Job Discussion Forums

[Paulusmack]

Hello Everyone,

I'm considering leaving Thailand and trying work at a university in China while teaching private lessons. In a larger town how much can I reasonably charge for private lessons? How difficult are they to set up? What sort of salary from a university can I expect (I have BA, TESOL cert, several years experience although I am approaching my 60th birthday)? Will the uni likely offer housing? Thanks for those with any information. [/b]

[rioux]

Charge nothing less than 300RMB an hour for privates.
Yes, the university will most probably offer housing.
Salary will be around 5k to 7k RMB a month.

[teenoso]

well , yeah, but ...
in many cities you will be lucky to get 150 RMB an hour.
Many of your questions about uni accommodation etc. are answered on other threads here.

[LarssonCrew]

Uni probably around 4500 to 5500 or something, single housing, probably on campus.

Privates, 150 sounds about right at the minute, and it tends to be the longer you've been the more it comes up.

I always found when I was desperate for cash, the work dried up, when I was snowed in and wanted a break, more came out the woodwork!

Not sure how it works, sod's law?

[tangal]

You can reasonably charge whatever you want, but 300RMB an hour (for one student) is at the high end of the spectrum. In my seven years in China I've made 120-250 per hour for privates and side jobs, but never more. The going rate at language centers, even in the bigger cities, is probably closer to 150-200RMB per hour. Last year I had a basic university gig in Zhengzhou making 6K, and made an extra 3-5K a month teaching at two private language schools, where the going rate was 120-125 an hour. Based on my experience privates in China average in the 150-250 range depending on the type of student. I also did privates last year, a businessman from Korea and a high school student who each paid 200 an hour. I have personal experience with the TEFL job market in Thailand and China is a much better place to earn a living as an English teacher IMO. Your age could be a factor so you might have to take your first job through a recruiter, but just be careful and ask lots of questions including apartment size and location and the commute if any before you sign.

[Non Sequitur]

This thread has most of the items you should ask about when considering an offer*:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=91394&highlight=checklist

That said, lack of quals, experience, being non-Caucasian, being in the older age group, or applying for Feb start can limit your ability to press hard on conditions.
My advice is get that first gig on a 'least downside' basis and then look for something better for the longer term.
* If an employer or recruiter is cagey on any of the questions, that's a warning sign.

[zactherat]

300 an hour is hard to get even in first tier cities. Not impossible, but the blanket statement earlier was something of an exaggeration. 150-250 sounds far more realistic.

[Non Sequitur]

I think the division is not between cities but between types of clients.
In Dalian I had a family preparing for their immigration interviews at a Western Embassy.
I could see they were wealthy as I went to their home one time and other times we dined out at upscale restaurants. He drove a Lexus from memory.
It was in 05 but I think in today's market they would have been charged 250 per hour.
I also did corporate work at HP on a Saturday and that was a higher rate than the family mentioned above.

[WLamar]

Keeping in mind of course that teaching private lessons outside your contract is illegal and a deportable, fine-able offense. Thus, any untoward consequences that happen are your own doing and deserved

[teenoso]

[zactherat]

[rogerwilco]

All of my outside work has been arranged by by the school's administrators.
Just getting paid, and boosting the bosses guanxi
Five years ago I was getting paid 200 an hour for tutoring, now it is 260 an hour.

[jm21]

Well, if you're from the US, the US taxes you for any income you earn from self-employment activities, which would probably include most if not the vast majority of private tutoring.....

If you're form the US, doing things by the book,, and travel to meet pupils (as opposed to them coming to you) at 150RMB per hour you'd be making a net of about $10 per hour or so I would think, all things considered. Seems like there must be more creative alternatives....

[buffalobill12323]

[fat_chris]