Job Discussion Forums

syntax51 · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 11:20 pm Post subject: English First

What's it like to work for them in Russia?

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

See my comments in the general discussion forum.

I'm sure they pay more than $6/hr now. Maybe $12, maybe $15. If it doesn't amount to a couple of thousand $ in cash a month, it's not going to be enough to live decently in Moscow, although I suppose you can eke out an existence at $1500, and less, of course, if you don't have to pay for your room/apartment.

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

E.F. L.L. AND B.K.C??
NO, NO, NO!!!

BELS · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 402 Location: Moscow

Then who? British Council perhaps?

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

How about for yourself?

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Dear Milwaukee brewed,
Once, in a position of an EF Director of Studies and on behalf of one EF center in China, I called the EF Moscow for a reference on one EF applicant. The EF Moscow's reply was; "Nepanimaju" (I don't understand) Confused

Further, I tried and expanded our phone conversation with my broken Russian, but got a rather hostile reception from them. Mad

The point is that BE AWARE what you wish for. Having worked for this organization might not give you what you are hoping for. If you work at one McEF center, others might not know or will not know. Wink

Having worked at one McEF center, there were a few "unregistered" teachers and that due to attempts to cheat the franchise off its royalty fees...might not apply to Russia, since they "manage it their own way". Wink

Good luck to your McEF search
and
cheers and beers as well as vodkas to Russian mobs Very Happy

____________________________________________________________
I love the Sibirian weather

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

A glance at the vacancies in tefl.com will reveal several other schools in Moscow who are currently recruiting,apart from the notorious three I already warned people about, such as I.P.T. run by an English guy who seems to at least offer a reasonable starting salary and even firms such as Inlingua and Denis pay a decent hourly rate!By the way, I forgot to warn people again about Oxford Crown who are definitely on the no-no list!Anyone wanting to know why can e-mail me for details of my personal experiences there(and those of several other ex-employees of theirs!)

I'm sure BELS knows what I'm talking about and I hope his school is doing well because he put in a lot of effort to get it up and running etc.

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Maruss, keep comin' and stay on track with yor "warnings" on this one Wink

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

Incidentally,I also taught some EF teenage summer study school groups here in Cyprus for a few weeks back in July and it took several weeks,as well as a phone call to the Netherlands for them to send me my money!
Not that it was exactly a small fortune either, but the principle still applies-I did more than what they asked so they should have paid on time!

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

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

Well they all thought they were on holiday,we were trying to teach them english,it was around 32 celsius with unreliable air-conditioning and most of them were either drinking or scr****** each other all night, so you can imagine that we all had a 'wonderful' and very educational time!!Especially with a mixture of French,Italians,Finns, Swiss and a few Russians...........