Job Discussion Forums

[toraja]

Hey, I'm looking at going to Hong Kong to teach but have no degree. I do have a coupla years experience (admittedly at EF) and an internet-job TEFL certificate - do I stand a chance?
Despite the fact that some guru could well shoot down my ambition, I'm still gonna try, so any advice on the best avenues to go down both before I get there and once I arrive would be greatly appreciated. I realise it's gonna be difficult with what I've got and I should probably stick to trying the mainland, but I thought I'd have a go at HK first.
Cheers and have a good day.

Also - what's up with the use of 'troll'? I'm new to this internet talking to strangers thing and I feel I must be missing something - is it that more common forms of insult are seen as too offensive? Some of you guys sound like you've wanted to fight each other - has this ever happened? Actually - forget this, I need to know about HK not about trolls.

[Ladybug]

I really don't think you could find work here in Hong Kong with *no* degree. Lots of people speak English well here already, and so unlike Korea, being blonde and with blue eyes and an American or Canadian passport isn't going to work. The institutes, as far as I have *heard* want you to have at least a degree and a CELTA and considerable work experience.

I'm not in HK yet, so maybe I am totally off on how the actual situation is. I'm in Korea, which well, maybe you could find something there, not that I am advocating pretending you have a degree or anything. .

[Professor Moriarty]

The avenue you want to go down is called the KCR line to the Lo Wu border crossing.

[Mark-O]

[saroq]

Maybe I can help you check your email

[Liam]

The situation as I see it is this:

- You'll more than likely find work here (just look at the smaller ads in the SCMP, HK Magazine and the like) yet it will probably be underpaid, illegal, and you won't have a leg to stand on if you're screwed over.

- There are places here where "being blonde and with blue eyes" WILL get you a job, but you will probably be underpaid, illegal, and you won't have a leg to stand on if you're screwed over.

- Hong Kong is not the cheapest place to live. If you have somewhere to stay and some cash to fall back on then you lose nothing by trying. I have many friends who've done the same and with hard work it can be done. Jobs can be found, money can be made, happy endings all round.

- If you don't have somewhere to stay, your qualifications aren't up to much and you're low on cash, it sounds like you may be best taking Ladybug's advice and checking out Korea.

[toraja]

Cheers to those that have helped.

Yeah - so my internet jargon's obviously not up to the high satndard of this forum - this reply has only taken me an hour though, compared to the full day I spent trying to post my original question.

[Welshguy]

Yeah you can get work there without a degree or even with a degree cert. from the university of the Ko San Rd. It has to be said though that its certainly a LOT more difficult to do it that way. Pop yourself down to the Travellers hostel on 16th floor of the legendary Chunking mansions and ask any of the inmates where to find Michelle, who is in the locality. She will find you a job without too much trouble, though it will only pay you about 15USD per hour, which is pretty low for HK.
Flora IP from Edwards English is another one, not particularly pleasant but to be fair she does pay on time and if you tell her you have a degree then you have a degree. Very pragmatic people the Cantonese. Check scmp classifed post.com and PandaPlanet.com
To make up your money try to get some privates with kids only. Also you can track down a casting agent called Man-Man (actually a very cute girl-girl) through most of the hostels. Get over her office and get a photo taken and you will end up in all sorts of TV and movie stuff. The TVB stuff pays dismally at 400HK for 8 hours on call, you can be done in 15 minutes or you could be there all night. Movies and commercials pay best, one of the guys made 1400 UK pounds in 7 hours once. I regularly got two and three hundred quid myself. All shapes and sizes are welcome.
Martial arts skills are useful as is a large female chest!

Choose your students wisely though. My mate Ronnie and I went to the mainland to work for Berlitz for three weeks teaching management trainees. Great gig but these guys were from the BEST Chinese Universities and they sussed poor old Ronnie out for the blagger he was by the second day and off he went. Bullshit dosen't always baffle brains.

[arodeorowdy]

I too want to work in HK. My first visit was just 6 hours on NY's Eve. When a cop told me the fireworks were cancelled I returned home that evening, mainly because it was freezing. Then I popped back over for the 2nd and 3rd and really took in the city. What a beautiful place, albet more so this time of year. When I returned to SZ it "hit me"! After experiencing HK I now felt SZ is a dump. Really it is, but before I only had other Chinese cities to compare it with and compaired to the 6 cities I've been to before, SZ is a nice place. Now comparing SZ to HK...well one can't as they're in two different leagues. So I returned again last weekend trying to find english schools, but didn't. I'll be back in HK again this weekend and I'm sure every weekend on until I do.

I'm teaching in SZ where I have an excellant job at a great kindergarten and I'm well liked by all the teachers and children. With overtime I take in about 12,000 RMB for 128 hours a month. I've been here for 5 months now and I have absolutely no complaints about anything. Except I'm not happy living in this city anymore and I want to live/work in HK. Sure, my friend suggested I could work in SZ during the week and go over every weekend. That's doable, but then I'd be just living for my weekends AND I'VE NEVER lived like that before so why start now. I'm educated and an American in my late 30's, but I didn't earn a degree.

So, could anyone point me in the right direction. I've already noted the advice from Welshguy and will start to persue those leads. I would appreciate anymore that anyone would be kind enough to post. Thank's in advance.

[ChrisRose]

No degree can equal work..... BUT.....

Sponsorship would be required.
The hours and rates of pay would not be STABLE.

KEY WORDS FOR TODAYS LESSON with antonyms
Sponsorship - opposite of imprisonment and deportation.
Stability - opposite of �living hand to mouth'

[arodeorowdy]

I've walked thru all the floors in Chunking Mansions and asked everyone I saw if they know Man-Man. No one, but one guy did, but he didn't know where to find her.

Anyone can offer some fresh info on where to look for a illegit job in HK? Thanks in advance. Cheers to all, Rowdy

[Welshguy]

Hi,

If the Travellers Hostel is still on the 16th floor of block A then go there and ask a bloke called Dave (the owner)or there is a Chinese guy called Michael who haunts the place looking for expats to do extra work. Either of these guys should be able to point you at Man Man, she is in TST but I really cant remember how to get to her office.

[arodeorowdy]

Thank you VERY much Welshguy! Cheers to you

[Welshguy]

Aerorowdy,

One other thing, if you get to Diamond Hill MTR station opposite the bus stops for sai kung town you will see the TVB Bus, this runs from there to TVB studios and basically takes all the extras back and forth to work, most of the white faces you see will have come there either through man-man or another agent and you should have no trouble getting a connection from there. There are a couple of exits from the MTR but if you ask staff which is for Sai Kung you will be in the right place and then across the road and turn right and you should be sorted. The TVB bus runs every half hour to my recollection so you shouldnt be hanging around too long. Obviously its the long way around doing it but I can see no reason why you shouldnt get a result.
Good luck.

[arodeorowdy]

Ditto thanks Mr. Welshguy. I need to buy you a few pints if ever I have the chance. Cheers, Rowdy