Job Discussion Forums

dakelei · Joined: 17 May 2009 Posts: 351 Location: USA

This was in the New York Times today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/opinion/china-as-a-destination-for-job-seekers.html?

Something about this article makes me suspicious. I can't quite put a finger on it. I wanted to post a comment but there is no place to do so, for starters. I read the NY Times every day and have seldom seen an Op-Ed piece that lacked a comments section afterward. Next, the tone of the article to me makes it sound like something from The China Daily, not the NY Times, particularly in the sections where it describes bad things in China BUT how America ain't any better. I also think it's strange that a 20-something with no "Asia experience" wound up with a job at one of the best (if not THE best) universities in China. Maybe I just woke up on the cynical side of bed today but I can't help but think someone put this guy up to writing this. I apologize to Mr. Levine in advance if this is not the case but something about the piece just rings phony to me. Let me stress that I do not completely disagree with the author's sentiments. Most of what he says is true. I just can't shake the feeling that there is a hidden agenda here. Call me paranoid. (And I know some of you will.)

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I'm not an American but it sounds phoney to me too.

randyj · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:59 am Post subject:

This article doesn't seem strange to me. Qinghua and other top-tier schools do not offer high salaries to foreigners because enough people are willing to accept less pay for the prestige of teaching at such a place. Ten years ago Qinghua even offered a job to me.

Guerciotti · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:24 am Post subject:

Yes it reads like a yahoo-style paid advertisement/article.

Maybe his vaguely referenced Columbia degree paved his way to Tsinghua; who knows? That may be a good position but ask anyone who worked at a Chinese uni and they'll tell you it's a crapshoot. You don't know what you'll get. Box of chocolates kind of stuff.

Something ain't right here.

Cool

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

there was a job ad awhile ago for BeiDa offering 5.5k/month. A pretty bad salary in Beijing. So I believe that Qinghua would hire just anyone. it is amusing how the article tries to depict him as a "Lecturer on American culture" not as a "barely qualified uni grad who probably knows little about foreign language acquisition"

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

He is pretty decently educated; I find it believable.

Miles Smiles · Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1294 Location: Heebee Jeebee

It's a minor editorial piece that probably started out as a letter to the editor. Nothing fishy. Nothing substantial. His glasses are still rose-colored.

Boxcar Johnny · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 26