Job Discussion Forums

[spanglish]

Where do the long term teachers in Russia work? Do jobs exist that pay way better than IH types and treat you well?

[smithrn1983]

You can check how I reached these conclusions here http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=90515, but it seems the McSchool package totals 50000-55000r per month when you add in all the benefits, while working the same number of hours at a smaller school on an hourly contract should bring in around 100,000r per month.

We also seem to have determined that private lessons in Moscow should go for around 1250-1750/acad. hour.

As for schools treating you well, there's good and bad ones just like everywhere else. If you do your research thoroughly, then you can have a good experience in Moscow. Despite what this board may occasionally lead you to believe, people do enjoy living here.

[spanglish]

I was wondering if there is a hierarchy of jobs like in Latin America, where you have institutes like IH, privates high schools, universities and the British Council.

[maruss]

Moscow has been notoriously expensive for years and is becoming even more so due to increasing demand for accomodation with an even greater influx of people due to the best workinging opportunities being there.....add that to increases in food prices which affect everyone and you understand why you need to have a good income to enjoy living in Moscow!
The expat teachers in the know who have been there a while and built up their own networks of students are the ones who can do that,even more so when the students come to you,thus avoiding you the hassle of travelling around.But of course it takes time and effort to get to that position-Rome wasn't built in a day!
To put it more simply,if you want an easy life,don't go to Moscow because it's not the place for it!Millions of Russians who endure the place will confirm that too!

[spanglish]

So the only way to get paid well is to have lots of private students?

[maruss]

It can be very lucrative BUT remember that unless you have a basic salary from a company as a back-up you have no guaranteed income!People can cancel lessons and especially from May to September,many are away and the demand tends to drop.But your landlord will still want his rent and your living expenses will be the same!
Living in Russia is very precarious anyway and few people there have the kind of security we tend to take for granted in western countries.It really is a very different 'ball-game' and hard to explain unless you have experienced it.This is why it is essential to have money for a 'rainy day' and if you are a foreigner this should include the cost of an airline ticket home.