Job Discussion Forums

[Mapk]

Hi All,

I posted a while ago and got some great advice. I'm back for a bit more.

I've had 3 interviews with schools in SPB: Orange School, English First, and New Planet. I'm beginning to get offers from them. They all seem to be comparable: 400-600 rubles per academic hour. None of them have offered to pay for plane tickets. I have no official TESOL certification, only 2 years of volunteer English teaching experience, and a hard-working, positive attitude

Do any of you have experience with these schools and could compare? The Orange school representatives seemed very friendly and even fun, the EF and NP people a bit more distant... but who knows. A 30-minute skype interview doesn't exactly tell you everything.

A fourth option I have is ALM ( http://www.americanlanguagemaster.com/ ). It's run by an American and he was very responsive. He said I could come and get his teaching certification in SPB (80 hours online, 20 in-person), and then likely be hired on completion of the course (no guarantees, though). I'm not sure what he would pay, but the TESOL course would run about $900. A part of me would feel better having SOME sort of official certification, but $1000 and no guarantee is difficult to swallow when I have other offers in hand.

Also, some of these schools bring me over on a work visa, some a student visa. What are the advantages/disadvantages of student vs. work visas?

Ok, give it to me straight. Thanks a ton for any input.
Mark

[BenE]

[smithrn1983]

If you already have job offers, and a couple of years experience teaching, I would say take one of the jobs, and then maybe get a CELTA or equivalent later. The course they're offering is 20 hours short of being a CELTA equivalent. For that, you need 120 hours (classroom) instruction, with at least 6 hours of observed teaching practice.

Four hundred rubles is a bit low in my opinion, but you should be able to survive on 600/hr, which may be the best you can get without certification. Another thing to look into is whether or not they will provide you with housing. Some schools will, some won't, and ultimately it should be up to you to decide whether or not to take their housing arrangements. I believe EF can arrange for a place for you to stay, but your contract will be a bit different.

Some other things I think about when applying for jobs are the size of the school, who runs it, what do other teachers think of working there, etc. My personal preferences are for small, foreign run schools. It's easier to get things taken care of (like requests for time off) and foreign managers, in my opinion, are better able to help you adjust to life in a new country. As for the teachers, have you asked the schools if you can contact someone who works there? If not, I'd walk away, no matter how good the offer.

As for the visa, since you will be working, you need a work visa.

[maruss]

I would opt for SPB rather than Moscow,especially on a low wage and also clarify what the accomodation situation is.Arranging appartments is often very complicated in Russia,even more so for foreigners and can also prove very expensive so try to get help with this as part of any deal you agree to.
English First do not have a good reputation in many countries and are run by franchises which can vary enormously from one place to another.They are a very big organisation and tend to be impersonal.My own experience with them -not in Russia though- was that it took a long time to get money they owed me for work I had done and involved me making several overseas phone calls.
As a general word of advice,Russia is a difficult place to work in anyway,even more so if you are unfamiliar with the country and don't have at least a basic knowledge of the language so trying to get in with a foreign company would be well worth your effort.Above all,ask as many questions as you can BEFORE making up your mind and never presume anything unless it has been confirmed.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

The most worrying part of your job offers is the student visa thing. It is illegal, in Russia, to work while on a student visa; this is especially so if you aren't actually a student somewhere. While the chances of getting nailed by the authorities are probably rather low, it is you, not the school, who will have to clean up the mess if you are somehow busted (thus fined or deported, or both). Now, if the school is bringing you in on a student visa and then intend, somehow, to change that into a valid work visa, then it might be kosher (though I'm not really sure that can be done).
Also, in St Pete, 400 rubles/hour seems quite low, but others have already pointed that out.
I think it would be a good idea to get certification, if only because it opens the door to better salaries/jobs if you don't like the place you choose.
Try to talk to former (foreign) teachers of all the schools you're considering. Schools should be comfortable with giving you any contacts they have, if there's nothing to hide.
What about housing? Flats are expensive in Russia, as a rule. Therefore, depending on where the schools are located, you might end up living far away if they're in expensive regions. Do you really want a potentially long commute home from work, at night, in the winter?
I worked for EF here for four years. The positives: They pay on time, and have rather clear contracts. (Although, I should say that I found out while trying to get my residency that they paid me illegally (black salary) for a whole year without my knowledge.) The negatives: Impersonal to the max, the materials are horrific, and teachers are often expected to do extra stuff on weekends (such as life clubs) gratis.
In the end, don't be lax about official stuff here in Russia, a country that lives and dies by the "stamp" and "documents". When a school tries to get you a student visa, they are doing so because they either: A) Can't get work visa status (which says something about their organization), or B) Don't want you officially on their payroll (meaning they'll pay you cash), so they can save on taxes. Either way, YOU will be the one who "pays" if someone finds out.
As maruss stated, if you haven't been to Russia, be wary--it is smart to be wary here, and ask a TON of questions before signing on.
Best of luck.

[coledavis]

I would definitely be considering the jobs which offer a working visa. Why get yourself in trouble with an illegitimate visa? Apart from the problems arising directly, you will have trouble getting out of any other problems if you are an illegal; keeping hidden will take priority over sorting them out.

[Mapk]

Thanks all, keep the advice coming (if you have more). I truly appreciate the responses.

Mark

[Mapk]

Do any of you by chance have any first-hand experience with ALM?

[coledavis]

No, but most employers recognise the CELTA and the Trinity so you might be pushing yourself down the pecking order with ALM each time you apply for work and, as some employers only want CELTA/Trinity, you are narrowing your scope on each occasion. May not be a great saving.

[Velocipedaler]

I'm in SPb right now, so I can confirm that 400 is in the range, but on the low side for native-speaking teachers. I know some schools which pay their Russian teachers of English 400. Native speakers can usually pull 500-600.

Unfortunately, I don't have any firsthand knowledge regarding the schools you listed. Regardless, this is how I view your situation:

1) Skip ALM...as others have pointed out, "their" cert won't get you far. Do CELTA or Trinity, or nothing...especially since you have offers which don't require a cert. Make hay while the sun shines!

2) This leaves you with Orange, EF, and NP. Cross off the ones offering the student visa (for reasons which others have already explained).

3) Of the remaining choices, go with the one which offers the best compensation package. This means: flight assistance, housing assistance, guaranteed hours, the most convenient schedule, and highest salary.

The 'convenient schedule' is a huge consideration. There is additional work to be had, but if you're working every evening and/or working scattered hours, your availability will be a problem.

[Terry Mc]

I am still too new to send an IM. Could you IM me? I have some questions about how you were getting offers from the schools you have listed. I have my certification, but cannot get a decent job offer to save my life. Thanks.