Job Discussion Forums

[True Blue]

From the onset you need to know that YOU are the desired object of the hiring game - not the recruiter. Most of them will try to start dictating to you right from the beginning, telling you what you must do and what THEY want. If you allow this to happen you will just be put into the first available position that lets the recruiter get paid or hit his bonus level. STOP! You must be in control of your own China destiny - it is your job, your career, your life, and your needs that should be the priority, no matter what BS the recruiter tries to feed you.

STEP 1: Check this link to make sure you are dealing with an honest and ethical recruiter which can probably be counted on your ten fingers in all of China: http://scam-detector.com/forums/forum/employment-scams/192-3-ways-to-avoid-a-china-job-scam-recruiter-for-esl-tefl-ap-foreign-teachers If he/she turns out to be bad news, move on to another or go the direct rout by contacting the FAO's yourself with your resume, Brief cover letter and smiley photo.

STEP 2: Whether you go direct or manage to find an honest recruiter, POLITELY list your needs as follows:

A) Location: (Be city specific)
B) What Students You are Willing To Teach: (ie. high school)
C) Housing Acceptable To You (ie Apartment with 1 roommate)
D) Air Fare Reimbursement (Repaid within 6 months)
E) Z Visa Invitation Letter Required
F) Salary Expectation: (ie Not less than $20,000 a year)
G) Contract Required: (ie 1 year - signed before arrival date)
H) Full or Part Time Hours Defined In Advance
I) Website of School provided before departure
J) Pay & Bonus Schedule (ie When are salaries 7 bonuses paid)

STEP 3: Request all of the above information in an EMAIL from the recruiter or school HR staff. Do not take the spoken word of anyone in China. If it is not in writing - it is has zero value and within 3 months of arrival you will be told "YOU misunderstood" when a dispute pops up.

I think when you take control from the start you will be less likely to end up with a crap job. You may have to comprise on maybe one item but stick to your guns and don't be rushed into anything. If you get bad vibes from a recruiter, go with your gut and the above web site. Good luck!

[Bud Powell]

You don't give up, do you?

[True Blue]

[Bud Powell]

I have mentioned a few recruiters. I haven't endorsed them nor do I take every opportunity to propagandize for or against any, nor have I created threads for the sole purpose of trashing or endorsing any recruiters.

[weigookin74]

Seems like good advice to heed.

[litterascriptor]

Trueblue,

Can you give us evidence to prove you are not Anthony DiMarco, a wanted felon?

[Banner41]

Get em in before your banned again TB......

[vikeologist]

There's no need to use recruiters at all, but (apart from the obligatory CFTU shell link) this is an ok (not great) list of things to consider when deciding where to work and what job to accept.

One of the fundamental problems with recruiters is that you have less control over getting the things you want, and it is easier for recruiters to flat out lie to you.

I think by going through True Blue's list, job seekers would be a sizable chunk along the way of being able to find their own job.

Not every post from the sock puppet should be attacked. When he posts something relatively helpful and non-fantastic, we should reward him, not bully him.

True Blue - Do you think that people should use recruiters? I mean, I appreciate (having just gone through finding a new job in China) that there are some jobs that we can only get through recruiters, but, you know, there are a lot of jobs.

I'm feeling pretty positive about the job I'll be starting next semester, and I just don't feel I'd have that almost total peace of mind had I used a recruiter; any recruiter.

So, given your obvious distrust, and alleged bad experiences, with recruiters, why implicitly encourage people to use them as your thread title does?