Job Discussion Forums

Wahoo · Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 17

I'm getting ready to head for Taiwan.

Is it common to find your first job online, get the paperwork done and then just arrive in Taiwan and start work? A lot of people seem to recommend going and looking for a job in person; I can see how this is good, but it would eat up a lot of funds, especially if the job you find doesn't start right away. And, who pays for your visa run? I once spent a small fortune doing it this way in another country.
With a bit of caution and common sense, would it be ok to go the online route? Experienced Taiwan teachers, please advise me!

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

Why not take the middle ground and thereby hedge your risks?

The risk of taking a job before you come is that you could end up signing a one year contract somewhere that you find out on arrival you don't really want to be.

The risk of arriving without a job lined up is that you may not find anything quickly and thereby burn through a lot of cash and have to do a visa run.

So why not line up some possibilities before you come. The school makes no commitment to you by not getting your work permit before you come, and you make no commitment to them by being willing to check them out when you arrive. Set up some interview times spread over a few days with a few different places.

Then arrive one week earlier than you tell them and spend that week on the ground seeing if you can find any alternatives.

Go with the best offer and the one that you think is going to be the one that you are happy with!

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

I agree with Clark.

If you find a job which matches everything you are looking for before you leave your home country AND you get in direct contact with a teacher at the school, you also may want to sign a contract before you come, as the position may not be available when you arrive. You'd have to be sure though, or you could be leaving people in the lurch if you change your mind.

It's all a matter of what you feel most comfortable with. Different approaches work best for different people.

cspitzig · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 56

How does one get in contact with a teacher at a school? I was planning on posting here, and hoping someone was/is working there. Are there other methods of contact, other than being lucky enough to run into people on TEFL websites?

BigWally · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:08 pm Post subject:

contact a school you're interested in working in, and ask them if they will supply you with a name of one of their teachers whom you could ask some questions

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

Wahoo · Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 17

Another question: is there any point trying to line up a job a few months in advance? Or do they usually hire on a just-in-time basis? In a certain other country, I sent resumes to all the schools 2-3 months prior to my intended start date, and heard nothing back from most of them til months later, after I'd already found a job.

Wahoo · Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 17

Another question: is there any point trying to line up a job a few months in advance? Or do they usually hire on a just-in-time basis? In a certain other country, I sent resumes to all the schools 2-3 months prior to my intended start date, and heard nothing back from most of them til months later, after I'd already found a job.

BigWally · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:50 pm Post subject:

well organized schools will usually start the hiring process months in advance, because it usually takes a while to do: 1) interviews via phone overseas 2) applying for work visas 3) sending paperwork back and forth from one country to another

if a school is desperate they may have to hire last minute, regardless of quality, but you should always ask to speak to a current teacher to find out what the situation is. ask how long the teacher you're replacing was there for. ask why they left. ask about the pay, and hours. ask lots of questions. if they dont want to be forthcoming with answers, then you might want to ask why.

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

Wahoo · Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 17

Thanks. I've been trying to figure out the logistics of it all; going to Taiwan for a week of jobseeking, then flying out, organising a visa, flying back in, lots of hotels and taxis... I figure I'll do it online and just be as careful as possible.