Job Discussion Forums

[Elegantstatue]

Greetings readers of the multilingual planet.

What is going on in China? I have been applying for jobs and I will either have an agent, teacher coordinator or principal contact me, or I will get no reply at all. When I get replies they will request a Skype interview immediately after I have received their e-mail. The interview takes effect then I don't hear from them again.
Unlike when I applied for teaching in South Korea in 2012, an interview was requested in advance, then a recruiter or principal would make a job offer according to a school's needs and to my liking. Taking in to consideration commencement dates, and information I would need to make an informed decision about accepting a job.

Why is it when I have planned and asked all the relevant questions I have for the interviewer, they never return a reply? That has been the case with many China jobs. I am doing that to avoid any work place nightmares. I have experienced that in South Korea and I am trying to avoid future disasters.

What I have noticed about China though is, a teaching qualification means nothing. I have noticed so many job openings that will accept applicants without an undergraduate degree and even non-native English speakers. Frankly I don't care whom schools choose as their employees. It appears though NETs are under valued. It sounds a bit like my native country. You study all your life and the education you have studied for amounts to nothing.

Are they really looking for teachers in China, or are they all ghost schools like the ghost cities that have been planned and erected in the middle of an industrial desert?

[muffintop]

What are your teaching qualifications?

Perhaps you're looking for the wrong kind of job. It seems like you've been looking at many entry level positions. If you have the qualifications for it, consider International schools or find a joint venture Uni.

If you could be a bit more clear on what you are looking for, perhaps we could be of more help.

To directly answer your last question....yes and no. Yes, some schools are looking for 'real' teachers but many others are not or do not value qualifications beyond - native speaker and breathing. And as you noticed, being a native speaker is sometimes optional.

All in all, it's not a bad thing. There is a pretty wide gap between between the entry level jobs and the jobs where qualifications are valued. Because so many are upfront about the fact that they'll essentially accept anyone it should make it easier for you to weed them out of your job search.

[Elegantstatue]

Muffintop. I have an undergrad degree and a Grad Dip in TESOL/Education. I am qualified to teach in an IB school, College or Uni program that offers English as an optional language. Sure I maybe over qualified for the language Mills, but I am not too fussy where I work. I can teach with an adequate library of texts or even a white board with the net being available. I can easily create my own curriculum, less the chairs, desks and technology equipment.

I maybe encountering resistance or a lack of replies because I am asking for answers to 'watch your back' questions. I would rather be safe than sorry.

I am definitely not fussed about where I work. Just as long as it is a medium sized city like Wuxi, Ningbo or other preferred foreigner friendly cities. I would not be content with Beijing now. Certainly with the smog levels as such a hazardous disadvantage.

I would even consider a high school or middle school. Any body got a lead as to where there is a good job going for April or May?

[PBirm123]

Hang tough, brother.

Hell.. most university recruiters will stop talking to you if you simply ask for the contact info of a current teacher within the school they're recruiting for. They practically want you to commit by the time you write a couple of back-and-forth emails, with no real substance having been discussed.

You'd do better to try and contact the IB schools/universities directly.

[muffintop]

[Simon in Suzhou]

With your qualifications, not getting job offers after skype interviews is probably because of one of the following:

-Your "questions" are somehow offending or turning off the interviewer and you are coming across as difficult;

-You don't have "the look" they are seeking (i.e. ethnicity or attractiveness), although this is less of a problem in China than in Korea where you were getting offers...hmmm...

-Something in your appearance or presentation is scaring them away (mohawk? neck tattoos? haha)

-You are overqualified for the jobs you are applying for, and you are asking legitmate questions to shady schools who are looking for a sucker...and you're not it!

From what you described, my guess is the last option. Keep in mind, this is not yet the season for university hiring, and if you have been interviewing in the last month or so, it has been during the Chinese New Year holiday and the ONLY people hiring at this time are the very desperate and the very shady.

As others have said, keep trying.

[JoeKing]

[Big Worm]

If you are getting to the interview stage, but have no contact after that, you might be interviewing badly.



China is not as developed as Korea in many ways. To be honest, if you had problems there, you should probably give China a miss. You will most likely just be frustrated here.

[johntpartee]

OP, what are some of the questions you're asking when you do the interviews?

[Simon in Suzhou]

[thechangling]

[Elegantstatue]

To Simon in Suzhou:

Agreed, I could be coming across as difficult to deal with because I am asking questions that will avoid any disasters prior to securing a job.

My looks are not the issue, I was famous for a month in Daegu. My head is small though

And yes, you nailed it. I am asking legitimate questions that only suckers will neglect to ask.

To Big worm. I could be interviewing badly too..

To JohnTpartee: Here are some of the questions I am asking. In brief: What is the nature of the job, whom am I teaching, English language levels of students, photos of accommodation, condition of the school and accommodation.

But one particular question may be turning them off. I am demanding I be remunerated according to a real teacher, and not just a foreigner that speaks and breathes in English. When I say demanding I am inflexible, but not peremptory. Perhaps I should back off from making that demand. However, I deem it as unfair that I be remunerated the same as a faux teacher. I spent long enough studying for my Grad Dip in TESOL.

I taught in South Korea for two years intermittently. I did the wise thing of returning to University and studied for a teaching diploma. I am from Australia (Okay so I let the cat out of the bag)

I have to re-evaluate the salary question. What I expect to be paid according to qualifications and experience. I think I am being impartial on the matter. Teaching is my profession. And I would like to visit China, it sounds like an amazing country and it is an ancient culture. And yes Chinese women are beautiful, we all know that.

[choudoufu]

[johntpartee]

[Elegantstatue]

JohnnyTPartee, Understood.

I think what gets to me about Asia is that TESOL is not considered a teaching method. It is a language and it is taught as a first and second language in Australia. Logically it is ESL for newcomers, in all contexts, international, government and non-government contexts.

I had been looking for work on the net in Taiwan too, and the M.O.E flatly rejects TESOL as a subject method of teaching for mainstream public schools. Once again, it is a subject method, why Taiwan does not consider ESL as a subject method completely perplexes me.

If it not a subject method what is it? Hot dog stand English?