Job Discussion Forums

djwheat · Joined: 25 Mar 2015 Posts: 15

Hi guys, I thought something like this might be a sticky, but I couldn't find it.

I have a BSc, a TEFL and about 18 months experience.. Perhaps not relevant but I'm looking for something in southern China..

I'm just looking for general tips when looking for jobs.. Things like..

1. Does the employer usually pay for your visa?

2. What are newly hired teachers usually required to pay for? (flights, health checks, visas, work permits etc)

3. Are the jobs with a provided apartment more desirable than those without?

4. Are there other important things I should be asking?

I have had a few job offers, but I have absolutely no idea if they're any good. No way to verify if they're real or scams.

..Is getting a job in China a bit like a raffle? you have no way to tell if it's any good (unless it's a recognised international school perhaps..) until you get there.

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

Deats · Joined: 02 Jan 2015 Posts: 503

Be VERY careful when you interview for jobs. The favourite trick of Chinese employers is to tell you not to worry and it will be sorted when you arrive. 9 times out of 10 it won't. Make sure EVERYTHING you discuss is in the contract. If it isn't, then I guarantee it will come back and bite you in the ass. Chinese employers love waving the contract at you and telling you what you must and mustn't do. You soon realise that when you have complaints, the contract has nothing in your favour. I often hear things like:

Don't worry, we can talk about that when you arrive.
You can speak to person X when you arrive, I'm sure it won't be a problem
It's 'about'....

You can quickly tell who the liars are because they will skirt the questions, never give direct answers and keep saying it's someone else who deals with it.

Definitely search the name of your school/uni online to find out any horror stories.

Also, carefully check your city - pollution index, nearest airport, transport connections, medical facilities - we had a guy in our city put on a slow train to Beijing when he was ill - he died on board... something to think about.

Markness · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 738 Location: Chengdu

Make sure they don't make you work split shifts. It is illegal to work over 8 hours a day, even if you only work two 3-hour classes a day. For example, greedy training school wants you to do a 9am class, and then you're finished at 1030am, they don't schedule you for classes until 430pm until 9pm. You have been in the work place for 12 hours technically. That morning class should technically be overtime. They are not allowed by the labor law to make you work longer than an 8-hour day. It doesn't matter if it's technically only 6 hours of teaching. Any hours out of the 8-hour window are OT.

Make sure that they give you all of the holidays that the Chinese get. None of this BS where you have to work on tomb-sweeping day and the Chinese staff don't (it's happening at my company as we speak). This is again, illegal. We are entitled to all of the Chinese national holidays by law.

source: Chinese GF contacted a lawyer about some red-flags at my company. I would have been cool with them but they are clamping down hard on the foreign staff and not anyone else in the company.

Deats · Joined: 02 Jan 2015 Posts: 503

My old uni used to pay the Chinese teachers money for all the holidays and also give them gifts. The foreign teachers were given swat. Definitely one rule for one and one for another. They think the stupid Laowai won't know what goes on. Also they think even if they break the law with things, Laowai won't call the authorities.

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

djwheat · Joined: 25 Mar 2015 Posts: 15

Thanks guys..

Contacting ex teachers seems like an almost impossible task though. !

Deats · Joined: 02 Jan 2015 Posts: 503

You can ask your employer to give you two or preferably three current employees email addresses and ask them about the pros and cons of the school. If the school refuses, then it means they are not a good company to work for.

JoeKing · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 519

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

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=91394&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=checklist&start=0

This thread started in 2011 and was updated as recently as mid 2014.
OP is right it could be useful as a 'sticky'

RiverMystic · Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 1986

My China (ex)wife told me superannuation and medical insurance are legal requirements for all workers in China.