Job Discussion Forums

waywardschrimpfs · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

Hello, everyone!

I'm a long-time lurker, and first-time poster. I've been reading Dave's since I started my ESL classes in college (at the request of the professor) and now that I've got a degree and a year of State-side teaching under my belt, I figure it's time to make the leap.

Here are the details:

-Married, with a 6 month old son
-No school debt
-Around $8000 (~55,000 yuan) savings, after buying plane ticket
-Need to send ~$300 (~2000yuan) home a month to parents to help them out

My question is this; What salary should I be aiming for working in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Chengdu, or Dalian? Obviously, we've saved some money to supplement our excursion, but we don't plan on living extravagantly by any means. Mostly, my wife has some dietary restrictions she can't meet on the cheap. Also, coming from the Midwest, we'd like to live somewhere that's maximally as warm as our current location, but not much hotter if we can avoid it.

Also, are there any other families here that have any advice for raising a family here? Please keep comments like "Don't do it" or anything else snarky to yourselves.

I've sent out my resume to a few agencies and individual schools, but since a lot of places are still in session, I figure the big wave of job openings won't be happening for another month or so. In light of that information, does anyone have any job offers or hints in the aforementioned cities? I'll be sure to tell them you sent me, if that will confer some sort of recruiter bonus to you!

Thanks for the help!

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

Curious about a couple of additional things. None of this is meant to be snarky, just think a fuller picture will help people to advise you.

-Do you and your wife both plan to work, or just you?
-What qualifications do you have? Are you a certified teacher?
-How long do you plan to stay in China?
-Are you just trying to meet expenses, or also save?

From your post, I also wasn't quite clear about whether you are asking what sort of salary your qualifications should be able to snag, or how much money your family would need.

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

Go look at abroadchina.org. It lists a LOT of jobs available all over China. You can select the region that you're interested in. This may not be the best place to LOOK for a good job, but it will give you the big picture pretty quickly.

Whether you can live on the wages offered by the advertisers on that forum, or if you are qualified for all or most of them, or if you'd even WANT any of them is for you to decide. On that board, you'll see the good, the bad, and the ugly.

You may not be able to distinguish among the three, but at least you'll get a pretty good idea of what's out there.

waywardschrimpfs · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

I will let other posters advise you on what sorts of jobs you will qualify for and how far they will take you and your family.

Meanwhile, I will give you an overall impression: You should make saving a priority. It sounds like you and your wife may be pretty young. It is a good time to start building savings. Don't be content with paycheck-to-paycheck, if you can help it. It would be fine if you came from a wealthy family, but it sounds like you may not have that advantage.

So many things will come up, especially since you have a child. These years you plan to spend overseas make it all the harder to reestablish back in your home country later. To cushion the blow, you will need cash, the more the better. You'll have to establish housing, transportation, etc.

Specific to China, one thing that concerns me is health care, particularly for the baby. If anything serious should come up, god forbid, you will need to pay out-of-pocket, and the costs could eat up the $8,000 you have saved. Run through it all, and then what? I would advise looking into international health insurance (expat insurance, whatever they call it). That will add to your expenses, but it's needed.

There is good money to be made in Beijing and Shanghai, but given that you will probably need nicer housing, and you are on the lower end of the experience spectrum, I think it could be a struggle. A second- or third-tier city might be better -- cheaper, lower-key. Someplace like Hangzhou or Suzhou.

I have to ask, why do you want to go to China at this point? It seems to me that now might be a stage in your life when it's better to get your career on track, get yourself established, and then see if a year or a few abroad might work out for your family.

waywardschrimpfs · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

@Zero, thanks for the post. Full of good information, but yes, we're keen on saving.

powerrose · Joined: 14 Apr 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Shenzhen, China

For us Americans, getting a "career on track" is kindof a joke these days, isn't it? I spent 4 years after JET trying to get a career on track and it was the biggest waste of time (except meeting my husband and moving back to Asia).

You should also think about a nanny? They're affordable here, especially part-time, and you're wife may want to work or go to school in the evenings or on the weekends or something.............

askiptochina · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 488 Location: Beijing

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

poompui · Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Posts: 9

i suggest looking at qingdao. it's clean, safe and the local people are wonderful. stay far far far away from korea... i have several friends here who are married and have a family. they are all happy. the medical care here, from what i have found at the international clinics, is fine. have you been to an american hospital lately? scarry... give china a chance. Very Happy