Job Discussion Forums

[Maxwell69]

A friend has offered a job to me in China. I would rather teach in China hands down, except I know the pay won't be as good.

It will be for 3,500 yuan a month in Qinzhou University. I think 3,500 yuan is about $500 US dollars a month, but I might be a little off in my math.

Does anyone know anything about the University, or how much the pay would be in US dollars?

I found some former teachers of the University through a Facebook group, and the advice I got back was that the students are great but the administration is a little bad sometimes in communicating things, sometimes springing little jobs at the last minute. This seems like a common complaint with a lot of ESL jobs.

Also the infrastructure is a little weak in the town, so no air conditioning in some of the classrooms. The city is small, but Nanning is nearby. Personally I would rather work at Nanning as it is large enough for me to find things to do.

Anyways, it's either China or Korea for me. China would be so I can improve my Chinese, Korea would be the prospect of the economy improving in the next 2 years and the salary returning to its more lucrative position.

Any advice much appreciated.

- Maxwell

[teachaus]

The salary that you mentioned is really low from what I have seen for University jobs in China ... So you should be able to do better than that i think. Anything under 4000 is low in the current market. I am currently looking at jobs around 4700-5000 for University jobs. Now I know that that is still not a lot in relative terms but the cost of living here is lower. I think what you need to do is to decide what is most important to you. You will get higher pay in South Korea but you will also work more hours for it (if you are comparing it to a Chinese University job). Also in looking at where you want to find your job think about what is important to you in where you are ... And if it is in a more rural area be sure that you are prepared for needing to travel to get somethings that aren't available where you are.

[bradley]

I've heard the cost of living is low there. Is housing included? What benefits are offered? Free meals?

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

Maxwell, do yourself and everyone else teaching in China a favour, tell your "friend" you wont sign the contract for anything less than RMB5000 per month. 3500 is way too low.

[bradley]

There should be a year bonus as well as some travel bonses too

[hibapkev]

WAY too low. I just turned down a University job in Nanjing that would have paid 5500 because it was too low.

[Tainan]

Hi,

I'm surprised by all the people saying that this is way too low. I taught at the university of technology in Dalian for two years from 2003 to 2005. People with only B.A.s were making from 2,700 a month (these were recent graduates with no experience) to 3,600 a month (me, with lots of experience, in my second year at the university.) Someone with a Masters could make up to 4,500 in the first year. I thought maybe there had been huge inflation since then but it doesn't seem that there has; I was looking at jobs advertised online recently and still 4,500 is the very highest I've seen for a normal university job.

You'll be in a small city in GuangXi province. It'll go far. Yes, you should ask for free housing (or a decent housing allowance--I got 1,500), a travel bonus (we got 2,200 before the vacation) and air fare reimbursed.

The administration is not good at communication and doesn't announce things until the last minute? That is true of every job I've ever heard of all over China. No air-conditioning? Man lived without it for thousands of years. If actual teachers there have said the students are great, I think that's the main thing.

I don't know this particular part of Guangxi but what I have seen is some of the most attractive part of China, and you are right near Yunnan and Vietnam and Laos when you want to travel. I think it sounds great.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[Sonnibarger]

I have a buddy that is making 3500 at a uni... he only works 6 hours a week tho.. plus a great 3 bedroom house util/phone/internet paid by the school... i think he is doing all right.. he has a second full-time job pays 6000 for 15 hours... think they give him a second house and he will receive 2 flight bonus.... 3500 for 6 hours with a nice house is ok...

[suanlatudousi]

Until there is some sort of unionized system to attempt to regulate salaries and so forth, universities will skimp as much as they can. The Party leaders pocket most of the incoming tuition monies.

And since we know unions will never happen, there will be no such increase in salaries.

Of course you can boycott the jobs rather than complain and when the school can't find a foreign teacher maybe they'll rethink their situation. Maybe amass all the members here to e-mail the university in question as they come along and say they're interested but happen to be disgusted in the salary. If they received 2000 e-mails, maybe they'd at least think about it.

Fact is, if you don't like the salary, there are 1000's upon 1000's of jobs out there.

If you are out for money, go to Korea. If your criminal record keeps you from Korea and Thailand, then go to Japan or Taiwan.

It's just hilarious to me that someone would refuse 3500, but would accept 5000 .... we're talking a hundred or so bucks for the most part.

It is just so funny.

I enjoy Chinese food. I enjoy Korean and other foods as well. Of course, I like my good 'ole "American" cuisine as well. I, however, don't have some insesant need to seek it out and shell out 120 RMB for a single person meal and the like. I don't drink, I don't smoke, and don't do the things that seem to milk most foreigners salaries.

Why not just visit China for a few weeks, get the 'oats' out of your system and corrupt another place after that rather than overflow the system allowing lower salaries by schools -- i.e., the supply versus demand.

That's what it comes down to. Economics and supply -v- demand. All those out there with no education and yet are teachers ... you'd learn about those topics had you actually gotten an education before attempting to provide an education to others.

Am I wrong or has the heat gotten to me?

[drjtrekker]

U right suanlatudousi!

I can't believe I was offered a job in Chengdu for 3000.
I told the FAO that I was surprised they we're able to get so many teachers (10 i think)!
She acted as if it were no big deal, and I thought....hmm...Missionaries, retirees...who?!?@$

But of course alot of peeps desire chengdu, same situation as Kunming.
Then, another offer in GZ for 4500!
I told the FAO that that seemed pretty low for GZ. no response.
Then Xiamen, same thing! And long as Ferry rides...ha.
yeah sure, i wanna do that all day.

I also see Lower airfares...sometimes one must pay some bills...Craziness i say!

HELL, i do much better and i am in the sticks in Sichuan!
If the sun came out once in a while, i might of be tempted to stay.

But on the other hand, those that continually say TOO LOW, TOO LOW...well, why dont u tell us where the good jobs are...why dont u tell us how to find the good jobs then...that would be nice.

What is unfortunate with this system is that one must start looking early to find a "good" job. But if one waits too long and they desire to stay on a working vacation in China, they may get stuck with some crappy Uni.

Am I wrong here, or has the Rain gotten to me??

[Sonnibarger]

5000 is a pretty big jump from 3500... put that extra 1500x10 in the bank... come July you can sit on the beach in Sanya for a month doing nothing but enjoying life... otherwise i hope u enjoy teaching at summercamps...

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[eddy-cool]

Here is my assessment:

3500 is low but not uncommon for a Chinese public employer. There are many colleges that pay around 4'000. In Guangxi you cannot expect much more than that except in a city like Nanning. Try Guilin and see how they will disappoint you!!!

Remember: The more FTs are looking for work in the same laid-back locale the lower the starting salaries will be. Case in point: Kunming.

I repeat: 3'500 is a 'normal' salary. But I ain't saying it is a GOOD salary. Not at all.

Actually, in off-the-beaten path places near major cities salaries often reach fantastic levels. Qinzhou seems to be such a remote town close enough to major tourist destinations (Hainan, Beihai, Guilin). So I don't really know...

But salaries are not all that matter; ask how many salaries a year you stand to get. In big cities many universities pay just ten monthly salaries. If they pay 12, then your income side looks a tad better.

Also you need to check what perks you get - flight reimbursement, holiday allowance (not exceeding 2200 yuan, but if you get that too, then take it!).

As for airconditioning in classrooms - there aren't many teaching buildings in China that come equipped with an aircon. Most have a ceiling fan (or a battery of ceiling fans, very noisy).

Mismanagement and poor communications skills with FTs are quite 'regular' features at Chinese work places...

[Tainan]