Job Discussion Forums

klwolf · Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 12 Location: United States

I have a few questions about cold calling, and meeting in person with potential employers. I'm hoping to begin applying for different teaching jobs in Shanghai and Beijing. I've only been teaching in China for about 5 months, but am trying to start doing a bit of networking towards finding a new position once my contract is up this July. I have February off, and will be traveling through China most of this time. Because I'll be making stops in both of these cities, I was thinking it might be a good opportunity to set up some face-to-face meetings.

I currently teaching kindergarten, which is an age group I really enjoy. After working the job I have now, though, I'd be very careful in taking another kindergarten position. I'm planning on looking into some university positions, and hopefully picking up some privates on the side. I don't think I have the qualifications to make it into an international school, as I've only have one full year after my contract is up, and a handful of months spend doing volunteer tutoring in the states. I do have my BA, however, and was thinking of getting my CELTA this August.

Is attempting to set up these meetings a useful approach? To be honest, I don't even really know who I would be contacting in regards to university staff, or how to narrow down a general school search. I'm just trying to put myself in the best position possible when this next season of job openings comes around. Any advice would be really appreciated - I'm very new to all of this! Please let me know if I've left out any important info.

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

Cold calling is not a bad idea, but I would not expect many university staff to be around until mid-Feb due to the winter holiday. Most completely shut up shop.

Also worth noting that forward planning does not seem to be common in university bureaucracy, so Feb might be a little early unless you wanted to step into something ASAP (i.e. a school who lost someone during the break unexpectedly).

Better schools will probably want to arrange a demo class or something, so you might get a foot in the door but they might expect you to return a bit later when they are starting to recruit for the next semester. If you can, give your details to a foreign head teacher who helps with FT recruitment, as they will be more likely to keep it somewhere for future reference.

Good luck, hopefully others will have some useful input.

klwolf · Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 12 Location: United States

Awesome, thanks so much for your feedback.

wishmeluck · Joined: 06 Sep 2014 Posts: 3

I know this is an old thread but this is why I joined the forum in the first place. Anything new? Any more tips?

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

Cold calling in a known holiday period is self defeating. 'No one here that can talk to you' would be the likely response.
My experience involves one pre arranged visit to U of Hainan in Feb. I was teaching in the NE and too cold for me. The visit to U of H was a sidetrip from my normal transit through HK.
As someone has alluded to the forward planning is non existent and while the junior FAO type I had arranged to see was on deck, he hadn't made any plans for me to see a decision maker so I went away empty handed.
I cold called 3 unis in Dalian that were within walking distance of my apt and got offers from 2. This was in normal term time.
I went with a Chinese student friend so I was able to zero in on the FAOs pretty readily.
I avoided the 12 to 2pm period when FAOs generally take a nap.
If you can get to your target city in term time and get some Chinese speaking campus guidance, that would be the way to go.

thechangling · Joined: 11 Apr 2013 Posts: 276

wishmeluck · Joined: 06 Sep 2014 Posts: 3

To those who cold call, how do you do it? I find I am dismissed really quick. Working for the Berlitz's etc is not too rewarding. I rather work for myself.

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

In my experience I think that having a Chinese with me helped in that she made sure we got through the first layer.
These were public universities - not language schools, although I did pick up a regular Saturday gig on my own, by just calling in to a private language school. Also got a short term corporate at HP Dalian the same way.