Job Discussion Forums

[judgedredd]

Hehehe.. So if I can just get a bit more money from somewhere, I should be able to have a good time then! Thanks

[vikuk]

If the joy of teaching was not at the top of your agenda, and you wanted to lead a bit of an "adventurous" existence - then accepting any possition giving under 10,000/month could seem a little crazy!!!!

[judgedredd]

Maybe so, but then isn't going to China in the first place itself a crazy thing to do?
At least with university or high school jobs its easy and a light work load.
If I could get a job that pays slightly more than average, and supplement that with some easier-still privates, I think I should be comfortable enough, at least going by your replies.

[A'Moo]

If you are white, and English is your first language, you should NOT be making any less than, on average, 100y an hour (this is usually where Mydnight comes in and says that 100y is a "pittance"). I factor in any time spent in transit in this equation. I am seeing fewer backpackers and more Filipinos/Africans taking on English teaching jobs here, and I doubt they are pulling in 5000-6000 a month.

[beck's]

There are some very interesting comments on this thread.

I think that the job opportunites for western teachers will dry up in the next five years or so. The level of English here is rising quickly. Pretty soon there will be enough Chinese English teachers to carry the ball. When that happens, and I believe it will, the salaries, perks and job opportunites for foreign teachers will shrink dramatically.

I have said this before on other threads. The China ESL game is not for people in mid-career who should be in the peak earning, peak achievement years. It is a dead end. My feeling is that most of the bitterness on this board comes from mid-career teachers who are seeing that they've missed or are missing the boat.

This game makes sense for three types of people:

The retired "hobby" teachers who are getting pensions back home and who are using the job as an opportunity stay out of the rocking chair, to relive their wayward youth and to travel on the cheap.

The young, mid-twenties, gap year westerners who are planning to go to grad school or resume their careers back home after a brief, exotic Asian sojourn.

The young or slightly older 'trustfundafarians" who wear hemp clothing, hippie accessories and who are "into" the various Asian religions. The allowance from grampie's trust fund keeps them in their alternative lifestyles while allowing them to splurge on a regular basis.

[vikuk]

[beck's]

I tend to agree with vikuk to a certain extent.

Those with higher qualifications are and will continue to be more competative. My advice to anyone planning to stay in the EFL profession would be to get qualified with a M.A. in TESOL or applied linguistics from a reputable university. The days of getting the higher paid positions with a white face, an unrelated B.A. and a 100 hour TESOL course are coming to an end.

At present, however, those who have advanced qualifications are, from a purely economic standpoint, wasting their time in China when very high paid jobs are available in the Gulf. Here, at present at least, an M.A. will get you a few hundred more RMB, in other words, peanuts.

Personally, and this is admittedly anecdotal evidence, I see wages and perks actually declining here as a result of competition from qualified Chinese teachers. The party is coming to an end.

[vikuk]

The way I see it the China FT game has/and will evolve(d) into - "the tale of two markets."
That of the big cities with their wealthy client base - and those areas where the EFL game is still developing.

In those markets that are on the cutting edge of China EFL in respect of most advantagous pay/conditions - the new standards of Chinese wealth may mean a trickle on effect that creats more and more job oppertunities that represent employment more in line with normal ex-pat rather than back-packer scales!!! To be stuck in this type of place on 5000/month.......................

[The_Hanged_Man]

Hey All,
I just accepted a position with an international school in Shenzhen, and I'll be on 21,000 tax free with housing included. The school is located in Shekou so I'll probably spend most of my time there with an occasional trip into Hong Kong and Macau. I'm not much of a drinker or partier, but I do like to eat out and probably will do so 5-6 times a week. I'll probably go to moderately priced Chinese places most of the time, but will splash out once or twice a week at a nice western place. Also, I'll need satellite, broadband internet, and will have to pay for my own utilities.

So...knowing all that how much do you figure I'll be able to save? I know Shenzhen and in particular Shekou are really pricy for China and I am curious what I could potentially put away.
Thanks!

[johnchina]

@The_Hanged_Man - I'd estimate that you'll be able to save over half of that - possibly even two-thirds - depending on how often you go to HK/Macau. I'm assuming one weekend a month. I'm also assuming you get a legal satellite link - far pricier than an illegal one, obviously.

[malu]

My salary is slightly lower than that but otherwise the terms are about the same. I am not trying to save but so far I've found a reasonable budget to be 1000RMB per week for general day to day stuff and maybe I've spent another 2000RMB per month on travel and clothes. If I lived your new life there would be 13-14000RMB unspent at the end of an average month.
However, I'd probably make a bit of a hole in it with an expensive overseas jaunt during the winter holiday.

[Uncle Vinnie]

I'm envious. Feel free to share the wealth.

Personally, I've had enough of the "riches" that a year in the mills will provide. I'd much rather be poor.

[SocratesSon2]

I have to agree. Enjoying my work is more important then money. That said, I do want to be paid a decent wage. Poor ain't so bad when you think about the stressed out alternatives.

[vikuk]

[Uncle Vinnie]

V, What about my pockets?

I'm growing older by the minute and wonder where is my windfall?

I guess I'm just one of those down and out mid-life fools.
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