Job Discussion Forums

JonnyBravo · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: Bogota, Colombia

Is there any hope for lining up a job in september before leaving for October? At this time of year, is it only sparse unexpected vacancies? What are the prospects for locating work?

Thanks,

Jon

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

You do not read much as September is the main month of the year for hiring English teachers here in China and you start on the first of October.

This goes for Universities and Public schools. Institutes are much the same as many teach for the begining of the Summer school holidays but not for the last four weeks in September. So yes you shouldn't have a problem.

Some places want two years teaching experiance however etc.

JonnyBravo · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: Bogota, Colombia

I had actually read quite a bit... Must have misinterpreted or overlooked quite a bit as well. I was under the impression that start dates are august/september. Thanks for your help.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

I'm not quite sure I understand the posts. Most schools (not including language schools, which are busiest) start Spe 1st, about. That is the start of the semester. Freshman start classes late, after the vacation, around Oct 1st. Some other classes also start the 4th week or so of school. In my experience, decent schools want you to be there Sept 1st, even if you are going to be teaching all frshman, which says something about the school if they want you to teach all freshman just to save a month of pay

JonnyBravo · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: Bogota, Colombia

I don't think I can be available for anything overseas until about the 10th of October. Based on that, I was asking if there was going to be any hope of lining up a job in China in advance (like, a month or two in advance) or if the best bet at that particularly time to arrive is to wait for last minute vacancies/firings/runners/etc. From What I have read China doesn't seem to be an option with lots of year-round hirings.

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Most Chinese places want feet on the ground so to speak. So many of our lot apply at ten or more places and swap and change to the last minute. The Chinese employers do the same but.

Applying for say a chain group of institutes or at a central education office for hundreds of schools will get you a job held so to speak however, but, but where?

There are lots wanting to be in China now with the Korean visa mess and the bad employment scene in Japan. So if you think the good jobs here in China are going to bend over backwards to suit you then guess again.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Yes, it's possible, but you may well be working for a bottom of the barrel college, but yes, there are often still schools looking for teachers in october, but it won't be that easy. yes, start looking for these jobs in june or July

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

Simple fact is if you can not be flexible, then your only options are teaching at language mills or colleges/universities that are either so crappy in terms of reputation/pay/condition/location/organization, or in the case of Nemesis's current employer and my former employer, actually not starting until October which are rare.