Job Discussion Forums

aahz · Joined: 13 Mar 2010 Posts: 38

I also am trying to find someone who is currently employed in China who can maybe give me some help in finding out how to teach there. I hate talking to employers who I can never tell if they're trying to rip me off or actually being helpful. I want to find people who have been in the same position as me, or who are currently working and know of a place to get work.

randyj · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:02 am Post subject:

Not being gullible doesn't mean a certain amount of trust might not be necessary. Rely on comments from present or past teachers at a school. If a prospective employer cannot or will not supply those contacts, then a person has a right to be suspicious.

XiGua · Joined: 13 Dec 2009 Posts: 91 Location: Hunan

It's important that you are able to decipher what is BS and what isn't. Even on these forums stories and opinions can often be skewed by ignorance and stubbornness.

Before I came here I did nothing but research every day for a month before I was confident enough to come over here. I didn't post here, I didn't ask questions. All the questions I had were answered in research. Do enough research and the right information will come out to give you the confidence to make a decision. You can only really trust yourself so do the work for yourself. Nothing would be worse than trusting some stranger on the internet and finding that the situation isn't what you want. In the end it comes down to making a leap of faith really. Nothings 100% here.

aahz · Joined: 13 Mar 2010 Posts: 38

You are exactly right! That's what I'm trying to do, research. But, sadly, I don't have as much a method as you seemed to have had. I will just have to look around, find out more, and study up on what people are saying. It's hard not to wish I could just skip ahead to someone who has done the research like you, and magically just find a job. :-/

sroetem · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 33

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

I believe that I can help. Here is some information that should help you get perspective:

killian · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:21 am Post subject:

really want to know?

don't come to china. it is a mugs game for the most part. bad pay, bad health care, no benefits, no pension. they will lowball you everytime and throw you away like kleenex in an adult video booth.

if you MUST come to china, determine beforehand exactly how many years of the BEST years of your life you are willing to give away to a nation that is indifferent to you at most.

then, and only then, check out taiwan. it is chinese but everything is better there.

as ambrose evans-pritchard makes clear just about every week china is a mercantilist bubble. bubbles burst, rarely well.

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

killian · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 3:34 am Post subject:

so "foxy" women outweigh bad pay, no benefits,no pension, no health insurance, bunk vacation, and overall sketchy quality of life when "foxy" women are everywhere?

all women are "foxy".

Jayray · Joined: 28 Feb 2009 Posts: 373 Location: Back East

The question seems a bit troll-ish, but I'll bite.

OP, if you can't find a job in China and don't know where to turn, what makes you think that there are even jobs in China? If you aren't resourceful, you won't last very long.

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

All kidding aside, killian points out the crux of the real problem with China. The whole set-up is geared toward tolerating foreigners for as long as they are useful/necessary, but not giving them any chance to integrate or accrue stability.

It's OK for someone looking for an adventure right out of college, as long as you don't dally too long and permanently forgo your chances of re-entering the career track in the west. It's OK for someone who's already retired and has a pension, or who has lots of savings. It's OK for a societal dropout who has nothing to lose in his (or her) own country, maybe someone who has suffered bankruptcy, divorce, alcoholism, etc.

For everyone else, that is, those in the middle, trying to actually build a future, those problems of "bad pay, bad health care, no benefits, no pension" are pretty big issues to overcome.

The exceptions are those who can obtain positions in international schools, joint-ventures or non-teaching professions that provide some of those benefits. Or maybe people who can string together several jobs and surpass the 20,000 RMB/month and buy their own health insurance, save for retirement, etc.

But, as I said, the women are mighty foxy.

Teatime of Soul · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 905

Try http://www.middlekingdomlife.com for information about teaching in China.

It is well worth the read.

aahz · Joined: 13 Mar 2010 Posts: 38

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback and some very helpful (if somewhat depressing!) viewpoints.

sheepgotoheaven · Joined: 13 Jan 2010 Posts: 3

I agree that there are quite a few "somewhat depressing viewpoints" here.

Is China really as bad as these few posters are making it out to be? That it just uses and spits out foreignors? I guess what I'm asking is, isn't there anyone that gets stable jobs after teaching English for a while? I mean, if you invest some time studying Chinese over there, and can speak both Chinese and English, aren't you pretty marketable?

Looking for some hope on this topic....