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chryanvii
Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 125
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 Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 5:54 pm Post subject: Would you consider university ESL your dream job? |
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I have left university teaching behind for an office-style job in Shanghai, and I am so sad. I only taught at university for one semester, but I miss everything about it...
The long vacation periods [I didn't get the Summer b/c I took this job -
but my spring festival travel was one of the best periods of my
life]
Cooking and bonding with the students [definitely don't get this if you're
a teacher in the states]
Plenty of free time to play guitar, take photos, whatever
No lousy bosses hanging over your shoulder who don't even acknowledge you, and consider you the scum of the earth
__________
I still keep in touch with some of my former students through qq, and it makes me really miss my teaching lifestyle..they say they loved me and miss me very much...I don't think these people in the office give two rat's $%^&'s about me.
I feel like I have made a mistake in taking an office job and not teaching again ... as a foreign "face", I just sit at the desk all day long and do my own things, while I have someone who tells me I have to try to hide it from the boss and pretend to "look busy" while he's there. It blows!
That in addition to the fact that nobody ever talks to me because they are always so busy.
No vacation time for a year? And then only 10 days? What was I thinking? Only one hour for lunch? you can't leave the office during work hours? They tell me at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Friday that I have a meeting over my weekend?
_________________
...I was concerned that if I didn't start using my degree somehow once again in a standard office job, that I could never get employed again back in the states as a designer, if I decided one day to go home [I'm not sure yet - maybe after this deal, I WILL go home - it's just like being in America, with the exception of the fact that everyone is speaking chinese].
I have only three months of design experienced racked up, and have heard that it's easy as a foreigner to get employed here in Shanghai. This was why I decided to make this move. I need the experience, and Shanghai just might be the place where I can get that.
_______________
...But the lifestyle of a "regular desk job in china just feels horrible after leaving ESL behind.
Please give me your feelings about this. I don't care about pay. Jobs that pay better tend to suck much more. Have I made a good decision about avoiding the ESL "rut" even though life is very fun on the inside?
My feeling is that if you teach ESL for too long, that it might look bad on your resume if you want to ever consider using your non-ESL related degree again [particularly outside china]. ESL is either for the young ones right out of college [lucky tikes] or the older ones. But for those who are in their mid 30s looking to still find their "niche" in life...it could be a disaster if it goes on for too long.
Please give me your honest opinions. I really want to go back to University ESL and do it while I'm still a little young. But...I also feel that I should consider my future, my design degree, and the possibility that the economy might change for the better in the near future [5 years].
___________
Ming bai ma? |
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Zero
Joined: 08 Sep 2004
Posts: 1402
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: Would you consider university ESL your dream job? |
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| chryanvii wrote: |
I have left university teaching behind for an office-style job in Shanghai, and I am so sad. I only taught at university for one semester, but I miss everything about it...
The long vacation periods [I didn't get the Summer b/c I took this job -
but my spring festival travel was one of the best periods of my
life]
Cooking and bonding with the students [definitely don't get this if you're
a teacher in the states]
Plenty of free time to play guitar, take photos, whatever
No lousy bosses hanging over your shoulder who don't even acknowledge you, and consider you the scum of the earth
__________
I still keep in touch with some of my former students through qq, and it makes me really miss my teaching lifestyle..they say they loved me and miss me very much...I don't think these people in the office give two rat's $%^&'s about me.
I feel like I have made a mistake in taking an office job and not teaching again ... as a foreign "face", I just sit at the desk all day long and do my own things, while I have someone who tells me I have to try to hide it from the boss and pretend to "look busy" while he's there. It blows!
That in addition to the fact that nobody ever talks to me because they are always so busy.
No vacation time for a year? And then only 10 days? What was I thinking? Only one hour for lunch? you can't leave the office during work hours? They tell me at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Friday that I have a meeting over my weekend?
_________________
...I was concerned that if I didn't start using my degree somehow once again in a standard office job, that I could never get employed again back in the states as a designer, if I decided one day to go home [I'm not sure yet - maybe after this deal, I WILL go home - it's just like being in America, with the exception of the fact that everyone is speaking chinese].
I have only three months of design experienced racked up, and have heard that it's easy as a foreigner to get employed here in Shanghai. This was why I decided to make this move. I need the experience, and Shanghai just might be the place where I can get that.
_______________
...But the lifestyle of a "regular desk job in china just feels horrible after leaving ESL behind.
Please give me your feelings about this. I don't care about pay. Jobs that pay better tend to suck much more. Have I made a good decision about avoiding the ESL "rut" even though life is very fun on the inside?
My feeling is that if you teach ESL for too long, that it might look bad on your resume if you want to ever consider using your non-ESL related degree again [particularly outside china]. ESL is either for the young ones right out of college [lucky tikes] or the older ones. But for those who are in their mid 30s looking to still find their "niche" in life...it could be a disaster if it goes on for too long.
Please give me your honest opinions. I really want to go back to University ESL and do it while I'm still a little young. But...I also feel that I should consider my future, my design degree, and the possibility that the economy might change for the better in the near future [5 years].
___________
Ming bai ma? |
Look ... your fears are founded. Spend years in ESL, and you aren't going to be qualified for anything else. You won't even be qualified to teach ESL back home, since China's requirements are lower than in western countries.
Spend time in the corporate job, and you might, just might, be able to get back into the corporate world back home someday -- although eventually, age discrimination kicks in. Maybe you could move up the ranks in the office job in Shanghai.
If you don't have independent wealth, and you want to be somewhat secure in life, especially 20 to 40 years down the road, I'd recommend not getting stuck in the China ESL rut. The complete lack of benefits is an issue, as much as the low pay. Think about it this way: If you were back in the U.S., would you make a "career" of working part-time at a gas station, just because you liked the free time it allowed for photography etc.? No way. You'd slug it out at the best job you could find, and try to build a future for yourself. At least, most responsible people would.
My question is, if you're in your mid 30s now, what were you doing all these years before?
Anyway, if you like teaching, and you don't feel corporate life is for you, I'd recommend pursuing further qualifications in that field. Then you'd have options to work either back home or overseas. If it's China you like, a teaching certificate for K-12 is probably best, since the MATESOL doesn't get you far in the Middle Kingdom. International schools pay well and have benefits. But bear in mind, it will take some time and money to achieve K-12 certification, and when you get to the classroom, it will be hard work, not the China university ESL routine.
Barring that, I'd stick to corporate life and try to save up some money for a day, when you're older, that you can semi-retire and go back to ESL. Everything has its tradeoffs. |
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Ariadne
Joined: 16 Jul 2004
Posts: 960
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, for me, teaching at a university in China is my dream job. I really do love it. But... I'm older so I don't have to worry about how this will affect my career. I don't have to worry about babies or retirement benefits. I have a husband, a house, and good insurance to go home to. I feel very lucky to be able to enjoy the delights of university teaching without the downsides.
I agree with the previous poster that long term uni work in China is not a great idea for people in mid-career. However, I certainly can appreciate that a university job is a heck of a lot more fun, and in many respects more rewarding, than working 40-50 hour weeks in an office.
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Lobster
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 2040
Location: Somewhere under the Sea
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| Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:13 am Post subject: |
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I agree that EFL teaching in China is best suited to those young people looking for short-term experience and adventure and the older set who aren't worried about building a career back home. What you're experiencing is the daily reality of the working life you can expect here or at home. It stinks on both sides of the pond.
RED |
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haller_79
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 145
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| Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:46 am Post subject: |
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I agree that EFL teaching in China is best suited to those young people looking for short-term experience and adventure and the older set who aren't worried about building a career back home. What you're experiencing is the daily reality of the working life you can expect here or at home. It stinks on both sides of the pond.
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Quite true, but I would add this. Some corporations are better to work at than others (based on personal experience), however I don't think these corporations, even if they have offices in China, would have the same working conditions as in the west. |
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chryanvii
Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 125
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| Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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But I pose this question: University teaching might look bad if one is concerned about his future back at home. But...what about Mill teaching?
Let's look at it this way:
you were working full time, so it didn't look like you were just nin-com-pooping around for several years.
you were using communication skills, as well as leadership skills
you were developing your own curriculum, two social clubs at least twice a week
you are teaching business classes too, so this could be a ticket into some type of corporate training...+ keeping your business knowledge in tact
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