Job Discussion Forums

[ositolector]

I've been trying to get out there -- I long to experience Russia --and out of the Gulf--- for ~2yrs but always run into these trifling school pay rates which I know are NOT tenable in Moscow/St Pete (perhaps in the provinces).
I figure one needs at least 2500/month to live ,afford a studio & make expenses at home. 3 to 3.5k would be better. Is this reasonable to aspire to? I just want to be able to afford to occasionally have a meal out, to date, and to visit sights. To have my own place -however small-, keep the lights and wifi on, and not go hungry.

Soooo, my question is how do you get going as a freelancer, how do you hit the ground running?
How do you acquire higher end clients that will pay 800-1500 rubles per hour?

Note: I'm not talking about teaching little kids or beginners or casuals. I mean adult clients /companies that would value a mature, experienced, and doctorate qualified tutor/trainer to improve their English fluency, vocab, use of idioms, composition, presentation, and enunciation.

Some people have said oh, just go with one of the McSchool's and then start pinching off students but I don't want to do that , its wrong -- not that I'm so pure-- but also stressful in too many ways.
But yet if you just land there and start marketing yourself , I could see going through a lot of months and $ before you struck or just ended up at a cheap school with your visa running out.

So what do you suggest?

[teacher X]

I would suggest doing exactly what everyone else has already suggested.

Go to a McSkool. They'll sort out your accommodation, visa and all that malarky. You take privates on the side and you shouldn't have any problem hitting a decent wage.
You say that you 'KNOW' the wages 'are NOT tenable'. I would argue that they are, otherwise the schools would have a lot of teachers die from starvation. It depends on your expenses and how good you are with money, but if your school are paying for your apartment, $1000 is ok to live on. It's not great, but you certainly wont starve...unless you're either an idiot or some freak financial issue arises.

Do a year with a McSchool and you'll have a better understanding of the system, you can build up a nice network of students and then go freelance.

You say you have been waiting for two years to do this. If you had come over two years ago with a McSchool, you'd already be teaching privates and earning at least 8 million dollars a month.

What's wrong with teaching kids, casuals or beginners? You seem to have a very fixed and inflexible view of what you want. You want to just teach rocket scientists? You're going to have problems if you're not flexible.
My flatmate teaches students at 11pm because he has to be flexible to the needs of the students. Of course, he charges them 2500rub for a 90 minute lesson at that time, but the fact is, he has to take all kinds of students.
I find it very unlikely that you're going to be able to rock up and find yourself teaching the CEO of Gazprom.

Personally, I would say than teaching kids and beginners is far more difficult that teaching an advanced student about idioms. It sounds like you want to make a lot of money with as little effort as possible. I would say that you should probably head to China if that's your aim.

Anyway, I am a newbie here, so some of the veterans may completely disagree with my opinion. Take their advice over mine as I may not be fully compliant with the party line.

[Sashadroogie]

Double plus good, Comrade Teacher X. Sound advice there. Although, neither of us is based in St Petersburg, so can't really comment on the specifics of financial issues there. But what you write sounds about right.

[melissadawn]

Well, I'm tipping my hand, but I live in Moscow and have never worked for a McSchool. I did have accommodation sorted out, however, as I'm married to a Russian and didn't need to deal with renting an apartment, although I have actually taken care of my own visa paperwork (ahem). As a freelancer it's difficult to build up a solid stable of students who come every week and make a LOT of money, but it's certainly possible to build up a modest stable and make what is more or less enough. I know people who work harder at getting students and are presumably doing very well. My work is basically in teaching intermediate adult speakers idioms and conversational fluency, it's pleasant and frankly easy, and the students are all very nice.

[Foma87]

$1000 is much more 'tenable' in SPb than Moscow. And if by 'tenable' you mean, well, surviving, yes $1000 cuts it, but it's certainly not enough to buy decent clothes, frequent restaurants/bars/clubs, travel, have a GF, take advantage of the cultural life, etc.
As far as privates are concerned:
- There's nothing wrong with poaching students from other schools (they often charge ridiculous sums for English classes)
- Although I prefer adults, parents like their children to stick to a routine, which means less cancellations
- Forget about having a normal schedule
- While teaching skills are a minimum requirement, students value personableness
- Although a few posters might disagree, your doctoral degree won't significantly set you apart from the rest, at least financially, unless you land a job at one of those rich-kid international schools
- I may not be up to speed, but I think 90-min lessons max out at around 3000 ($100) in SPb and 4000 ($130) in Moscow.

PS completely understandable why you're reluctant about going the McSchool route, but the consensus here seems to be that this is really you're only option (although I respectfully disagree)

[Sashadroogie]

I am not so sure about the poaching part. Your school will take a very dim view of that, considering the expense of advertising for new clients etc. is borne by the school. And why bother? There are so many students out there already, not connected to a school to begin with.

Doctorate comment is spot on, though. Most Russian learners want their teachers to have a degree. Preferably in a language-related area, but they are not too bothered by the details - so long as you have something.

Rates in Moscow for privates range from 2000 to 5000, depending on situation. And for the OP's benefit, an hour in Russia is an academic hour - i.e. 45 mins. So be clear on this when you state your rate of 1,500 rubles an hour. I dunno about St Petersburg, but this is just about the average rate in Moscow. Nothing higher end about 3000 per 90 mins.

[teacher X]

5000?!?! Who would pay for 5000 per 90 minutes?! Where are these people!? Send them to meeeee!

[Sashadroogie]

Have you got specialised knowledge of, say, law? Are you willing to travel some distance, and early in the morning to impart this knowledge? 5,000 easily.

Admittedly, these types of payers are not as plentiful as we would like... but schools have no problem charging companies through the nose like this.

[teacher X]

Hmm...specialist knowledge? Does knowing the names of Dinosaurs count as specialist knowledge? If it does, I think I might be onto a winner.

[Sashadroogie]

Explaining why 'Dinosaurs' is capitalised would be in order first. Eh? Eh?! No 5G fee for you, you young whippersnapper!

[teacher X]

I feel that Dinosaurs are so important that they deserve to have the first letter of their name capitalised.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Sashadroogie]

Fair enough. But 'tis worth only about 50 kopeks, and not one more.

My knowledge of dialectical materialism predicts a cold hungry winter.... brrrr!

[spiral78]

I'm pleased to see that teacher X is still with us, by the way
Did the Good Water do the trick?

[Sashadroogie]

Yes, that is true. We need young blood in the Party ranks. I would say it was a combination of the good water, and some homely schee, followed by a hunk of salo on good honest black bread which did the trick.

[ComradeBL]

capitalized...