Job Discussion Forums

[GreatApe]

Hey Everyone,

Wow! ... it's been a wild ride the last month, but I'm finally fairly-well settled in the Guangdong city where I moved, and I've started doing the curriculum design for the school wehere I'll be teaching.

I'll be teaching at a relatively new high school in Guangdong (about 7 years old) and setting up their International section. We're just starting out, so my duties as the I.S. program director are much less stressful than my previous job. I'll have a bit more control over the curriculum, the courses, the examination and assessments and get to help hire the teaching staff from the get-go. It's a pretty good gig so far, but a lot of work!

I've been hired through a Training Center (for visa purposes) and so I'm really working for two different schools, although the high school and I.S. are my MAIN priority. I will pick up V.I.P., AP, Cambridge and Exam Prep classes (some Business English classes too) through the T.C. on the weekends. I'll be working about 25 to 30 hours per week, with the high school picking up two-thirds of my salary and the T.C. picking up 1/3. Salary-wise, I'm doing better here than I was at the last I.S. where I worked. I picked up a 4,000 RMB raise per month along with some insentives for the next two years (I signed a two year contract). The down-side is that I lost some of my PAID summer vacation time! I was at 100% paid vacation at the old job, and that's not the case now.

I had a "fun" and interesting time with regard to my F.E.C. and my R.P., but the PSB in the city where I'm currently living has taken the paperwork and my passport, and I will be back up and running in time for the new school year to start in a little more than a week. Cancelling the F.E.C. issued through my old school and getting them to cooperate with my new school was a bit of a pain, but that's finally over, and the FAO here at my new job is much more "on-the-ball" and cooperative. He also works A LOT harder than anyone on the administrative staff at my old job.

Basically, I just wanted to reconnect with you guys and let you know I'm still vertical, living and breathing! For some reason I can't access Dave's ESL on my Galaxy Note II and I don't have my own laptop, so I can only reconnect with you guys when I'm at the office at one of my job locations.

Anyone who's looking (or who knows someone who's looking) for work in Guangdong ... please feel free to contact me or re-connect with me. I have a much more solid foundation of contacts and my networking system in this city is much better than it was in Dongguan. If you know some qualified teachers who are looking for work, or if you're looking to change jobs at some point in the future, send me a PM and let me know.

I hope everyone had a happy and healthy Summer Holiday and that you all enjoy the school year ahead! Cheers and ENJOY!

--GA

[Javelin of Radiance]

Glad to hear things are going well for you.

[kungfuman]

GA happy to hear you still live and breath!

[GreatApe]

Thanks, J of R and kungfuman!

It's good to still be among the living (and the newly R.P'd)!

As ALWAYS, I look forward to reading your guys' posts, thoughts and experiences as we get closer to the New Year 2014 (Year of the hORSE!) and work our way through another school year.

CHEERS! to the both of you and Good Luck this year!

--GA

[Non Sequitur]

Just shows there is some kind of career path in China with salary increments to go with it.
Welcome back GA

[Mikeylikesit114]

Hi Great Ape,

How much does the international section planning on paying subject teachers (I.e. math, physics, economics, etc)?

[GreatApe]

Thanks a lot, NonSequitur!

Yeah, I agree with you completely! China doesn't have to be the "EFL Pit of Hell" that a lot of people make it out to be. Yes, there are HORRIBLE jobs and we've all had at least a few. Yes, there are students who don't care about learning or speaking English (and we've all had many of those), but there IS satisfaction to be found as an educator here as well. I've been lucky enough to help several students score well on major examinations, write some terrific college application essays, and get accepted to some pretty good schools. I've been fortunate to help many students make it overseas to solid schools in Australia, Canada, America, England and Singapore.

Yeah ... I sometimes get frustrated now, much more so than I ever did during my "honeymoon" period, but that's not to say I've given up hope or turned negative. I still enjoy living and working in China each and every day!

On that note, it's good to be back on Dave's! I missed ranting and raving with you guys and answering questions about whether or not it's okay to come to the PRC on an L visa!

I don't know why I can't get Dave's on my smartphone? Anyone else have a problem with that too? I seem to get damn near every other thing on my phone, but Dave's won't load consistently and the few times that it does load, I can't navigate the site at all, and often can't even sign-in.

@ Mikeylikesit114 ... Hey Mikey! I'll have to check with my boss on the starting salary range. Obviously it will depend on experience and qualifications.

I'm not exactly sure what he's willing to pay at this point, but I do know that he's fairly desperate for a Math teacher (specifically) right now and looking for other subject teachers as we try to grow beyond our first year. If you want, you can PM me and I'll ask him and send you the information as soon as I know for sure.

Anyone else who's looking for work in Guangdong (or who knows someone who is) can PM too. I'm not bragging or trying to sound self-important, but I'm fairly well set-up and connected in this city. I have access to jobs at several Training Centers, two Kindergartens, some middle schools and high schools, as well as the high school (International program) where I work. I have a few good Chinese friends at the Guangdong B. of E., and I'm continuing to network and meet people as much as possible. So, if you're looking for work now (or in the future), feel free to contact me. I'm putting together a portfolio with information on different jobs this week and next, and I'll soon have more information for different jobs around the city.

Finally, just to be clear (and in the spirit of disclosure) ... I AM NOT a recruiter and DO NOT receive any money for bringing in new foreign teachers!

I'm just trying to build a better team of teachers to work with, mainly because the last I.S. I worked for only had ONE Native English speaker on a staff of 20 foreign teachers (I was that one guy). I worked there for two years and know what it's like to "spin your wheels." It was about as far from a "Team of Educators" as you can get. It was definitely a good "starting" gig, but not a job for someone who wants to work together with other professionals to build a team and focus on improving English education in the PRC (particularly for students who want to study abroad).

/end of rant/ ...

Anyway, Good Luck to everyone this year! Great to be back among you here on Dave's, and I'll see you in the forum threads.

--GA

[Denim-Maniac]

Yep, welcome back to the forums GA - Congrats on the new job ... that is some pay increase you have there!

If I think about GuanDong Ill let you know.

[GreatApe]

Hello again, Denim-Maniac!

Thanks for the "Welcome Back!"

Yeah, you know ... I kinda had a rough time with my first two jobs in China, but I feel I've been pretty lucky with my last two. I cringed a bit when I learned I was going to have to sign through a Training Center for this new job, but the Chinese group that hired me reassured me and have been great so far.

This is a new experience for me --actually signing a contract with two schools listed on it-- but I signed for two years and feel pretty good about the salary. I'll actually be teaching LESS students that I was at my last school, since the International section is just starting up. I should have around 40 to 50 students and 3 or 4 classes a day at the high school, as opposed to 110 students, teaching six different Forms 5 times a day at my last job.

I'll probably be working a bit more this year, although I'll still be teaching 20 to 24 hours a week and doing some prep, tutoring and office hours. I'll most likely have to work a few weekends a month for V.I.P. students and Exam Prep at the Training Center, but I'll be able to do my prep for the high shcool there at the T.C. (and get paid for it) too. Still have a few Oral English competitions, probably ... but no kindergarten work or primary students!

I'll see how it goes with the two schools sharing my total salary cost, but right now I feel it's a bit of an advantage as there's incentives in the contract and room for a salary increases on both sides in the future.

I may end up working my @ss off before it's all said and done, but at roughly 210 lbs, I have a bit of @ss to lose with no harm done at this point.

Definitely let me know if you decide to come to Guangdong in the future, D-M! It'd be great to meet up with you and/or work with you too.

CHEERS!

--GA

[ResearchID]

Welcome back GA! Glad to hear things are settling down and that the bank account will be a little larger!

[GreatApe]

Thanks, R.I.!

Yeah ... my wallet took a pretty big hit what with changing jobs (not being paid for summer vacation), moving, the health check, the visa / F.E.C. / R.P. renewal (although my school will be reimbursing me for that), the apartment rental and utilities and my Mahjong-Loving-Sichuan-Born HIGHLY "significant other."

But tomorrow's the first day back at the "saw-mill," so no worries. The salary will be better, the work will be roughly the same. I'll have to "run around" the city more these next two years than I did when I was working my last job, so that means an investment in an electric scooter is the next priority. After that, it's just a matter of driving and surviving to and from jobs!

How're things going for you lately?

--GA