Job Discussion Forums

[Itsme]

I don't remember there being so many people who show up on the board and post
"Hi I want to come to China, any suggestions?"

Is it just me or is the competition heating up?

[therock]

[Peter Wales]

[Buck Lin]

It means more people fighting for a piece of your salary. Salaries have gone down here for the past twenty years. The best gig is for a nineteen year old blond teaching at a kindergarden for 10,000 a month. Any degree is looked down on.

[theincredibleegg]

[Jayray]

Has anyone noticed a decline in long-term members? There could be a correlation.

[Buck Lin]

People who stay in China keep a low profile, fly under the radar and don't poste negative comments on Dave's about their school. China needs foreign teachers drastically. The demand is high in places off the beaten track. The students demand foreign teachers. The students rule here.

[rmcdougall]

I am very happy to announce that this year I've received a wonderful deluge of experienced and qualitifed applicants from the Phillipines.

I have worked hard to educate my Chinese administration on these candidates and we will now be hiring them for many of our open positions.

I feel that history shows us that by education, we open new doors.

[Eyrick3]

Is it not possible that by China becoming a more popular destination for ESL teachers that schools will start holding higher expectations, and therefore get more qualified applicants?

I've never been to Japan or Korea, but I do understand that if you don't have a four-year degree, you don't get a job, and this has largely to do with the fact that these are popular places for ESL teachers as they are familiarly modern and industrialized countries which offer the creature comforts of the West, yet still have that exotic eastern flare. They satisfy one's desire to travel somewhere "new" and "strange", yet not too off the beaten path to make one completely aware that they're no longer in Kansas.

Now, not every person in possession of a four-year degree is guaranteed to be a fantastic teacher, however doesn't it seem more likely that people who do have a four-year degree will be a better teacher than someone who decided not to go to university at all?

Sure, the "Chinese government" says having a BA is mandatory to work here lawfully, but we all know that those without degrees have no problems either finding employment or getting their visas, and that's because the demand is so high. Should the demand fall, schools are still going to need teachers, but they're going to require higher qualifications and set higher standards. Those with all of the above plus experience will still have no problems finding a job or a good salary.

[YAMARI]

Lots of teachers jumping ship in Korea end up in China. They are leaving Korea now because of the horrible Korean won and visas troubles.

[bradley]

I agree that more teachers are coming here now. I've met quite a few teachers who have worked in Korea or Japan before. The industry is booming here.