Job Discussion Forums

[lookingtotraveloverseas]

I am interested in teaching in Hong Kong during the school year 2006-07. There are actually three of us who want to do this. I have been researching on the internet, but am having a difficult time. Should I go with an agency or contact schools directly? I have tons of questions... I guess my main question is Were do I start? If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate the help. This is something that i really want to do, but I also want to make sure that i am going about it in the right way.
Thank you for any help you can give me.

[kowlooner]

Why not do both? Contact schools directly AND see what some agencies have to offer. What kind of teaching? Private language schools or public schools? The approach would be a bit different. Good luck!

[Zero Hero]

Very, very few employers will even so much as consider an applicant currently based outside of HK. This is as even fewer employers in HK will employ a candidate without at least two face to face interviews. The only exceptions I know of are top-range university posts, and the EMB NET scheme, both of which offer video-conferencing interviews at various locations around the globe at certain times of the year. To secure a post in HK you really need to be here in order to attract an interview.

HK is a very free economy, by some analyses the freest in the entire world:

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/country.cfm?id=HongKong

Therefore the market reigns. You must remember there is also an existing supply of teachers from the fairly large, and relatively well educated ex-pat community in HK, all of whom already have the right of abode here and so do not need to undergo sponsorship for employment, which, of course, is often beneficial to the employer.

[Super Mario]

The hk education department runs big newspaper ads in Australia twice a year, so obviously there is some demand. What they ask for is a first degree, a teaching qualification and some experience; not too demanding I'd have thought.
Have you done a web search along the lines of "teachers Hong Kong"?

[kowlooner]

I honestly have to wonder about comments that seem to discourage folks from coming to HK. Most seem to be something about this supposedly already huge supply of qualified foreign teachers, all who apparently already have permanent residency. I run a very tiny English school, and I have not met many of these individuals. The ones I have met seem to have overinflated pay expectations. And so I wonder. Is some of the advice to stay away in fact in hope of keeping the labor pool small?

That said, there are of course issues that those outside of HK need to keep in mind before coming here. The question of sponsorship will likely be at the top. But that's not because schools are necessarily hesitant to go through the paperwork. It's more because once a work visa is issued, it is relatively easy for an individual to change jobs. Thus the real thing for employers is whether the hire will actually stick around. Of course, after hiring a teacher, the employer might find he doesn't want that particular teacher to stick around! But that would then complicate things for the employer the next time he wishes to sponsor a teacher. Still, actually getting a work visa is not that difficult if the school can provide a reasonable justification for wishing to hire that particular person. It's done every day in every industry.

In short, yes, sponsorship is a challenge, but it's not necessarily as big a barrier as is often made out. You would just have to provide a pretty compelling reason for the employer to consider sponsoring you. As for the competition, that's hardly a challenge at all.

That said, the safest route would be to apply for a NET position, or a job with one of the international schools or the ESF, rather than just coming here and trying your luck with private language schools. But at some point, you're going to have to have a face-to-face interview, as others have noted. So, why not contact various schools, as well as finding out more about the EMB's NET program, and then if there is some interest, arrange for a short holiday here. Come, see if the place would suit you, have some of those face-to-face interviews, and see if something works out. If not, then at least hopefully you'll have had a nice little vacation.

[Smoog]

The following job sites are very good:

http://www.classifiedpost.com/jshome.php

http://www.jobsdb.com/HK/EN/V6HTML/Home/default.htm

Free to sign up. I got a few phone-interviews through them and my first job. Though I now wish I hadn't as the employer was a total ar$ehole (*cough*Wordpower*cough*). I'd recommend if you do get an interview, post the company here to see if others can tell you what sort of place it is.

Private centres, even good ones, do expect you to work pretty hard. Easy in some ways - no lesson prep, hard in some - having to follow someone else's lessons, bloody difficult in others - teaching until 9pm usually and all day Saturday (and possibly part of Sunday at some centres). And I mean ALL day Saturday. I was teaching up to 10 one-hour classes from 9am to 9pm, with just one 2 hour break. The pay isn't as good as the NET scheme or International schools. Though if you're planning on staying long-term (like myself) it's very good work experience and generally these jobs are easy to come by (staff turnover is pretty high for obvious reasons).

That's the view I took of my first job. Just stuck it out until I could get a NETs job. I now feel like I'm on the pig's back of a pig who itself is on the back of another larger pig. This week I had a grand total of 2 hours class contact time, due to exams. And school finished at 11.30am (though teachers weren't allowed to leave until 1pm), allowing me plenty of time to wander down to the beach and enjoy Tuesday and Wednesday's fantastic weather. Why and how people complain about the NETs scheme is beyond me.

[Zero Hero]

[Mideatoo]

[once again]

[Mideatoo]

[once again]

You didn't hurt my feelings at all, but I do appear to have hurt yours. Sorry. I didn't realise that people could be so sensitive about not being able to cook.

[shmeagain]

Mideatoo, you need to chill out.

I don't think onceagain was being sarcastic with you - just the situation in general.

You seem to assume that it all has bearing on your character. Maybe I'm wrong and onceagain hates your guts, but that's not the way I read the post.

Also, did you read your post before you hit submit? There are a lot of wars raging all over this planet - let's spread some love huh?

Even if OA was aiming at you, do you really think the response was warranted?


Why not shrug it off and make a witty comeback instead?


Shmeagain... your discussion forum reality checker

[Zero Hero]

[bubblebubble]

HK may not be the best place on earth. I've to agree that the weather and air .... pretty bad and unbearable.

However, the price has dropped a bit if you can still remember how much things used to cost before 1997. of course, compare to 2003, price has gone back up a bit. I mostly fed myself with sandwiches for lunch (can't stand big boxes of rice and grease) and simple meals in the evening and indulge myself with better things on weekends. i still manage to save $$$. LKF and Soho rule!!!

[ChrisRose]

To Kowlooner,

I like your comments about over priced teachers.

It is very interesting that the private sector is in upheaval right now.

What amuses me the most id that many language centers ask for people with degrees and Certs. teh same requirments as the EMB and expect to compete by offering perhaps 25% of the salary.

Now, I know the NET's scheme isn't everyoen's cup of tea. I was a NET but direct hire. Now I am looking for full tiem employment.

I would really like to know what you think is the market rate for NET's in the private sector (full-time) say 37 hours and part-time.