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British Council Indonesia
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misssapphire



Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Posts: 32

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 10:35 am    Post subject: British Council Indonesia Reply with quote

I have an interview for BC and in either Jakarta or Surabaya. Salary is at least 19 mil a month. No housing.

I'm concerned about safety standards at the moment and threats from terroism after reading the news and travel advice. Also, the risk of natural disasters and living as a non religious white single woman in a Muslim country.

I also have interviews for Vietnam and China with different companies and a job offer in Paris. Im a UK citizen.

If anyone can tell me what to do that would be great because I have NO idea!

Thanks!
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bule_boy69



Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:43 pm    Post subject: Re: British Council Indonesia Reply with quote

misssapphire wrote:
I have an interview for BC and in either Jakarta or Surabaya. Salary is at least 19 mil a month. No housing.

I'm concerned about safety standards at the moment and threats from terroism after reading the news and travel advice. Also, the risk of natural disasters and living as a non religious white single woman in a Muslim country.

I also have interviews for Vietnam and China with different companies and a job offer in Paris. Im a UK citizen.

If anyone can tell me what to do that would be great because I have NO idea!

Thanks!


As it stands you have a job offer for Paris and an interview for a job in a polluted Asian mega city choked with traffic in Indonesia, a country you already seem less than positive about. What kind of experience do you want from your next destination?

It's your call obviously, but I wouldn't worry too much about the terrorism/Islam etc. If you're offered the job and it ticks some boxes take it.
Work out what your priorities are and choose accordingly.

Is money a priority? Is that 19 million before or after tax? Pretty poor deal if net.... must be one of lowest BC packages globally. How does it compare to your other realistic options? Or is it more about career development? Note that the BC in Surabaya is a kiddie job whereas in Jakarta it's young adults.

Are you more concerned about terrorism in Paris or Jakarta?! No guarantees anywhere, but I'd say Surabaya would be a fairly safe option - nothing much seems to happen there Smile
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misssapphire



Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Posts: 32

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:04 pm    Post subject: .. Reply with quote

Different things keep popping into my mind. Terrosim threat I have to put out of my mind, I currently live in Paris so....

Indonesia would be good to travel around Asia and Australia from.

Yes 19 mil net....
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misssapphire



Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Posts: 32

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:22 pm    Post subject: .. Reply with quote

but looking through the posts 19 mil is enough to live, possible save and/or travel a little? I do have some debt to clear.
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Kimchidon



Joined: 25 Aug 2015
Posts: 19

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

19 million is a good salary.

I'd go with Jakarta ove Surabaya any day. To be fair I've never been to Surabaya, but I think it's pretty industrail and ugly. If nothing else, it's one extra flight leg when you go in and out of the country.


Being a white woman in Jakarta shouldn't be too much of a problem. There's thousands of white women living there. You likely won't have any problems. Or at least serious ones. Jakarta ain't Riyahd.

I also wound't worry about natural disasters. Well, you might have to walk through a foot of water duing the rainy season.

And as for terrorism, you can never rule out the possibility. It can happen in Jakarta, just as in can and has happened in Bangkok, Tokyo, Mumbai, Paris, London, and New York.
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bule_boy69



Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 2:15 am    Post subject: Re: .. Reply with quote

misssapphire wrote:
but looking through the posts 19 mil is enough to live, possible save and/or travel a little? I do have some debt to clear.


Sorry..I meant it's a pretty poor deal if GROSS. The BC are one of the few schools in Indo I have seen quote salaries pre tax on their job info.

Well that's better but I wouldn't say it's good as it compares poorly to their other centres in the region.

Yes enough sure, enough to travel/save and pay off debts? I guess it depends on the kind of lifestyle you want in Jakarta, how/where you travel... and how big those debts are Smile

Not much point having an in depth Jakarta vs Surabaya debate unless you are offered a choice of both, so come back to us if that's the situation. I don't think Surabaya is particularly ugly....Jakarta well..more happening I guess, but certainly not beautiful either.

As I mentioned before, the roles seem very different (kids/Adults) that would be a factor for me, but if all you want is a base to travel I think either city is fine. I would say that Surabaya is almost as well connected for travel around Indonesia (obvious place to start) as JKT and that there are just as many or more weekend getaway options. In terms of regional options, Jakarta is a bit better of course, but you could still get direct flights to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. If you want to get to Australia using budget airlines you have to fly from Bali / KL/SG anyway, so Jakarta only slightly better for that.

Good luck with your interviews. Let us know how you go.
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 4:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kimchidon wrote:
19 million is a good salary.


No it's not - it's not particularly bad, but it's certainly not good. Anyone who has the experience, qualifications and skills to be employed by the BC should be looking to earn more than that, and Jakarta isn't so cheap nowadays. There are plenty of teachers working in Jakarta without degrees and / or Celtas (i.e. what the BC require) who would scoff at that salary.

The biggest question the OP needs to ask is if they can get work permits. I understand it took the BC in Medan over a year to get the correct visas for their teachers and even then they were only valid for a few months. During that time, the school was subject to several immigration raids and had to be closed down a number of times. I'd be more worried about being caught working illegally than terrorism or being a white woman in Indonesia.

In a nutshell, I'd say...

19jt + work visa - consider it
19jt + plus dodgy visas and visa runs every few months - forget it

Also, I believe that all BC centres in Indonesia require their teachers to work on Saturdays and Sundays so that could curtail your social life somewhat, so that's something else to consider.
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bule_boy69



Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tudor wrote:
Kimchidon wrote:
19 million is a good salary.


No it's not - it's not particularly bad, but it's certainly not good. Anyone who has the experience, qualifications and skills to be employed by the BC should be looking to earn more than that, and Jakarta isn't so cheap nowadays. There are plenty of teachers working in Jakarta without degrees and / or Celtas (i.e. what the BC require) who would scoff at that salary.

The biggest question the OP needs to ask is if they can get work permits. I understand it took the BC in Medan over a year to get the correct visas for their teachers and even then they were only valid for a few months. During that time, the school was subject to several immigration raids and had to be closed down a number of times. I'd be more worried about being caught working illegally than terrorism or being a white woman in Indonesia.

In a nutshell, I'd say...

19jt + work visa - consider it
19jt + plus dodgy visas and visa runs every few months - forget it

Also, I believe that all BC centres in Indonesia require their teachers to work on Saturdays and Sundays so that could curtail your social life somewhat, so that's something else to consider.


Unfortunately, anti social hours are a feature of British Council centres in most countries. People usually suck it up because the BC have better conditions than the competition, but I'm a bit underwhelmed by the deal they are offering in Indonesia. I guess they do compare favourably to EF and the like.

For someone with a degree/Celta + 2 years or more exp, but not hell bent on working in Indo, I would think/hope there are better alternatives in the region.

Even if they particularly wanted to work for BC (to improve the CV or get a DELTA funded perhaps) I would point them elsewhere... The BC in Bangkok for example is often recruiting. Conditions are better and we all know this is a much more liveable city for first time Asia people.

As for being a white woman in a muslim country...

As someone pointed out, this isn't the ME, but I think I have met more white women who happily stick around in that part of the world than in SE Asia and certainly Jakarta.
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p1randal



Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 84

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"There are plenty of teachers working in Jakarta without degrees and / or Celtas (i.e. what the BC require) who would scoff at that salary."

Really? You actually know people making 20jt+ that don't have degrees?

I agree about the Visa part, not having a valid visa makes the whole money situation kind of meaningless.
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Tazz



Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know couple of guys who've been in Jakarta for many years- they are married with the spousal visa and work freelance doing company classes-we're talking around 1 mil Rp for a 2 hour session.....so making 20 mil + a month, without any consideration for having a degree, is certainly possible.
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

p1randal wrote:
"There are plenty of teachers working in Jakarta without degrees and / or Celtas (i.e. what the BC require) who would scoff at that salary."

Really? You actually know people making 20jt+ that don't have degrees?

I agree about the Visa part, not having a valid visa makes the whole money situation kind of meaningless.


Yes, I know a good few teachers making 20jt+ without degrees and I'm not talking about freelancers. I'm not sure why that would be surprising - we all know how Indo works, it's not what you know but who you know, or, more accurately, who your employer knows. Surely you don't think every teacher working in Indonesia actually has an English degree do you? (as per the 'official' edict).
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bule_boy69



Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:21 am    Post subject: Re: .. Reply with quote

misssapphire wrote:
Yes 19 mil net....


Are you sure? Did they tell you that?

just had a look out of interest

Gross salary per month in Indonesian (current BKR = 20.400 – January 2016). 13 month salaries are paid each year.

Salary range is between IDR 19.000.000 – 24.500.000, depends on qualifications and experience.

Salaries and all allowances are assessed as exclusive of any local taxes of whatever kind that may be levied by the Government of Indonesia. Staff currently contribute approx. 18%-20% of their monthly salary.


So even at the top of the scale after 20% tax that's around Rp. 19,600 000.


Unless I'm mistaken to be at the top of the BC scale I believe you need a DELTA and a few years post DELTA experience.

Do you have a DELTA?

If I had invested the time and effort doing one I would hope to be bringing in a bit more than Rp.19,600 000 a month!
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p1randal



Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 84

PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I know a good few teachers making 20jt+ without degrees and I'm not talking about freelancers. I'm not sure why that would be surprising - we all know how Indo works, it's not what you know but who you know, or, more accurately, who your employer knows. Surely you don't think every teacher working in Indonesia actually has an English degree do you? (as per the 'official' edict).


-I know that not everyone here has a degree, but I also don't think there are many. I would imagine the people you mention have been at the school for some time and have worked there way to 20-30jt as what school in their right mind is going to hire someone without a degree for that much..I guess good for them, if they can get it.
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Tazz



Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't imagine there are many of the International....oh, sorry-'Intercultural' outfits paying less than 20 million a month now.10-12 years ago, even the lesser Nat+ schools in Jkt were paying 15-18 mil a month....and back then a degree was barely mentioned at an interview...
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misssapphire



Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Posts: 32

PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:17 am    Post subject: .. Reply with quote

So it would be 19 million gross, so around 15.5 net which is the same as English First isn't it? flight there (and after contract), all visa costs, 2 weeks accommodation and then help with a loan for the upfront rent costs if needed. For the visa they said 60 day business visa and I will have to leave the country a few times which they will pay for to get it renewed.

Unusually for BC they require 1 year post CELTA experience instead of the usual 2 so it's kind of a training post. I don't have the DELTA but want one!

Won't find out until next week.
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