Job Discussion Forums

Fable105 · Joined: 31 May 2011 Posts: 16

Does anyone have any experience with the English First (EF) Chengdu branch? I have read mixed reviews of EF from different forums but it sounds like every branch is different.

The Chengdu branch has offered me a position but I want to find out if anyone has experience dealing with them before I take the plunge.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Every time I see a "How is the EF in 'x' city" I often think of McDonald's. McDonald's is suppose to be the same everywhere you go, but back in the kitchen the operation is often different according to the local boss and how he or she wants things done.

Of course when head office comes by fo a visit, suddenly they are back on track the way they should be.

You will need to ask folks in Chengdu themselves for a specific information on a specific location.

I worked for EF and I enjoyed it immensely (except for the pay) but others hated it. Comes down to personal feelings.

Good luck.

Fable105 · Joined: 31 May 2011 Posts: 16

I tried to ask people in Chengdu but the recruiter said that they have no one on the ground there right now and that they will have new people working there next year. Sounds like there is significant turn-over but that seems to be the norm at Chinese universities and language companies.

Banner41 · Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 656 Location: Shanghai

Couple people are nice there some are not....typical. Apartments are lousy but you can fix that with taking the housing allowance. Good amount of hours.....for a first timer I would say ok. Pretty standard language school job.

vikeologist · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 600

Like Great Wall, I worked for an EF and it was just fine. Some EFs are ok.

With that in mind, if the recruiter can't give you the details of someone there, be worried. I mean, they're as much as saying that they don't have any current or past employees prepared to say something positive about the place.

You're going through a recruiter? Have you spoken to the DOS at the school. I feel that you should be proceding with caution.

EF schools find it hard to recruit new teachers.

Actually that's not really true, EF schools find it hard to recruit competent teachers. There's no shortage of useless, immature, unprofessional, inexperienced and mentally unstable human disasters. There's also no shortage of highly competent, experienced teachers who are recklessly uncaucasian.

However, finding people who are suitable can be quite tricky, and you shouldn't place too much faith in their being honest with you. As I say, I worked for a good EF school, but the honesty of the people who recruited me (and the other teachers) wasn't a strength, though of course all but the most stupid realise that there are benefits in treating their good staff well.

Fable105 · Joined: 31 May 2011 Posts: 16

When I say "recruiter', I mean the person who interviewed me and offered me the job. She is the recruitment manager of EF. She gave me the contact information of someone else working in a "Etown center" in Nanjing. I did not contact them because I know every branch is different.

This place is not my first choice. I would prefer to work at a university but it seems like the one place that is seriously considering giving me a position, Hangzhou Dianzi University, has a terrible reputation.

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

Is there just the one EF in ChengDu?

If so, I know two people who are working for them, and both seem to be happy. One of the teachers I know there was a housemate of mine for about 6 months last year and he moved to ChengDu earlier this year.

The other guy is someone I have known online for about 3 years, and actually met and worked in the same town as him in 2010 before he went to ChengDu.

If you PM me your email address, Ill send it on to the two guys.

peas4luck · Joined: 08 Jan 2011 Posts: 26 Location: Atlanta, GA

Check your PM!

milkweedma · Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 151

I'd be very interested to know if this EF is indeed a good training centre to work for or not. Please keep us posted either way!

darkcity · Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 54

I work for EF at another major city -- unfortunately I shouldn't say which one due to the NDA agreement in the contract -- but I believe all of the EFs in the major cities are centrally-owned and therefore more or less the same.

EF has been surprisingly professional about most things, and I've even had to step up my game after getting used to the lack of professionalism in my last job. The lessons are not perfect and some require a bit of tweaking, but I suppose that's better than having to create everything on your own. The welcome package I got after arriving in China was quite thorough as well.

One thing that does suck is the schedule. It's basically 11am-9pm, and if you're a good teacher, you should get there early to prepare your handouts and attend to any unforeseens. Again, comparing to my previous job, I was pretty happy to work a normal 5 day, 40 hour work week; nevertheless, I am working weekends and awkward hours, which makes it nearly impossible to have a social life.

I don't work at the Chengdu EF, but if you're serious about ESL as a career, it could be a good experience. If you're just teaching as a means to live abroad, then there are easier options.

clayuk · Joined: 08 Mar 2009 Posts: 6

EF Chengdu is not centrally owned it is part of the franchise. They have three schools in Chengdu owned by the same boss. I have just finished a one year contract. To be honest they have good points and bad points

Good points

Great lesson structures.
Lots of resources.
Great classrooms.
Good Local staff. (Hard working and get paid very little)
Great Kids.

Bad Points
The apartments are bad.
It took them over six months to get me a z visa
They prefer to try and keep teachers on a business visa. (which is illegal)
They will employ anybody with a white face, even if you don't have any experience or qualifications.
They will not employ anyone who is black and qualified.
They don't care about the adult students
They charge the VIP students 600-800 per lesson and give the teacher nothing.
They constantly lie about promotions.
Every teacher is on a different salary.
Some qualified teachers get paid less than the none qualified teachers.
To much nepotism among a group of male management (little boys club).
You only get promoted if you are in the boys club.
The teachers feel demoralized.
Bad teachers never get punished. Good teachers never get rewarded.

I can go on and on

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

clayuk · Joined: 08 Mar 2009 Posts: 6

The first excuse was they had made a mistake on the application form. The HR guy at the time put the wrong passport number on my documentation. Second excuse. I was flying back home in spring festival and they requested I go to the Chinese Embassy in my home country to apply for my visa (to save them the cost of sending me to HK) All the Embassy's do not deal with Visas over the spring festival. So I came back on a tourist. Finally it took over 10 weeks to process my paperwork which I know was bullshit, because my new school did it within twenty working days. I only got the Z visa because I constantly kept reminding them about the legal implications. Funny story some teachers were invited to the PSB on EF's behalf to show foreigners how they process visas. Part of the presentation informed us that its illegal to work on a L and F. I also know of one teacher at the school who was told his Z visa had been transferred to EF and guess what it was still with his old school. To be honest myself and a couple of other teachers only had a TEFL. I stayed until my contract ended I was tired of all the broken promises. I feel sorry for the customers as the teachers constantly change.

stinkytofu · Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Posts: 104

The only question I have is does this school pay you on time?