Job Discussion Forums

[MissCeliaJ]

Hello,
I'm a recent university graduate and qualified TEFL teacher (140 hours online course) and I'm looking to do a year teching in China - but I'm completely overwhelmed by how many jobs there are. I've not done full blown teaching before and I haven't a clue what I should be looking for in a potential job.
I don't know much about China and I'd love to go anywhere, really. Can anyone suggest any good schools to get in contact with, or any particular jobs they've seen in China that I should apply for?
Any comments would be useful
Thanks very much,
Celia
xxx

[7969]

Take some time to read through the pages of this forum. The main reason the stuff is archived is to help people who need info.

[Zero]

There's a nice place called Linfen. I'd head there.

[mightylakarose]

Which city you choose largely depends on what you are looking for. I have found that in just about every city except for Beijing and Shanghai, locals will stare at you everywhere you go. If you do not want to be the centre of attention at all times, I would recommend Beijing or Shanghai. Both of these cities are very expensive, but offer a mix of old culture and modern China.

As for what kind of a job you would like, that also depends. If you would like to teach English at a college or Uni, you should watch out for second and third tier schools. Often in those schools, students are not much interested in learning English and would rather sit in class, twiddle their cellphones and do homework for other classes. Ideally, a foreign owned learning centre will offer the best money and students will want to learn as they are often businesspeople who spend lots of money to attend.

I guess that if you want a more unique adventure, I suppose a small city in a less populated province but as someone who tried that, I got tired very quickly of being stared and pointed at constantly ('heloo foreeener'). i am now happliy residing in Beijing.

[Non Sequitur]

Yeah Linfen�s definitely on the �must see� list.
The cute smiles of those kids with the funny lips..

[Bisis]

That's a big question your asking, there are many factors to consider. Here's a few:
Salary
Bonuses
Travel compensation
Vacation time
Housing
Type of city - big, small, western conveniences
Working with kids or adults
Working in private language center or public school
Teaching hours/total hours working per week

These are all factors should be considered as part of your decision. I'm probably a little biased, but working with a reputable teacher placement agency that is in China could make this a little easier for you.

[Miles Smiles]

[zanerguy]

If you're wondering what kind of job to apply for, first decide on which age groups you'd feel more comfortable working with. Also keep in mind what kind of hours you would like to work. Kindergartens, primary schools, etc. will take up your Mon-Fri, and most training centers are evenings and weekends. In general you will be working with smaller groups of students in the training centers.

[chryanvii]

A friend of mine told me this is how he got to where he was in China:

Put a big map of China on the wall [buy from local bookstore].

Blindfold yourself.

Grab a thumbtack and place it on the map. This is where you will go!

[But be sure to try to point to the low end of the map. Although South China is very hot in the Summer, North China is very COLD]

Xiamen is a very nice city with a lot of beautiful things to see nearby. I don't recommend Shanghai as your first city, even though that's where I'm headed [business reasons].
_________________

[YAMARI]

[MisterButtkins]

[chinanoodles]

[Miles Smiles]

[coffeepresto]

Wow, Miles, that was a bit harsh, don't you think? She's asking for advice on where to start. It is very difficult to imagine what kind of things to expect or consider when applying for a job in another country. And anyway, what does it matter where she gets her first teaching job? The first teaching job is basically the same anywhere you go - at first you're far from perfect, and then you learn from your mistakes (and your achievements).

And to the OP, I agree with the other comments on this thread. You need to consider where you want to live and what age group you'd prefer to teach. Salary is also important; if you're coming straight out of uni, then perhaps you've been saddled with loans, which can't be put into deferment/forbearance forever. However, I think that because you don't have teaching experience, your offers may be limited. My advice would be to come up with a list of possible locations, then investigate schools there and apply directly to them.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]