Job Discussion Forums

[pintobean]

yeah, but Id be getting a practically free place to live if I went through these guys...like 100US a month or something...i know in some places rent is cheap, sooo, i guess it doesnt matter, but in Taipei isnt rent really high???

[TaoyuanSteve]

Because I was burned by a recruiter, I feel the need to speak to this very old and constantly reincarnating topic. Recruiters are scum. They are not necessary. They get you nothing that you cannot get for yourself if you did your own job search. Everything the recruiter tells you is for the sole purpose of getting you sign with his clients. They will tell you anything you want to hear. I could go on...

Most people contemplating employment as an efl teacher here have security concerns. They are coming to a new place and they want assurances that there will be a job for them when they arrive. Who doesn't have these concerns? You're paying alot to relocate to a foreign country and you want some kind of assurance. A recruiter preys on this insecurity. Let me tell you, however, that they will likely cause you more headache than peace of mind. In reality you have no more security dealing with them than if you went solo. In fact you may have less. Contracts are often not worth the paper they're written on. Jobs you supposedly have nailed down and in writing can disappear upon your arrival. Salaries and available hours can suddenly be reduced, working conditions can be attrocious... the list goes on. Such problems have been encountered by myself, people I know and countless others. Think about it seriously. In your home country, would you take a job sight unseen, without so much as visiting the worksite, and based totally on the recommendation of someone you've never met? Most reasonable people wouldn't do this. Then why do this when coming to a foreign country where employment standards are nowhere near western standards?

So what can you do? Well, start by paying heed to the warnings. Those giving you these warnings are not grumpy old men, just people who've been there trying to save you alot of trouble. Listen to us and commit to nothing before coming here. Then, do some pre-departure job searching of your own. Major, and even smaller, cram schools and kindies all have web addresses. Often they have online application forms and methods of contacting them for jobs. Also, the English daily papers have web sites with their classsifieds sections on them. You can get more contacts by searching them. Negotiate directly. Set-up interviews before you leave. Finally, bite the bullet, save up enough money to support yourself for a while and come over here sans recruiter. You will encounter challenges and setbacks coming here. This seems unavoidable. You can however, avoid major nightmare scenarios by not falling for the snake oil salesmen of the efl industry. Best of luck!

[pintobean]

I got a sweet job offer at Chatteris in Hong Kong that will lead me to be a NETS art teacher!! So ill be doing what i went to school for, WOW, very cool. So TAIWAN is OUT of the question, yippee, it sounded SO shady anyways! Just sucks cause in Hong Kong i wont be able to practice my mandarin as much as in Taiwan...i dont even know if im going to take the job yet

[EOD]

Those NET jobs in Hong Kong are some of the most sought after in Asia. If you should decide not to take it, please give me a reference!

[pintobean]

Why dont you try working for Chatteris?? They have great connections, at least thats what they said...you could apply to be a 04-05 Schools Coordinator and then do NET...im still not totally positive ill do NET but if i do take the job ill let you know how it works out, like i said, i wont be able to do the NET scheme for another year plus I only want to do it if I could teach art as well...ok...ill keep in touch, word!!

[pintobean]

www.chatteris.org.hk

[Okami]

Actually in Hong Kong, you'll probably get a lot of Mandarin practice if you try. When I went there several times, I was shocked how useful my bad mandarin was. They also have Mandarin lessons at the YMCA.

I had to use it for the hostel, taxis, and occasionally at stalls in the many markets.

CYA
Okami

[pintobean]

yeah, i agree, the same thing happened to me while i was there...but it gets old saying the same thing over and over: how much?, CityU, when are you open till? etc...