View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
irishm
Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Cardiff
|
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:26 am Post subject: Jobs in January for first timer- no experience/no cert??? |
|
|
Hi
I intend travelling to China in January to start working as a teacher- I have no experience at all...do you think I will be able to get a job at that time of year with zero experience?!
Should I do a TEFL course before I go and what are the chances of me getting a job before I go or while I'm there? I think I'd like to go to Shanghai but can be flexible...
thanks so much for any advice!
PS I do have a degree but not in education |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
LanGuTou
Joined: 23 Mar 2009 Posts: 621 Location: Shandong
|
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:18 pm Post subject: Re: Jobs in January for first timer- no experience/no cert?? |
|
|
irishm wrote: |
Hi
I intend travelling to China in January to start working as a teacher- I have no experience at all...do you think I will be able to get a job at that time of year with zero experience?!
Should I do a TEFL course before I go and what are the chances of me getting a job before I go or while I'm there? I think I'd like to go to Shanghai but can be flexible...
thanks so much for any advice!
PS I do have a degree but not in education |
Yes, you can get a teaching job in China!
Click on the icon at the top of the page which says "JOBS" and there is plenty of choice but I recommend that you apply and get the invitation letter/work visa before you arrive in China.
PS: You may have to wait until late February or March if you apply to a university or public school. Private schools may also close for some time in January or February because of Spring Festival. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
irishm
Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Cardiff
|
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for the reply - I have been looking at the jobs section but they are all for the upcoming academic year at the moment...I'll just keep looking...
Ideally I'd like to have a job lined up before I arrive but that may not happen...fingers crossed it will
What are the chances of getting into a university with no experience? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
happigur1
Joined: 25 Jul 2009 Posts: 228 Location: USA
|
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Your chances are pretty high. It's oral English so all they are really looking for is that you speak native English. At my last school, I would say about 90% of them did not have prior experience before coming to China (don't quote me on that number!) and most of us did not have our TEFL cert.
LanGuTou wrote: |
PS: You may have to wait until late February or March if you apply to a university or public school. Private schools may also close for some time in January or February because of Spring Festival. |
Most public universities will be asking teachers if they plan to return for the following semester in mid to end of November. This is the best time to look for a second semester start (in February). Like LanGuTou said, schools will be closed for Spring Festival so they will try to hire all the teachers by late December so that they can process all the paperwork before leaving for break. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Renegade_o_Funk
Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 125
|
Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
irishm wrote: |
Thanks for the reply - I have been looking at the jobs section but they are all for the upcoming academic year at the moment...I'll just keep looking...
Ideally I'd like to have a job lined up before I arrive but that may not happen...fingers crossed it will
What are the chances of getting into a university with no experience? |
There is nothing wrong with learning how to teach with university students. I would say it is less brutal cutting your teeth on teaching with Chinese university students, than U.S. University students. After all you are the native speaker, the "Foreign Expert" If you can act somewhat confident, then you will be fine. I was nervous my first few classes until I got a feel for the students English Level/interest level.
I would recomend you pick a city you are interested in working in, then trying to find a job there, hopefully before you just show up..BUT if you do just show up, as long as it's a bigger city, you should be able to score a job without to much effort. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
irishm
Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Cardiff
|
Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks so much for all the advice- feeling a bit more optimisitic now esp as I know they will start recruting for the second half of the year in Nov/Dec so I know to keep an extra keen eye out
I want to go to Shanghai so hopefully this broadens my chances of getting a job...fingers crossed!!! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
vikuk

Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842
|
Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If you've got an Irish passport - I assume you're Irish from your moniker - there maybe a little problem with applying for a work-visa - The Chinese don't classify English as the first language of Ireland and therefore define the Irish as non-native speakers of English. Under these potty rules - officially the Irish are not allowed to teach English!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't worry though - there must be ways around the crap since � many Irish teach here, as well as nationals from non-English speaking countries. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
dharma86
Joined: 05 May 2009 Posts: 187 Location: Southside baby!
|
Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
vikuk wrote: |
If you've got an Irish passport - I assume you're Irish from your moniker - there maybe a little problem with applying for a work-visa - The Chinese don't classify English as the first language of Ireland and therefore define the Irish as non-native speakers of English. Under these potty rules - officially the Irish are not allowed to teach English!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
I don't know about that!
I'm having no problems so far although i'm not going to hold my breath until all the documents are here in Ireland.
I'll let you both know. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
dialogger
Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 419 Location: China
|
Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 2:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm not sure what proportion of jobs are for Feb start and what for late August start.
I would guess the majority are for August, at the start of the academic year.
I've done both and I think the OP's degree will be more of a positive than lack of an ESL cert is a negative. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|