Job Discussion Forums

seagull · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 38 Location: Perth, Australia

Hello,

I study Mandarin and am keen to work in China someday. I have a degree but no teaching experience. I was looking at at the following programme because they provide TEFL training and a placement at a school for 6-12 months.

http://www.teachandtravelchina.com/

The salary is 2,000 RMB per month which sounds quite low compared to what I read on this message board. However, as someone totally new to this, would you recommend this as a start to teaching in China? Or would it be better to look elsewhere?

Thanks for any feedback from any knowledgible posters.

suanlatudousi · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Posts: 384

seagull · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 38 Location: Perth, Australia

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 302 Location: Yinchuan

That is absurdly low. That company I work for pays 4000 RMB a month for 15 hours a week, apartment, and some extras.

And that's not even a good deal. Loads of other jobs offer more for less hours.

Seriously dude.. pass it up.

seagull · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 38 Location: Perth, Australia

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 302 Location: Yinchuan

WE ARE LEGION..
WE NEVAR 4GET..

/B/ 4EVAR!

Hansen · Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Posts: 737 Location: central China

Seagull, The program website looks and sounds good; however, it may end there. You may end up working like a slave for a few weeks, earning half of what you should be getting, while the rest goes into the program director's pocket. If you have to pay your own air fare, you are doing the gig for free.

If the requirement for two years teaching experience were universally enforced, making you ineligible for a decent job, this might be a good place to start.

Shop around. Keep it as an option if nothing else opens up.

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

I won't even visit that website - here is my opinion: The pay is not just LOW, it is BELOW MINIMUM PAYMENT REQUIREMENT.

I was informally told in the last century that foreigners get a minimum pay of 2200. I never got that little even then, but right now, anything below 2500 is outright theft.

No matter how much you work, or what other benefits you enjoy.

Yes Sir I Can Bogey · Joined: 23 Mar 2009 Posts: 201

I agree with Eddy. Anything below RMB 2,500 a week is simply outright theft.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

2000 a month Shocked

platinum peyote · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 4:11 pm Post subject:

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

When I came in 1999, my salary was 1,500 a month. I had a PDA and knew I had to average 50 RMB a day for spending money. Each day I'd enter how much I spent and then calculate how much I could spend for the rest of the month. It worked fine.

I learned a lot in many ways from that experience plus I met the wonderful women who's been my wife of 5 years.

I agree the pay is abysmal, but what the heck. Try it. You can easily land something else or, if you find this place not to your liking, return home.

kungfucowboy83 · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 479

2000 per month where?
if you are in some backwater place you might be ok on 2000, anywhere else you will just be poor. ( in Qingdao language schools pay starting Chinese EFL teacher about 2000rmb)

for how many hours?
most people on here could make 2000 a month at a part time job on sundays. The rent lessons and utilities might be worth another 2000 at most.

what kind of training, is it a good program or just some garbage?
a good training program Like CELTA costs about $1500 around 10,000 RMB. but online certs run only a couple hundred dollars. even if it was a celta or equivalent you it would be about like taking a job that paid less than 4000rmb.

IMO only do it if a certificate is important to you, the certificate is a good program and the workload is LESS than 15 hours per week and you are in a poor city(seriously if i was in big city like beijing, shanghai, nanjing, or a rich city like qingdao, hangzhou, etc and only had 2000rmb a month for savings and spending i would feel like i was very poor).

A'Moo · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:58 am Post subject:

Katja84 · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 165

There are a number of circumstances under which the above may be a good deal. Firstly, if you want to teach for only six months to get a feel of things before accepting a 12-month contract, this might be an option. Most universities want 12-month contracts, and if you decide you want to quit before it ends they normally ask you to pay a fee. So this may be an option if you're uncertain about sticking around for a year. Secondly, if you are a non-native speaker, black, or asian-looking, this may be a good way of getting a job where you would struggle otherwise.

2000 is not much lower than average starting salaries (3000-4000 for white native speakers) at universities in Western China, but will not last you long in Shanghai.