Job Discussion Forums

tomstone · Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 293

Jayray, they actually told you it was because of your age?

rogerwallace · Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 66 Location: California

There are 1000's of schools in China and if a school doesn't want you for your age/face, try another! Again, as with other posts here, universities are more prone to experienced FT. I knew a Chinese professor in Harbin who was in his 80's and still teaching and a number of FT in their late 60's.
Its about good health(medical exam) and a clean moral outlook(leave their girls alone) and little or no drinking.
Not being a drinker anymore(25 years) helped me get through a few banquets unscathed, while providing me with a lot of entertainment!

Sinobear · Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269 Location: Purgatory

James Fallows has a few articles on this topic here: http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/china/
Scroll down to December 7th and below.

Mr. English · Joined: 25 Nov 2009 Posts: 298 Location: Nakuru, Kenya

I am 57 and still get job offers here in China, though the issue of age has cropped up. My understanding is that for employers to be legal they must purchase some sort of health insurance for employees who are 60 or older. I do not know the cost of this insurance, but if you are having trouble after showing up for an interview, you might try negotiating with them on this issue, perhaps a slight wage cut to compensate them. Understand that I am not in love with the idea of having to take a pay cut to work after the 60th, I am not so far away, but I think this is the issue. My guess is that health insurance in China is something less than unaffordable, so it might not be a big deal. Impress them with your experience!

tomstone · Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 293

Every time I talk to a potential employer I tell them my age (56) and ask them if they're going to hold my experience and wisdom against me.

LateStarter · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:51 pm Post subject: Age Issues

Well, I'm at the wrong end of 50, and about to finished my first year as a Newbie at an EF school teaching 6 - 14 year olds.

I know age has been an ongoing topic on Daves for quite a while, and it's good to read and hear that many 'oldies but goodies' are being acknowledged for the experience and life skills they bring to a learning environment.

I feel I've done my time with young learners, and would like to move to the Chinese university system, but have no idea how or where to start looking. Thankfully I'm fit, active, and feel I'm travelling fairly well for my age. Can anyone give me some clues? Hope to hear from someone??

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

latestarter . . . you can begin by looking here:

Jobs in China

lots to choose from, and this is only one site.

good luck.

starlight · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 37

The old problem of age discrimination is definitely alive and well, not only in China, but in most other countries as well. Those of you (in China) who 'know somebody' -- 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 -- who is still teaching seem to be wearing blinkers!

The original post on this thread was referring to being a first-time hire over the age of 60. The original post was not referring to the 'exceptions' who have been with a given school for 'x' years.

Take a look at some of the age limits on this site: http://www.eslemployment.com

It's quite clear that age is a consideration, notwithstanding the exceptions that a few of you are citing. Most people look to the 'norm', not to the 'exception'.

Ten years ago, age was not a problem in China, but in the past few years, it has become a problem (for whatever reason). There used to be no apparent age discrimination, then '65' started appearing, then '60', then '55', and now many adverts which do indicate age, set that upper limit at '50'. Some unis in Baotou and Hohtot specify an upper age limit of 40 and 45!! (And I think it's a good idea that they do specify age limits; saves a lot of wasted time and effort for people who would be disqualified anyway.)

So for those of you who claim that it is still possible to get a teaching job in China regardless of age ... well, what can I say! When I turn 70, does that mean I can still get a job? How about when I turn 80? Maybe even 90? Laughing

To suggest that age discrimination is not a deciding factor in a first-time hire is being naive, to say the least.

I think a reality check is in order here!!! Laughing

MJ505 · Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 4

Well, last year at the age of 62 I got a job at a reputed university in Dalian. Prior to getting this job I had worked at a college in China, since I was 57 years old. It just goes to show that it's not impossible to get a new job, when you're past 60 years of age - good references account for a lot in China.
This spring I was offered a new contract, which I gladly accepted.

Cheers

Silent Shadow · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:46 pm Post subject:

That's nothing. I've just acquired a job at a uni in Beijing at the ripe old age of 863!. ...not planning on retiring for another couple of hundred years, so I hope the craze for English continues for a time in China.

On a more serious note, I did work in a middle school a good few years back with a Canadian lady who was 72 years old, and since then have worked with a couple of 60 year olds.

Mere babes, compared to myself, though.

starlight · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 37

Hi MJ505. The key sentence in your reply is "Prior to getting this job I had worked at a college in China, since I was 57 years old."
This suggests work continuity, i.e., uninterrupted teaching.

Your second key comment is " ... good references account for a lot in China."

These two factors are important in staving off the inevitable, but only for a short time. Right now, you are only 62 or 63. Get back to the thread when you are over 65 and tell us if you have actually been issued a Z visa and offered another contract. Very Happy

My sense was that geomood (the first post in this thread) had neither continuity nor references and was perhaps even located outside of China.

MJ505, you are also only one person -- granted there may be a few others like you -- so you simply cannot extrapolate your situation to the population of foreign-teacher job seekers as a whole.

Hi Silent Shadow (love the moniker).
The key content of your reply is "I did work in a middle school a good few years back with a Canadian lady who was 72 years old, ...."

This is precisely my point. A few years back, age did not seem to be a factor, but the situation has changed. I, too, used to work with teachers who were in their mid-to-late 70s! But those teachers are now long gone from China because of their age: clearly told to them by the authorities. "You won't be renewed because you are too old!"
They were at unis in Beijing and Shanghai.

Even unis out in the weeds are now getting picky as to the age of foreign teachers. Of course there are exceptions. But, as I've already said, most people don't look at the exceptions; they look at the norm.