Job Discussion Forums

Jen-Ai · Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Hangzhou

Hello,
1. I have responded to ad placed by the referenced placement agency, a small company in Oregon. They are extremely responsive and thus far very professional. Has anyone heard of them, or worked with them? What have been your experiences?

2. I received an offer to teach English at Xuzhou Normal University in Xuzhou. I've read messages dated late 2003 from Julia inquiring about this City, and based on your responses, I'm inclined to deline offer. However, has anyone actually taught at XNU?

Thanks for your thoughts.

laodeng · Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 481

Never heard of this recruiter, but I would guess that the usual admonitions apply. First of all, you don't need a recruiter; second, their promises usually count for naught--the contract you would eventually sign is with the school.

Let me expose my ignorance to the world and ask where Xuzhou is. What province? I've never heard heard of ths place.

Huan1 ying2 !

randyj · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 2:53 am Post subject:

Northern Jiangsu Province, I believe, near Shandong.

JordanClary · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 8

I've heard of this place & spoke with them also. They advertise in the Chronicle of Higher Education and I believe are legit--as far as recruiters go, my feeling is they're okay & their fee is reasonable compared to some others I've encountered who are completely unreasonable.

However, I also second the opinion that you're better off dealing directly with the school. If you have a degree and/or TEFL certificate, you shouldn't have any trouble landing a job without paying a fee. Check the TEFL China website.

Good luck!

Jordan

laodeng · Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 481

Fee? Fee? Quite unnecessary and unacceptable.

stavrogin2001 · Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 92 Location: Liaoning

Perhaps I am reading this wrong, but the last post said that the fee was reasonable. I would never pay to get a job in China. The places on the internet that offer the programs where you have to pay to come and offer "training" are nothing more than scams preying on western insecurities about traveling to Asia.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I know Xuzhou, Jiangsu, but not that school. As a town, Xuzhou is fairly nondescript, with very littlle to recommend it or to badmouth it.
The name of that school makes me wonder whether its former cooperation partner was a Prague-based, American-owned training centre? There was a flling-out between the American side and the Chinese earlier this year, but I don't remember which ZXuzhou school was involved.
You had to undergo a training (you paid for that) before you got a job. The American side did get thumbs-up from some posters, though.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

I lived about an hour from XuZhou and it seemed nice compared to the town I was living in . BUt I prefer a bigger city

Jen-Ai · Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Hangzhou

Thank you for all your comments; you've been a great help.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

If you have the academic qualifications for reading the job ads in the Chronicle of Higher Education (at least a Master's degree), you don't need to deal with any recruiters.