Job Discussion Forums

yellow earth · Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 41

Just looking for anyone with positive or negative experiences to share about footprints or reach to teach. I'm a newbie and I'm trying to get to Taiwan for the spring. I'm sure neither one is perfect, but are these honest companies, at least? In one phone interviewer the guy said "If your school happens to get raided, just walk out the back door. It's not that big a deal." Hmm...

BigWally · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:27 am Post subject:

Honest companies in Taiwan?

Oh man, you need to do some research about where you are planning on moving to.

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

There is a lot of information about both Reach To Teach and Footprints in this forum. Just do a quick search. Reach To Teach brings a lot more teachers to Taiwan while Footprints focuses on Korea.

MyTrunkshow · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject:

OMG.

NOT footprints again. A salary of $65000 can become a takehome of $42000 after their share. The folks at FuXing Junior High have SO many horror stories. If only they'd come on here and spill the beans about the lack of information supplied from footprints about FuXing. The teachers were hired by footprints from North America. All were first time overseas teachers in fall/2007.

The FuXing teacher's accommodation was in Longtan, a 3-bus transfer, 2.5 hr bus ride in the mountains in TaoYuan County. 5 hrs day commute!
The principal's friend's accommodation was used as a teacher's residence..thus the location. There were no stores, not even a 7-11, infrequent bus sevice, 8 people in one apartment, no internet, no cable..etc. Their school was near RenAi Circle in downtown Tpe.

The work was reasonable for the most part although only one out of 8 re-signed as she was an older gal and not terribly internet savvy to search out things herself.

Newbies must realize that recruiters are unable to be aware of employers' intentions or their crazy logic free decisions.

If you are coming to TW and don't know what to do or who to trust, go with a big chain school. Chances are much better at success than with a recruiter. It is possible to receive support and a relatively decent wage if one is fortunate with a good branch from a chain school. I recall at one of the HESS Yung Ho branches, one teacher was quite happy there for 8 years..and others there for quite a few years too. Then a new manageress came and it all fell to pieces in one semester but that's a different story.

It's hit and miss with recruiters. Mostly miss.

It's best to come here in person. For those who are apprehensive in doing so, I would reconsider coming. Chances are grim for getting a decent job from overseas with a recruiter.

I'm curious to read a positive recruiter story. Can anyone pitch in with one? ..at least then there would be an idea of where a new teacher could find work from overseas....

mts

Imagine8 · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:58 am Post subject:

I don't know anything about Footprints, but we came through Reach to Teach a few years ago and we're still with the same school. They were super helpful and Mitch still answers our questions about life in Taiwan when we have them. Reach to Teach is free to the teachers - they receive money from the school in return for finding quality teachers. You don't have to worry about being cheated, because they have no access to your money. Good people. We highly recommend them.

Lauren