Job Discussion Forums

ekatelnikoff · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 10

Well,

I have all but given up now on trying to get a job in Russia. It seems as if no one even bothers responding to emails, or even really cares to. For I received a couple of responses and then all of a sudden they just stopped replying for no apparent reason.

I have given up. After an exhaustive 1 month search, I received maybe 4 or 5 responses from potential employers. Of course, these were of no help to me whatsoever.

I guess, Asia is the place to go afterall. Within 1 day I have already received 3 job offerings. In Russia, I had to wait weeks for a response if I got any at all.

Its a shame because I really did want to Russia, but it seems as if this was a failed dream from the beginning.

Well, I bid you aideu Russia, may you live long and prosperous.

I give up on you!

Unless anyone out there has some miraculous advice which could help me. But I doubt it. Thank you all for listening to my rant.

Cheers. Goodnight and Goodluck.

Erik.

teach101 · Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 6

Don't give up on your desire to go to Russia.
Keep on trying, there are jobs for teachers in many different areas.
Try checking smaller places outside of Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
You must do what you feel is right of course, but there are definitely still opportunities around.

ekatelnikoff · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 10

Perhaps you are right.

I shall try again.

Perservance always wins out.

JessInRussia · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 36

Don't give up! Why go for second best in life, ever?

There are many, many positions and lots of schools desperate for you. They just don't always work the same way as other countries. Email is not their forte, so to say.

For example, When I looked on the Net, I found very few opportunities, and although I did get one of them, it turned out to be not exactly as promised.

However, while in Russia I applied for many others by phone (with almost no knowledge of Russian) and went on no less than 7 interviews in one week! Of course I am here in the country, but even so, all of these schools would have done telephonic interviews anyway. Maybe try to call these schools? It might cost a bit, but it's well worth it later on!

Whereabouts are you looking for a job? Just Russia in general? Give us more details, we can all help you.

Lastly, my school is offering a position right now. I have no idea if it fits all your wants and needs, but you can message me for more details.

Happy to help, always.

jonniboy

ColdRodear · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 36 Location: St Petersburg

I know that they are looking for teachers here. They don't pay well though.
http://www.visarus.co.uk/jobs/index?cmd=view&ID=49

ekatelnikoff · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 10

Thank you all for the help.

I was starting to lose faith in humanity. But something happened this week and everyone all at once started replying to me. So things are on the upswing now.

So, hopefully I can be in Russia by Mid to End of February as I must wait for a Visa and such.

I am looking at BKC-IH Moscow. I know, I know everyone has said that they are bad, but, I do not mind the minimum pay-rate as I will not be coming to Russia for the work, but more so the experience. So my question is, is it really that bad working for them?

Also, is it best to just sign 6 month contracts and look around other places and once your contract is done just start freelancing? Or should I sign the 9 or 12 month just for the sake of security insofar as I will have accomodations and such.

Let me know.

Once again, I thank you all deeply for the feed back.

Oh and yes, I am looking to either teach in Moscow, St Petersburg or Ekaterinburg.

Cheers,

Erik

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

Avoid Moscow if possible!

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

BKC is not really a good school or a bad school per se, but a school with good and bad points.

Good: ADOS's are generally very good, good resource materials, teacher development (seminars and in-house courses), IH transfers (useful if you want to work in Spain or something), teachers are generally great, they provide housing & registration (no trifle in Moscow).

Bad: Profit motive beats all others, admin staff range from very good to very bad, likelihood of split shifts (long tiring days).

There are certainly better places to work in Russia than BKC/LL, but as a result they can be choosy and they hire people with very good qualifications and/or who have previous Russian experience. Beggars can't be choosers as they say.

If you think you will be likely to move on in 6 months you may as well go for a 6 month contract, this would set you up for another school in the fall if you want. Of course you can leave a school before the end of a contract but you will lose visa fees, airfare, bonus.

I'm no fan of Moscow but it is never lacking for things to do and you will know lots of people to do them with. St. Pete as well, but jobs are harder to get there. In smaller cities you really have to "go native".

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

ekatelnikoff, the 'what' that happened is probably just that people are back from the holidays just this past week. I was in Prague over the first week in January, and it appeared that all Russians were there for Christmas on/around Jan 6.

Good luck landing something suitable. As other posters mentioned, it's really better to be on the ground, in person, rather than trying to find something in advance. Good schools rarely hire from abroad (people don't show up, or, when they do, have misrepresented themselves in some way). They really want to see you standing in their offices, looking professional and responsible, before they'll give you any serious consideration.

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

The problem with just showing up in Russia and looking for work is that it's expensive. It just doesn't make sense dollarwise unless you luck out and get a job right off the bat.

Much more sensible to get a job with BKC/LL, get them to pay your way into the country, and find another job at your leisure. Which is what just about everyone does.

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

If your firm offers accomodation,bear in mind it may be miles from where you are expected to work with a bus ride or possibly long walk to and from the nearest metro station to contend with AND it will probably be in a grotty,polluted suburb and not have the kind of basic equipment such as as washing machine and t.v. etc!Furthemore,you will most probably have just one room to sleep in for yourself and have to share all the rest with another person who you don't know and may or may not get along with because their their habits and yours don't match about things like smoking, cleaning,cooking,sleeping times and inviting people round-girls or guys etc!All the above factors are negative but for me the last one is the worst!Not that I'm unsociable or weird etc. but I do like my own company at times, especially after a long and stressful day fighting to survive Moscow and I really think people should not be asked to share appartments unless they volunteer to.Actually,it would be nice to have an exchange of views on this very important subject, especially as rents in Moscow are sky-high nowadays and finding accomodation is far more difficult than finding teaching work!

ekatelnikoff · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 10

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

You could of course leave before your contract finishes,like many other people have done,but you will probably not be paid for the final month or get any other refunds for your visa or ticket etc.Working split shifts is murder because of the sheer impracticability of being able to go home and rest in between and you are thus forced to hang around between classes etc.These may well be in different places and you will then have to face the long battle to get home on the metro and buses etc. and probably have to walk some distance at each end!Remember it will be winter and the weather should be cold and snowy etc etc!I worked from mid-day until around 21.00 with a break in between for lunch etc. and used to arrive home shattered around 22.30 after waiting for trams in the freezing weather etc!Luckily I never had early starts but could not have survived them anyway if I had to work late as well!Once I used the metro around 08.30 and it was terrifying-that was an experience I wouldn't recommend to even my worst enemy!Moscow is a mad, mad city and you have to be very tough to survive there!
If you can get a job in St.Petes,I'd go for it instead!
As for finding a flat in Moscow,it's a nightmare too and I honestly wouldn't share unless you know the other person beforehand-when things go wrong,who is going to be the one to move out first??I've seen it happen to people and it's not a nice experience!

demoiselle · Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

A month isn't very exhaustive, really ... I think most job searches are much longer than that! So don't give up yet.

I have found people are generally terrible at responding to email - especially here. The person at the email may not the the person who has a stake in running the company well. I've found that when I show up in person, and find the individual in charge (for instance, of admissions for my current russian language program) then I am helped immediately.

If I depended on email, nothing would ever happen.

I'm about to have to look for my first apartment, and I am not looking forward to it!