Job Discussion Forums

[blondie10]

To forge a career, go to Japan. If you get into a bigger organization then you get your choice of jobs and can move around to different cities that you want to explore. I am able to save about 1000 USD a month and this is my first year in Japan. I also taught in mainland China and in Thailand. I would avoid China as a career unless it is Hong Kong. In Thailand you can make a career but avoid a Thai managed company and go with a western operated company where the Thai owner is not running the company. I worked for both and know this from experience.

[M109A3]

Having been in "Desert Storm" I was unable to save a penny due to buying extra body armor. It put me in the financial hole (and almost six feet under too). Being a soldier bites big time! I much prefer being a teacher. I have more fun and don't worry about "situational awareness" nearly so much. Plus, I'm not near bullets whizzing around my head and other extremeties. That stuff really hurts if it makes contact!

I've had several universities in China offer me professorships beginning near the 5500 to 6500 yuan level after covering the on-campus apartment, food, medical, airfare and a bunch of other goodies. Is that a fair offer for a first time Ed. MA?

The Van

[Glenski]

[atiff]

Interesting read from all posters.

I can only comment on my own experience, but I have a career in Asia in my current position. I didn't see it coming, when I first started with this company. But the more I looked around, the more I saw people making long-term decisions and getting good benefits. And now I know you can forge a career here in a big school.

Right now, we have the following foreigners working in "career" positions:

6 teachers working as foreign teacher Area Managers
2 working as marketing and projects specialists
1 working in our charitable foundation
2 working as software engineers/programmers/web designers
4 working as trainers
6 working in a recruiting capacity (4 in their home countries)
3 working in head office management (myself included)
1 working as a school director (in Singapore)
85 working as head teachers in their branches, managing their local teachers (some view this as a simple job, some as a lot of work - that is the individual's perspective)

All in all, these positions can be considered career positions. Many could also be viewed as temporary positions. I believe it all depends on the attitude you take towards them.

Similar positions can be found in any large organization here (in Asia), as I understand it.

[JZer]

[atiff]

No, it doesn't stay the same, you increase in pay, conditions and some bonuses over time.

As our website says, all our teachers have raises every 6 months, and these range from NT$10 to NT$30 per hour. Many teachers who have been here for two, three or more years are making NT$600-700 or more per hour. We also have some salary positions (but these are mush less common for standard teachers, more for the "career" options mentioned above).

[gaijinalways]

As Glenski was referring to Japan (where I also live), I know his comments are true. Here, it's possible to start your own business, but it is difficult; language/culture/resistance to doing business with smaller companies, especially ones run by foreigners. Making the contacts is possible, but if I compared it to the number of foreigners starting businesses in the US, it's night and day (with Japan being close to the darkest night).

Also, what kind of benefits are included, and are your co. contracts open (no term limit)?

[atiff]