Job Discussion Forums

Mnizzle · Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Colorado

Has anyone here worked for language link? Can you tell me anything at all about it? I am considering working for them and want to know as much as possible. Is it a repuitable school?
I was offered 550 a month as a starting salary. How does this compare to your pay?
Any other info would be great!

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

If this is for Moscow, then take my advice and look for something else as this is a subsistance salary which will just about get you through the month and even then by living out of cans and not eating out etc!I also presume they offered you free accom. but what standard and how far from where you will be working etc???

P-T · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:38 am Post subject: Re: language link

Katyusha · Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 43 Location: UAE

$550 a month without any qualification, or after getting your CELTA?

Mnizzle · Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Colorado

After qualification, I am pretty sure.

canucktechie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 343 Location: Moscow

Well this year BKC paid $600/month for new teachers, I don't know if it will be going up next year. There's also a $50/month end of contract bonus.

The difference is not that significant really. I don't know much about LL but they don't seem to have as many disgruntled ex-teachers as BKC, so I don't think you'll go terribly wrong working for them.

As for living expenses, you can cover food and entertainment for about $250/month. By "food" I mean eating what you want at home (not in restaurants) and by "entertainment" I mean a few drinks at a pub or a film or concert (not Nite Flite).

As others have pointed out, at the end of the school year you will have a good idea of what teaching in Russia is all about and you will be able to consider other options.

Katyusha · Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 43 Location: UAE

Language Link has less teachers than BKC. Proportion-wise they have just as many disgruntled teachers as BKC. Their classrooms might be more condusive to work in, though.

EF's reception area at their Mayakovskaya location is certainly a lot more impressive than any of the BKC schools. But they have very few native-speakers on staff.

steven_gerrard · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 155

I worked at LL for two years and it's ridiculous to say that you can't live on the salary- you can. And you can eat out and go out. All your rent and utilities are covered, don't forget.

I don't know how many teachers BKC have but LL has over 100 and about a 75% teacher retention rate, which is pretty good. Of course there are disgruntled teachers but no more than anywhere else and this is mainly coz they're not suited to teaching or have never done a days work before in their lives rather than have real beef with the school.

It is good place to work for your first EFL job.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Saxoncourt are recruiting teachers for Surgut,a Siberian oil city in the middle of the tundra where winters can be minus 40c!Apart from the fact that it really is in the middle of nowhere and full of'rednecks' who work on the rigs,they offer only the 'princely' sum of around $800 per month for anyone willing to take them up on it!!!When you will meet people there who earn more than that in a week doing manual jobs,you will soon wish you stayed in Moscow for $650 where conditions are at least tolerable and there are places to see when you have free time!Even if the school in Surgut is as good as they make out,foreigners who are prepared to live and work in such a place surely deserve to be well rewarded?????

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Saxoncourt are recruiting teachers for Surgut,a Siberian oil city in the middle of the tundra where winters can be minus 40c!Apart from the fact that it really is in the middle of nowhere and full of'rednecks' who work on the rigs,they offer only the 'princely' sum of around $800 per month for anyone willing to take them up on it!!!When you will meet people there who earn more than that in a week doing manual jobs,you will soon wish you stayed in Moscow for $650 where conditions are at least tolerable and there are places to see when you have free time!Even if the school in Surgut is as good as they make out,foreigners who are prepared to live and work in such a place surely deserve to be well rewarded?????

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Saxoncourt are recruiting teachers for Surgut,a Siberian oil city in the middle of the tundra where winters can be minus 40c!Apart from the fact that it really is in the middle of nowhere and full of'rednecks' who work on the rigs,they offer only the 'princely' sum of around $800 per month for anyone willing to take them up on it!!!When you will meet people there who earn more than that in a week doing manual jobs,you will soon wish you stayed in Moscow for $650 where conditions are at least tolerable and there are places to see when you have free time!Even if the school in Surgut is as good as they make out,foreigners who are prepared to live and work in such a place surely deserve to be well rewarded?????

steven_gerrard · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 155

Mnizzle did you know Language Link has it's own forum? This might be a better place to find out the answers to your questions.

http://languagelink.ru/e/link_up.php

Membership of the site is only available to those who currently work for LL or who have accepted a job offer.