Job Discussion Forums

gmat · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 274 Location: S Korea

This question is for Roger and all the other vets down south. Has anyone started to negotiate with their university (or school) for the next school year (start in Aug/Sep)?

Just curious if schools are being forced to increase pay rates due to the SARS scare. I would think that schools will have a very hard time recruiting in the S China/HK region. Any signs of this yet?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

It seems some people are now coming from Hong Kong, where the pneumonia scare has put all schools out of business for a week! So there is no undersupply of expat teachers!
Nevertheless, I always scour the job market as you never know whether your current contract is going to be rewnewed. I have seen jobs that offer more than last year, but I can't go into details.
But as a disclaimer, I would like to add that I saw several contracts signed earlier during this term (maybe around November) that had standard clauses including an increased workload. What I am trying to say is that although a nominally-higher pay was entered in the contract, it also went along with more time spent at the schooll, often several hours in the office, probably to thwart anyattempts of you to work on the side!

Peter · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 161

No panic in Shenzhen.

In HK, just over the border, there are a lot of people wearing masks, schools are shut.......over here, nothing at all of this nature.

There is no reporting in the newspapers of SARS cases here. It could be a case of not wanting to loose face for inflicting this on the world at large or simply stating that it has passed on and gone away.

No run on vinegar this time.
No sudden increase in salary offers........

davis · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2003 1:24 pm Post subject:

I'm not exactly a vet but I'm in southern China. Right after the New Year holidays I was asked by the school if I'd like to renew my contract. I said probably. I wanted to think about it . The school plans on having double the studenrts and adding 1 more foreign teacher. I'm sure they're gonna want more hours for whatever they offer. Plus I think they are gonna offer a subsidy on water and electric instead paying the whole thing. They also plan on having new apartments for teachers on campus next year(currently under consruction) I'm not sure I'll like that arangement so I feel I need to ask for at least a thousand more per month in case I want to live off campus. Plus medical insurance or subsidy. The school clinic is great for a cut finger or nosebleed but that's about all. What this boils down to is that I'm looking around a little locally and am starting a private class to cover the bases. As far as SARS goes I don't think it's gonna cause any shortage of applicants.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Tuesday, 1 April, 23 hours:
Just watched the TV news. The CHinese report nothing so far, the WHO is criticising them for not cooperating fully with them, and in fact you notice nothing whatsoever on the streets that might point to some calamity.
But in nearby Hong Kong, 1050 people have to be quarantined in holiday camps away from population centres! Another 75 people have come down with symptoms of the disease. Singapore's rugby team just back from HK was quarantined there too, and publicly criticised for travelling to HK.
The exact figure has slipped my mind, but it is somewhere around 60 people that have died so far.
Germany is advising its nationals to refrain from travelling to East Asia. Various consulates are warning against optional trips to HK and the rest of China.
I don't know - I am fit and healthy (at the moment). Let's hope I still am tomorrow!

Julia Girl · Joined: 15 Mar 2003 Posts: 82 Location: Kunming

Hello. My name is Julia and right now I am looking for a job in Sounthern China. Before this SARS thing I planned to go to Guangdong somewhere, but then I starting thinking again. I have several offers, the highest so far being 8000. Is this fair and reasonable? Any opinions? Shocked

Thank you.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

8000 RMB for what exactly? Is it a legal job?

Julia Girl · Joined: 15 Mar 2003 Posts: 82 Location: Kunming

it's 22 classes per week. Alcanta College. I hope its legal...

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

That would be decent pay, but the downside is that ALcanta has a rather unsavoury image. I may be wrong, but from info posted to me in person I assume they have an habit of screwing expats! There were many negative entries on the Job Information forum (scroll down on Dave's homepage!).
I once had an offer from them, but it was silently withdrawn. No harm to me - but others fared a lot worse, or so it appears!