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fpshangzhou
Joined: 13 Mar 2012
Posts: 280
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 Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:17 pm Post subject: Linguatutor - Looking for past experiences |
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Hello,
I've seen a posting in echinacities and on eslcafe advertising for this agency. If anyone has had experience working for them, I'd like to hear your thoughts or opinions of them.
Cheers,
Fpshangzhou |
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LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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Linguatutor found me two positions while I was living in Shanghai.
The first was a one to one set up, where the student was specializing in selling security plans/solutions for a British company. I don't know why they wanted an American teacher if it was for a British company, but that's what they wanted. I was able to negotiate 300 RMB per hour. Sure, it could have been higher, but I lived close to the location and the student was cool. I taught this student for five months. They were never late with pay and I was always payed in cash.
The second job was weird. It was for a high school. Linguatutor told me that the salary would be 12,000 per month, but when I interviewed with the school itself, the woman who ran the interview was really shady. I had a bad feeling from the start. She told me that the salary would be 10,000. I told her no, that she was mistaken. Linguatutor went to bat for me and stood their ground for me. Needless to say, my refusal to take the salary didn't go over so well. They kept the offer open at 10,000 and I refused. I think Linguatutor took some heat for it because I had agreed on taking the job before being interviewed, but oh well. I'm sure they deal with this all the time. It is China, after all. You really can't trust what you are being told, contradictions are everywhere it seems.
All in all, I was satisfied with their services. If I were back in Shanghai, I would contact them again. I'm sure they would find something good for you. I didn't have any problems with them at all. Good luck. |
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Bud Powell
Joined: 11 Jul 2013
Posts: 1736
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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| LPKSA wrote: |
Linguatutor found me two positions while I was living in Shanghai.
The first was a one to one set up, where the student was specializing in selling security plans/solutions for a British company. I don't know why they wanted an American teacher if it was for a British company, but that's what they wanted. I was able to negotiate 300 RMB per hour. Sure, it could have been higher, but I lived close to the location and the student was cool. I taught this student for five months. They were never late with pay and I was always payed in cash.
The second job was weird. It was for a high school. Linguatutor told me that the salary would be 12,000 per month, but when I interviewed with the school itself, the woman who ran the interview was really shady. I had a bad feeling from the start. She told me that the salary would be 10,000. I told her no, that she was mistaken. Linguatutor went to bat for me and stood their ground for me. Needless to say, my refusal to take the salary didn't go over so well. They kept the offer open at 10,000 and I refused. I think Linguatutor took some heat for it because I had agreed on taking the job before being interviewed, but oh well. I'm sure they deal with this all the time. It is China, after all. You really can't trust what you are being told, contradictions are everywhere it seems.
All in all, I was satisfied with their services. If I were back in Shanghai, I would contact them again. I'm sure they would find something good for you. I didn't have any problems with them at all. Good luck. |
So THAT'S how you got to know the people you have to know in order to get a job in a top university.
Smell-o-meter anyone? |
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muffintop
Joined: 07 Jan 2013
Posts: 803
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:49 am Post subject: |
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| Bud Powell wrote: |
So THAT'S how you got to know the people you have to know in order to get a job in a top university.
Smell-o-meter anyone? |
Sorry, but did I post anything in there about working in a University? True, I did work in a University in Shanghai, but I did not find that job through Linguatutor.
I found the job through the China job forums on this site. Simply sent my CV to a million recruiters and one night in November, 2010, I received a phone call out of the blue from the University itself, asking me if I would like to come to work there. While I was there, I took advantage of my free time and contacted Linguatutor through craigslist, they invited me in for an interview, and next thing I knew I had a part time job. It would behoove all applicants to submit a Chinese CV with their portrait included in the heading. Be clean shaven, wear a tie, etc. It's not that difficult. |
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fpshangzhou
Joined: 13 Mar 2012
Posts: 280
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| Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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They have both full & part-time positions available. According to LPSKA's experience, do they locate clients that are nearby the teacher's location? Can you accept or decline positions whether you are full-time or part-time? As for the pay, does the client pay or Linguatutor? Do they pay each session or monthly? They do have contracts, probably similar to Hampson English schools. Speaking of Hampson, does anyone have experience with them as well? I have read a few threads with teachers expressing different experiences, being a mixed bag of good and bad. The biggest complaint is the hidden fees in the contract. Any experiences of both would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Aaron |
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LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| fpshangzhou wrote: |
They have both full & part-time positions available. According to LPSKA's experience, do they locate clients that are nearby the teacher's location? Can you accept or decline positions whether you are full-time or part-time? As for the pay, does the client pay or Linguatutor? Do they pay each session or monthly? They do have contracts, probably similar to Hampson English schools. Speaking of Hampson, does anyone have experience with them as well? I have read a few threads with teachers expressing different experiences, being a mixed bag of good and bad. The biggest complaint is the hidden fees in the contract. Any experiences of both would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Aaron |
If they like you, they'll work with you to find a position nearest to you, but sometimes you need to make a sacrifice or two. They will work with you though. Don't go into their office with demands. Go in there with an open mind, smile, be friendly, polite, you know the drill. Of all the recruiters I met in person who were trying to fill part time positions, they seemed the most humble, IMHO. Some people go in there with an attitude that screams "I've done this, that, I expect you to pay me this, so no negotiation," but unfortunately, it's China, where things don't always go the way we want them to.
I think they have more part time positions than full time. They payed me in cash (Linguatutor, not the client) and it was once a month, if I am not mistaken (It's been nearly four years, hard to remember).
If a woman named Tina is still there, she's cool. She understands what foreigners are thinking about when they enter Linguatutor's office. She lived in Germany apparently, and she knew that I was somewhat reluctant to take any positions. She even said "they're not going to screw you over," and she was right. All payments were on time, and the client was legit. He couldn't keep the lessons though as his work schedule was just too demanding. I ended up leaving China not long after. Again, I would recommend them. Just be humble in the interview and not too demanding, but don't be afraid to negotiate. Do not take any positions that pay 120 RMB per hour. That would be a slap in the face to your fellow ESL teachers in Shanghai. In fact, don't take anything lower than 250 RMB per hour. If they don't budge, tell them no thanks. Then again, Linguatutor didn't seem to me to be the kind of company that would fill positions that would pay so low. If you have experience teaching, stress that in the interview. They will want to take a photograph of you as well in the interview, so make sure you look presentable and that you give the appearance of someone who knows what they are doing. When I interviewed with them, there was a man there in jeans and a ratty sweater/jumper. Don't be that guy.
If LT likes you, and the client likes you, don't be surprised if LT starts to call you more frequently to fill more positions. If they offer you anything, take it, and be stellar at your craft. Before you know it, you can network your way around and who knows. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did. If you meet Tina, tell her J from California says hi. Doubt she'll remember me, but whatever. Good luck. |
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