had no direct contact with either school.
If things go pear shaped who you gonna call?
Get the names of the schools and come back on Dave's and seek input.
Otherwise pass as John suggests.
It is flattering that schools appear to be interested especially for starting in S2.
Until you know better, think of the recruiter and schools as Madoff College for the Gullible.

[muffintop]

Either way....find a new job.

There is no reason for not showing you the contract. A common excuse from recruiters is that they are worried you'll cut them out of the loop. It's a garbage excuse.

I can promise you...neither are dream jobs.

[Javelin of Radiance]

Common sense should kick in here. Why even consider a job if you aren't able to see the contract first? How do you know they're great jobs if you haven't seen any of the details? My guess is the recruiter has the contract but doesn't want you to see it. Tell this recruiter you no longer want their services because you don't trust them. And be sure to tell them this, maybe if they see paychecks slipping through their fingers again and again they'll figure out they're doing something wrong.

[Bud Powell]

There might be a good deal on waterfront property included in that contract.

[Firearcher]

Thanks to all for the input.

My alarm bells have been ringing for weeks with this recruiter. Initially the salary was 12,000. The schools and the details I was given verbally sounded great. (Too good to be true). 3 different people interviewed me. One was a white man. 2 were Chinese women. All seemed nice. I was hired by both. Neither want to show me the contract. 1 asked for a demo. the recruiter did not and does not know how to receive a demo from me. I did send it but she deleted it saying the download "took too long". Its a video!

Today the salary was 15,000 to 25,000 I was told. Red Flag Red Flag.

Both schools do exist and have websites but I have no way of knowing the people I spoke with via Skype are actually from those schools or scammers from Nigeria.

But they want me to fly to China at my expense to sign a contract I may decide ultimately not to sign. I have wasted a month of my job search going back and forth with this person. Frustrating.

[Firearcher]

PS: They need a teacher for end of Feb but will not start the Visa process til after Chinese vacation. The process takes at least 6 weeks,

What The H**L

[Non Sequitur]

[davelister]

Don't bother with this or, in my opinion, any recruiter. Deal with schools directly thus skimming off a level of BS. As has already been said, it's preposterous for a decent employer or recruiter (if there is one) to expect you to accept, go through the Z-visa process and fly over without seeing a contract.

[drjtrekker]

OP,

IMHO, I think it would be well worth it for anyone planning to teach in chiner...to read Dave's forum for a mandatory time of "one semester training" before they apply for ANY JOB.

Unfortunately I think too many foreigners are too trusting and assume things will work the same way they worked back home with regards to employment.

But once one is here for a while and has their ear to the pavement...they figure it out.

[Non Sequitur]

Just a point about recruiters' fees.
It is my understanding that they get a one-off fee of maybe a month's salary or 12.5 to 15% of the annual remuneration.
They don't get a cut each month.
Anyone have knowledge?

[Javelin of Radiance]

[drjtrekker]

Recruiters:

Javelin and Non got it.
But some times an Agency/Recruiter will place you at one job/Uni (instead of the multiple work places and negotiating prices) but the UNI pays the Agent and so the Agent can do what they want.

Sunny's English that recruits in Sichuan was infamous for this.
They would even take half of holiday and airfare pay....(this happened to a friend of mine)
Supposedly without the knowledge of the Uni's as well.

IMO, I would only use an Agent that the School/Uni will sign a contract with me directly rather than EVER signing anything from a recruiter or TRUSTING anything the recruiter states unless it comes from the Hiring FAO/School (and that might still be a lie! haha).

[Non Sequitur]

Assuming you are employed by a recruiter, are they able to issue the invitation letter?