Job Discussion Forums

hewlett77 · Joined: 17 Dec 2009 Posts: 95 Location: all over China

Tried working for a new company in Shenzhen (Meten). First week went fine splitting the time between Nanshan and Louhu Branches. The head of Meten School said they wanted me to work full time and from the sounds of things it was in the bag. The first evaluation I had in nashan was fine. But hey today after they did the evaluation over at the Louhu branches they said I'm not god enough and wanted to keep me part time. I personally looked at the evaluation sheets and 5 where fine but 2 not. So I was judged by 2 out of 5. I guess Chinese focus on the negative and ignore the positive comments.
I walked out after a heated discussion and went home. Seems my teaching days are over. I have no more confidence working with these people. Or any school in China.

gene · Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 187

Well, that's done...mind as well eat!

mnguy29 · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 155 Location: USA

Simply go to a different city.

living&learning · Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 245

You've come a long way from home to live in China. Think your decision through a little. Remember there are other jobs in China - tens of thousands of them.

To be honest it took me the best part of five years to find a job I like. There were some tough patches in those five years, but I'm glad I persevered - if nothing I learned a lot about myself, how to persevere and what a good job really is.

Jia yo!

Silent Shadow · Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 1:13 am Post subject: Re: Feed up with working in China

hewlett77 · Joined: 17 Dec 2009 Posts: 95 Location: all over China

Good point. Maybe time to find new pastures. I just don't get these Chinese mangers. Why don't they just stop criticizing us and help us more in our work. If I'm not doing a great job offer me more training. I've been doing this for the past 6 years. Most of my experience has not been pleasant. Had a good run in Nantong Web, at least there they begged me to stay plus the work environment was god and the students satisfied with my teaching. Now I regret. I replied back seeing if I could go back there but no word back. Hey has any foreigners out there tried hitting one of these Chinese Managers, I know I'd love to but I won't try, even though sometimes I feel like it. It's not worth it in the end.

Silent Shadow · Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 6:12 am Post subject:

Yeah, I hear you.

I left a good college where everything went well after three years there, and sometimes wonder if I made the right decision. However, I like my current job, and some things here are better than my previous one.

From what I've heard about Meten, I think they did you a favour by refusing you. I haven't heard too many good things about them, so you probably had a narrow escape.

I recommend public schools, rather than private. The hours are less, and there's less stress as the managers generally let you get on with it. You also generally get about four months off a year, often fully paid; plenty of time to recharge the batteries and do other things. Of course total monthly earnings tend to be lower, but the hours are much less.

It's definitely not worth hitting anybody, though I can understand why you might feel like doing so. Why bring trouble and stress on yourself? You've no real stress now. You are a free agent who can pick and choose from countless schools in China. I really do recommend a public school, where you're given more space from management to find your teaching niche.

lyallben · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Posts: 23 Location: china

think about getting a job at a university they can be easier gigs than language mills.Maybe go to somewhere else rather than Shenzhen.

Laurence · Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 401

Newbie blunder #12 (not exclusive to newbies, apparently):
Trying to maintain academic integrity in a language school position.

caleypatrick · Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 63 Location: Sichuan

Do you have blond hair and blue eyes? You must not, or you would have scored well on your assessment.

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

i echo what some other posters here have said. dont give up so fast.

get away from language mills and into a nice university job. the salary is lower but the hours of work are also lower and the stress levels much lower. Few hassles at a decent university job and if you show up on time, and do your work you'll be left alone by your department head.

hewlett77 · Joined: 17 Dec 2009 Posts: 95 Location: all over China

Where? Finding full time work is becoming much harder these day's. I've applied online, pasted my resume, getting jobs in taiwan which I know I'm not suited for as I have no degree. So currently now just working part time 5 hours a week for a small launague school here in Shenzhen. And thats through my agent an American working from home in futain. Herd of him? He runs an outfit called Little dragon School, more of a recruitment setup then a school. So getting no luck out of him.

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

You're "feed up"? Are they making you eat too much?

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

Yes, I know exactly what you mean, OP. Yesterday my boss took me out to dinner. As usual, he ordered way too much food and I felt obligated to try everything. After about 90 minutes I was feed up. After going home I had to eat 4 TUMS before my heartburn stopped.

On the bus the other day, I think this older Chinese man in a business suit was trying to feed me up. He kept touching my leg.

I was in a taxi in another city the other day and I got feed up. He took 45 minutes to go somewhere that had taken me only 30 minutes to get to by bus.

chinesearmy · Joined: 08 Apr 2010 Posts: 394 Location: canada

is this the general feeling of people working in language mills?