Job Discussion Forums

[chelski abu]

Basically I'm wondering about job availability in Kunming or elsewhere in Yunnan. I'm not after much cash and at the same not too many hours either. I'm very well qualified and experienced and want to use the job as a means to explore some of the area, having travelled extensively there already...is anyone able to help? point me in a direction? websites?...ive noticed a distinct lack of opportunities advertised...anything appreciated ...thanks in advance.

[dan]

check out expatsinkunming.com its a monthly newsletter for and about expats living and working in kunming, most of whom are ESL teachers. i find it extremely helpful, if for no other reason than it puts you in direct contact with people who know what's going on there. you have to register, but it takes only a minute or two.

[fat_chris]

[Jess_Laoshi]

http://members.expatsinkunming.info should do the trick.

There are ocassionally teaching ads on there, but not usually for the big universities. For those you either need to just show up and look or go fishing. Most of the universities in Kunming don't advertise, but a few of the private schools do.

[Roger]

But don't raise your hopes sky-high - there just aren't that many opportunities as you might wish there were! Elsewhere in Yunnan: Nought!
Nearest place where - much to my surprise! _ i heard expats were working as teachers: Guiyang!
Much better in Nanning!

[Maltezer]

Not really true. The universities are already interviewing for next year and some are in need of staff for next term (Yunnan University and Yunnan Normal University for example). Yunnan University takes on a lot of foreigners for non-English majors - I was told only last week by a Chinese teacher there that they have about 200 foreign teachers. There are many private schools in Kunming, some of them can supply documentation.

Dali University wanted staff recently. This is really Xiaguan, ie not the Old Town but the city next door.

[whitjohn]

Maltezer,
You are wrong on at least two counts. YNU has filled it's one vacancy and YU has no where near 200 foreign teachers. Not even 20! I teach at YNU (just across the street from YU) and also Kunming Medical and there are NO jobs available at these universities for next term ...maybe next year.
The private schools are those despicable "language" schools and anyone foolish enough to go with any of them deserves what he/she gets!

[Jess_Laoshi]

Some of the private language schools (most?) in Kunming are really bad. Unless you know for certain what you're getting into, I'd avoid them. The one I used to work for was a complete scam. The expats in Kunming site recently had an ad for a language school offering documentation to teachers, which was surprising, since a lot of the language schools don't bother to hire legal teachers. Kunming has a pretty much inexhaustable supply of backpackers afterall.

As for universities, like john said, next fall is a better time to look. Any places that I knew of which were hiring for Spring have filled their positions by now.

[Tiger Beer]

If you are familiar with the area, you should just go there. Stay at the Camelia Hotel. Its super-cheap and you could wait out however long you need to wait out.

When I stayed there I had some extra work as an extra in a movie.. pretty fun.

The guy I shared my room with was an African-American guy who spent a several years teaching English in Japan and Vietnam. He was in Kunming and had 2-3 jobs going parttime at the same time. I don't know where or how much, but he had them going on. I think in addition he was doing some bartending work somewhere as well.

Also, there is a great little bar called 'Camel Bar' its mostly filled with expats, a percentage teach English in Kunming and could get you going as well.

Seems like whenever you are physically THERE things always come into place much more easier than trying to make them happen from some far off place.