Job Discussion Forums

[blues_dad]

Here are the details of my first offer in Yunnan province..

Salary: 5000-6000 RMB/month (dep. on qualifications)!!
Maximum 16 hours/week
One-way airfare reimbursement
Travel bonus (2500 RMB) and medical allowance
Spacious, private and off-campus apartment
Free internet, gas, electricity, tap water and mineral water

now i'm completely new to this. Is this average, good or bad?

[mlomker]

If you're not sure then you should read more ads! There are so many websites with ads for these jobs, including this one. It sounds average to me.

You'll never know if the accomodations are what they say they are...you should ask for pictures and talk to a couple current teachers. You should find out how many days per week and when in the day those hours are. One hour in the morning and another in the afternoon for 7 days per week would really suck, you know?

'Off campus accomodation' is often a cute way of saying that the campus is way out of town and you'll be spending a lot of time getting back and forth.

[Itsme]

Sounds pretty good to me.

I got 6000 RMB to start (in Beijing.) They paid for airfare after contract was up and gave me an apartment (I paid water and electricity.)

[7969]

[Roger]

Your offer sounds fair though you failed to indicate what kind of job is coming your way.
It sounds like a regular public school post. You stand to be paid during lengthy holiday seasons.

[Yu]

I would plan on the salary being closer to 5000, and might hold out for round trip airfare from a different offer.

[blues_dad]

roger, unfortunately the recruiter didnt specify what type of school it was. basically that was all the info I recieved from him on the first email. I did recieve a 2nd email already from him wanting a picture and some more basic info. the thing that puts me in a bind is i have no TEFL certs. of any kind nor a college degree, just life experience. so i Know my choices of jobs and locations will be few. any suggestions for my situation?

[vikdk]

warning - could be a teaching company - they often call their accomodation off campus even though they don't have a school or a campus.
This kind of company farms you off to various primary / kindy infact all types of schools - if its kids you maybe see each class once or twice a month - teaching to maybe 30 plus schools. The real downside to this kind of job is the travelling time - those 16 hours being contact hours with in a worse case scenario 10plus extra unpaid travelling hours.
Or maybe its a really great school in wonderful unpolluted sunny yunnan - but I'd make sure first - get him to send more details before you part with a pic

hey a dead give away with the teach at "a hundred schools a week" type operation is often their inability to provide legal work permits - check up what visa they will provide

[jammish]

Sounds fairly reasonable for Yunnan to me... Of course you might find up and turn the place is a dump

[kev7161]

So, a new guy asking us if this is fair - - my advice is to be asking the school any and all questions you can think of. I'm guessing (hoping) you've read many threads here at Dave's so I'm not going to bore you or others with the same ol', same ol'. Just get your ducks in a row and make sure everything they've told you is what you need to hear.

Also, a school year is NOT forever. If you get there and some things are askew, yet doable, then stick it out, get the experience, and then head for greener pastures come the following June. Does this school have a summer program that you can work so you can "test the waters", as it were?

[sojourner]

Blues_Dad,

The salary range that you quoted is, indeed, VERY generous - considering that the job is in Yunnan, and that you are, by admission, unqualified ! There are some current threads on this forum dealing with salaries in Yunnan, as well as with job opportunities for non-graduates. With the latter issue, one person, who has admitted to FAOs that he is unqualified, was offered only about 3 K per month for a college job !

If you are offered a 1 year contract, check to see whether you'll be paid for the 7 or 8 week summer break. An (unfortunate) growing trend in China, nowadays, is not to pay FTs for that break. Of course, I'm talking about the uni/college sector - with the language school sector, I think that one is normally offered a paid 2 week break, besides the May Day and National Day holiday weeks. Also, many places are now offering FTs signing a 1 year contract, reimbursement for a 1-way ticket only. When I first came here, over three years ago, the common practice was to offer payment for a round trip.

As someone else has recommended, ask whether you'll be working at only one site - or at a number of sites ! Possibly, the person that you are dealing with is involved in a "teaching company". If you will be working at a number of sites, enquire about travelling expenses and salary payment for travelling time.

In another thread, you asked about the possibility of studying for a BA whilst you are living in China. You might want to enquire about online and distance education programmes - but make sure that they are offered by reputable universites. I would recommend Australia's University of New England (www.une.edu.au ) - the fees would be considerably lower than what you'd pay for a degree programme in the States.

Before coming to China, it would be a good idea to complete a recognised TEFL programme, such as CELTA or the Trinity College equivalent. If you feel that such training would be too expensive in the US, consider doing a CELTA course in Thailand, whilst on your way to China.

Good luck,

Peter

[blues_dad]

Peter and Kevin,

Thank you both for your replies and info. Yes, i do realize a lot of my questions seem noobish, but again, as I said I am totally new to this, and I spent hours reading through old posts before asking any questions, and in my excitement may have missed some of the easy answers I was seeking.

1 thing, I did get an offer from a school in a major city who will pay 7000 rmb/month, although the hours are a bit more, 5 day works weeks at an elementary school and weekend work at a uni. But, the upside to this for me may be that they have teacher training courses where i can get my TESOL certs there. Is this offer decent or sound like a scam? I think the total weekly hours equaled out to about 24 hours week total.

Again, thanx everyone for your patience with my seemingly east questions.

[sojourner]

Blues_Dad,

Yes, you would find that a number of language school chains will provide you with some teacher training - but, the skills taught would probably only be pertinent to other schools within the chain, rather than be transferable to other EFL teaching situations. One possible exception could be the course taught at the Boland schools - a number of posters to this forum seem quite impressed with it. But, IMHO, you would probably be better off doing a CELTA or Trinity course.

In one of your postings to another thread, you mentioned that you had served with the US Armed Forces. I don't know much about American society, but vaguely recall reading about something called the "G.I. Bill of Rights". Wouldn't you be entitled to some form of training/educational assistance through that programme ?

Peter

[shenyanggerry]

You might also ask what floor your apartment to be is on; if there is an elevator and if so, is it turned off at night.

[7969]

hmmmm. elevators..... the only time i've seen an apartment with an elevator was my ex-gf who bought a flat in a 30 story building. i've yet to see a school with apartment buildings tall enough to require one. anyway, i think its great that there are so many places with stairs in china.... altho i find people here all like to take the elevator not only up one floor but also down one floor. amazing how long someone will wait for a lift when they could have walked down and saved 5 minutes.

7969