Job Discussion Forums

Andrew Button · Joined: 07 Nov 2014 Posts: 5

I have an interview coming up with English First in China.

I've done some research online... The gist I'm getting is that they work you pretty hard for not that much money, but offer pretty reasonable benefits and such.

Has anyone here worked there before?

What was it like?

Background: I've been working as a freelance writer for the past 4 years. Extremely unstable income, high-intensity field. I'm not a "precious" type.

Dan123 · Joined: 08 Jan 2014 Posts: 112

I've already posted about EF too many times on this board and I can't be bothered writing up a huge post again, but to very quickly summarise what I've posted in the past.

Hours are pretty long and the hourly pay is pretty bad compared to non training schools
It's a safe job. Everything is done by the books (pay/visa etc) and you won't get ripped off other than possible getting a crappy apartment (mine was pretty nice)
They provide a decent bit of training, which you won't get in public schools
They vary a lot from school to school in terms of management. My DoS was good, but others can be crap
Very little holiday time. Like 10 days a year that you can book, but you may need to be lucky to get the dates that you want. I didn't even get to use my holidays and I just got paid off at the end of my contract instead
They'll make you act like monkeys a few times a year and make you do things like group dances/sing etc, which I hated
You'll spend a LOT of time planning lessons if you want to make decent lessons, especially if you have no teaching experience. For the first few months, I was working like crazy. It gets better once you get used to things/start repeating lessons. The older guys hardly planned at all since they already had practically everything planned.

That's all I can think of right now. Overall, I liked it and think it was good for a first job, but I wouldn't recommend staying there longer than a year.

thechangling · Joined: 11 Apr 2013 Posts: 276

Run far and run fast and don't look back! Try Public Primary, Middle, High schools and Uni's instead! You have a much better chance of not regretting it especially if you do due dilligence.

CNexpatesl · Joined: 27 May 2015 Posts: 194

SH_Panda · Joined: 31 May 2011 Posts: 455

Hi Andrew, I have just sent you a PM Smile

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

Aristede · Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 180

katia04 · Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 18

I second what another said on this thread: it's good for the first year, but not much more than that. I worked there my first year and I won't lie, most of it sucked. Of course, I had a bad DoS and worse CM, which made it all the more difficult, but in the end, surprisingly, I'm glad I did it. "Extras" classes, activities classes, and party performances definitely were the worst parts (yes, you are performing, white-faced monkeys), but there is a lot of support for new teachers, so you learn what works and what doesn't. After the first year I went on to teach at uni and it's been wonderful BECAUSE I already knew how to manage a classroom and how to structure lessons. If I didn't already have that knowledge it would have been a nightmare!

buravirgil · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 10:02 am Post subject:

Dan123 · Joined: 08 Jan 2014 Posts: 112

buravirgil · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:41 am Post subject:

Fair enough, Dan123. An individual's commitment is paramount.

Spyro · Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 36

Double_Dragon · Joined: 12 Mar 2015 Posts: 70

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/china/index.cgi?read=37940

This ad seems like BS to me. 13,000 for Beijing and you have to pay your own apartment? You'll be awfully poor. The other cities, only 10,000 and only shared accomodation?

If your taking this job especially in Beijing, at the very least if you're new to teaching, I'd demand a free single non shared apartment in addition to the 13,000. If they say no, then walk. There's plenty of other better jobs than this. Other cities should be single apartment if anything nicer and larger than Beijing and maybe 12,000 minimum. Even with apartment, Beijing should be more than 13,000.

Unless you're only working 10 hours a week and it's really slack and you have lots of time to get privates, I'd tell EF to fly in the wind.

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

Aaprtment, 12 or 13 minimum. No apartment 18 to 21 minimum in the big cities. Maybe something less in smaller cities. If EF makes you work your butt off for that low of pay, you're an absolute dolt if you accept that kind of a low offer. You will not make any money epecially if you're paying off the debts back home.