Job Discussion Forums

ord2world

Hello gang,

This post isn't about ILA, AMA and Apollo which have horrible reviews on Glassdoors.com (unless there was a particular branch you liked). I'm planning on going back to Hanoi and would like to get some recommendations on schools that do the following:

Pay on time
Have health insurance (not a big deal as it can be purchased)
Some kind of apartment stipend (again, not a big deal since apartments are cheap)
Bonus at the end of school year

I think in order to get these benefits it's best to apply before arriving in Hanoi.

The list of trustworthy schools seems to change all the time. I heard good things about Washington Language Centre. This time I'm going to stay for a minimum of five years.

Cheers!

Dream_Seller · Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 78 Location: China

I would check the new hanoian blog for more info on Hanoi.

In my limited experience (which I am sure you have more) the schools that offer the least BuLLSh*t are the best to work at.

The pay on paper means little to me if I can only feasibly teach 13 to 16 hours (one of the schools you mentioned)

while at another school for $1 less I can easily teach every single day without killing myself.

Stick a $500 bonus at the end who cares. Remember they make 10X off of you without even breaking a sweat. Not to mention, the owners of most of these schools don't even speak English nor want to themselves. Avoid "employee thinking", make managers jobs SUCK...thats why they get paid the nice bucks. When the assembly line workers stand up, the assembly line shuts down.

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

The OP should try Korea. The kind of deal he is talking about is typical there.

As for trustworthy schools? Caveat emptor applies there as much as here.

Climate in Hanoi is no better overall than in Korea. Winters are less cold in theory but I never felt as cold in Korea as I did in Hanoi. Summers about the same.

Top range international schools are different of course. If you're qualified and willing to do the work the better places offer a serious remuneration package.

But it is a real job not the same as TEFL at all.

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

Dream_Seller · Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 78 Location: China

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

Dream_Seller · Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 78 Location: China

Make your managers bend to you. Danang may have waiting lists of 100+ teachers but that is not what HCMC/Hanoi is like.

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

Actually it is. Danang has beaches. HCMC and Hanoi has the best pay. If you want to work at a good school, be professional. If you want to be a deadbeat who's idea of an accomplishment is learning the language of the country she's living in, be like DreamSeller

ord2world · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:33 pm Post subject:

I checked out the New Hanoian. Your suggestion is appreciated! I'm part of the FB Hanoi groups too. Some of the friends are still living in Haiphong, so I asked them for leads. I worked hard in Haiphong and got lucky. It just annoyed me when people would cancel lessons, so I'm trying get a contract with a school to avoid it.

A lot of these places are stating you can only work with them.

Language Links has a good reputation

ord2world · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:33 pm Post subject:

I checked out the New Hanoian. Your suggestion is appreciated! I'm part of the FB Hanoi groups too. Some of the friends are still living in Haiphong, so I asked them for leads. I worked hard in Haiphong and got lucky. It just annoyed me when people would cancel lessons, so I'm trying get a contract with a school to avoid it.

A lot of these places are stating you can only work with them.

Language Links has a good reputation

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

Dream_Seller · Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 78 Location: China

I seem to be just arguing with Expat Luke. So to avoid that, you can read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" if you are interested. Be the business, offer some value but don't let employers push you around. The less desirable the city, the more in demand you are. I suggest working for a company for at least 3-6 months before deciding if you even want to do a work permit for them. Personally I would not do it for anyone. It is way to much of a hassel but if you are currently in your home country you have the luxury of getting all the needed paperwork now. Outside of your country it becomes a logistical nightmare. Also ....if you do wait 3-6 months than your background check becomes obsolete. Hence, it does not make it worth it for the teacher to do as technically it would be great to feel out your school for 3-6 months before committing to do this costly paperwork and time consuming tedious process. Not to mention you have to do this again (even for the same company) every 2 years. Nope, not for me and many others are not sweating it. We are what they want, the rest is just Bureaucracy and bribery. Now back to my passion...studying Vietnamese. Don't forget to pursue your passions too as if you forget then all you are is a machine :/

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

Reputable school aren't going to give you a 3 - 6 month trial period. In fact, almost every school I've ever worked for around to world has fees for terminating your contract early, especially if they've covered the cost of your visas, flights, or other paperwork. The mimum contract usually being around 9 months long (1 school year).

DreamSeller's advice is simply terrible. Funny how she appeared right around the time VietCanada disappeared. Coincidence?

Furthermore, she's spreading misinformation. You do not have to go through the process again. Renewing the residents card and work permit is much easier and requires nothing from you.

Dream_Seller · Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 78 Location: China

What they want is a full time teacher that is committed to teaching at their school however many hours and ranges of classes that they want to give. (More money and easier for them).

You can sign your contracts and that is fine. You don't need to get a silly work permit. This is a communist country and when everything is so bureaucratic it is not going to be efficient. This goes for doing any type of paperwork, even for Vietnamese people doing any type of paperwork here. Slap some money on top and the paperwork is done in one day.

How you conduct yourself as a professional is up to you. I personally WILL NOT DO THE WORKPERMIT for anyone. They can fire me on the spot whenever they want, I can find a job within 24 hours. Now when you are like this the school begins to WORK for you. You are the native speaker, with the college degree and the CELTA and even better if you have "the look". If they want their foreign staff to consist of all Filipinos and Russians that is up to them. What is freedom to you...saying "Yes, Sir"?

Now in ExpatLukes Mikey Mouse show you can't do this because he has waiting lists of 100+. He can fire the entire school and hire fresh non-newbies. But in Haiphong there are no waiting lists, in fact there are many trying to escape. Don't let managers pull wool over your eyes. You buddy are what they need. Without you the money stops, the DELTA on the wall is meaningless. Be like Jay Z instead, be a business man. If you have over 1 year experience and can walk into a classroom and teach it, start grabbing your sack. Not to mention many schools will even pay you more as a part timer than a full timer and pay your visa extensions for you (tourist visa extensions).

Make your managers do immoral things to keep you. Have them standing on the corner in a dirty little dress paying their bribes to keep you. Hell have them sleep with the prime minister just to keep you on their books. Just imagine what the sales girls are telling the parents in Vietnamese- Oh little Timmy is going to be the next Wolf on Wallstreet because his teacher is an American and looks like Brad Pitt. Everyone knows all Americans have blonde hair and blue eyes. They don't even utter the word DELTA lol.

And if by all means you do not believe me after I asked on this forum about the process and had a work permit myself, then quit (one of the employers you mentioned) ....Just go through the hoops yourself and see if it makes you any happier. Walk it out and find out who is telling you the truth. Hell ask your friends who are teachers but don't ask managers. Their job is burn you out in 1 year. Punish yourself if you actually applied to one of the companies you mentioned previously.

Your managers may look western but the managing body above them are Vietnamese and they operate with entirely different business models. Soon managers start to somehow think the same way. I'm gonna cancel my account....I may blow my ego up so much that I might as well go into management myself. Walk it out.