Job Discussion Forums

DosEquisX · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 361

Hi guys. I'm new to the international forums here at Dave's ESL Cafe.

I have had experience teaching ESL in Korea and know what to look for when applying there.

But that's not the case with China. China seems to have a large market with very flexible salaries and unique work environments. I see jobs that pay under 4,000RMB and positions that are over 12,000RMB. With Korea, you're stuck with 2.1 - 2.3M won at an academy/public school unless you have a MA, doctorate or a teaching certificate from your home country. Most jobs in Korea also have the same number of hours and similar teaching environments.

When I sent out my information, I never expected a university in China to be interested in interviewing me. But in just one day, that's what happened. Hell, it takes a week for some Korean recruiter to even get back to me. I don't know how I am qualified to teach college students, but I guess I am.

In short, what I should be looking for with a first year in China? There seems to be a whole lot more information on ESL in Korea when compared to China. So, it's harder to see who the jokers are and who aren't when I interview with these employers. Unlike Korea, you don't have blacklists or a close, well-connected base of foreigners to associate with that can tell you who is scamming who. There doesn't seem to be much on how to deal with unruly employers or contract breaches and other tricks your employer can pull on you.

I'd like to get as much information as possible before really jumping in here and I hope that you guys can help me out Smile

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

Well, there's a lot to consider, and obviously everyone has different priorities, but I would say some important things to think about are:
1)Location (hot or cold? Big city or small?)
2)Hours (Do you want to work a lot or a little?)
3)Money (Do you want to save? Do you have bills to pay? Are you a big spender?)

And, quite importantly:
4)Is the school sketchy?

Number 4 is a bit tricky to explain, I guess... maybe some of the more experienced posters on here could give you some tips on things to watch out for. I feel like after using the internet for so long I have a sixth sense for scams, I can't quite explain what it is but certain things tip me off. Or I'm just paranoid.

DosEquisX · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 361

daCabbie · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 244

There is an art to feeling out Chinese schools. At the college level I wouldn't worry too much. A lot of these type of school have only had foriegn teachers for the past few years so there is not much info on them. They will pay close to on time (within a few days). Hollidays are nice, no weekends, good enviroment; usually.

Just ask the school to put you in touch with a present or former teacher. Ask for pictures of the apartment. If they get annoyed after you ask three or four questions then they might not be the school for you.

At a lot of college's the FAO is new to the job or his/her English might not be so good. So its always important to feel them out. Do they listen to you? Do they answer questions completly? Are they engaging or do they act like you are wasting thier time. All of these are ways to feel out a sketchy FAO. You want someone pleasant and inviting.

The big problem with colleges is the class size and the location. Some of them are very isolated. I usually ask; How far is it to the train station? This will give you an idea of the schools location to the city center. Everyone will lie to you about class sizes. Expect 35-50 at a college.

Talking to the school is the most important thing. Ten minutes on the phone and I know if I want to give this person a year of my life.

Good luck. No matter what, its not forever. Contracts are only a year. I can do a year standing on my head. We all survive bad schools in hopes to find a better one next year.

DosEquisX · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 361

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

Treats and games will work just fine with college students in China. They think of themselves as boys and girls, not men and women, because they are not yet out 'in society', i.e., the real world. They giggle if you ask if they have a boyfriend/girlfriend. They are innocent in so many ways, and it gives them a special charm. They are sweet and fun and friendly and they can be a joy to teach. Just be sure to move the boys in the back up to the front.

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mat chen · Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Posts: 494 Location: xiangtan hunan

Thanks Ariande. I never thought of this. I learned something very valuable last year. I hold their hands when I want to move them into group or pair activities. Why do the boys always sit at the back? I sat in the back as a poor student in Canada.

CJD · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 116

talking to the school is not the most important thing - talking to other foreigners who work at the school is.

once you find some schools that want to hire you, you can get them to give you the e-mails of a few other foreign teachers at the school. asking the other foreign teachers about important things like housing, location, whether the school tries to screw around with you, etc. is a good way to avoid getting a bad job

a good way to go is to get a job at a good/decent university which pays 4,000-6,000 a month for 10-16 hours a week, and then if you want more money you can teach privately or work part-time at another language school in the same city.

west2east · Joined: 03 May 2009 Posts: 120 Location: China

DosEquisX · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 361

Yeah, I seem to be getting vacancies around the 4,000-5,000 RMB range from colleges w/ basically everything else paid for aside from phone service.

Another question. Is an offered apartment with 2-bedrooms a cause for concern? Does this provide a chance at having a shared apartment? Shared apartments are something to avoid from my experience when living with a completely unknown person. This is even more critical when you can get a job here without a criminal record check.

Can I negotiate a salary with these places? Can I use a higher salary from another position as leverage to get higher pay from a position?

DosEquisX · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 361

On another note: is getting college contracts via a recruiting service a bad thing?

Right now, I'm mostly sticking to using recruiters to find college positions and applying to academies directly. Basically, I'm treating the recruiting process as though I was applying for Korea. You know, ignoring the smoke/mirrors and seeing through the bullshit stuff that they'll never follow through on (i.e., we'll help you if you have any trouble with your employer).

Does this seem like a good move?

Reine Lierre · Joined: 15 Dec 2010 Posts: 18

The Edge · Joined: 04 Sep 2010 Posts: 455 Location: China

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

Many universities offer two bedroom apartments for foreign teachers. I have two bedrooms and I wouldn't dream of sharing with a stranger, or anyone else for that matter. If they expect teachers to share they usually say so up front, but be sure to ask. There are plenty of schools that do not require sharing, so be sure to steer clear of the ones that do.

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