Job Discussion Forums

[amberandonyx]

Hello everyone. I've observed on here for a long time, but here's my first post.

I am currently teaching at a university in a 3rd/4th tier city, and my contract is up after the fall semester. I am going to be looking at other uni jobs in larger cities (Chengdu & the like, not Beijing/Shanghai) and comparing them to a potential salary raise at my current university. All signs point to them asking me to stay.

My qualifications after this contract:

Native Speaker, USA
1 year of experience
B.A. in TEFL
M.Ed in Teaching English Learners
120 hour online cert - no in class hours
Various certificates in random things

Currently I'm at 6.5k/month and the usual university benefits from when I only had my BA.

From the best I can tell, the initial renewal offer will include an increase to 7k due to finishing my M.Ed, a change from 10 months paid to 11 months, and a new 4000 RMB "transportation pension".

My questions:

Do you think I can successfully negotiate for more if I renew my contract?

What is the typical salary increase for signing on for a second year? The 7k number is their standard master's salary for new signings.

With my qualifications, what would you recommend as an average (I'll adjust for location/school) salary to negotiate for at a new university?

Does a master's affect the 2 year requirement in some provinces? From my research I think will be fine with the prospects from places that will accept 1 year of experience, but I figured I'd ask.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[XiaoWren]

[amberandonyx]

Thank you so much Xiao Wren! I'm in Sichuan too actually.

[Non Sequitur]

You are going to be looking for a new job in the 'lower peak' hiring season so your options will be fewer.
If you are looking for leverage then any decent local alternative will get you there. Nothing beats face-to-face so cold call the FAO at a couple of places in person.
If you are looking for a higher status place (not local) PLUS improvement in conditions then you will be no better off than an external applicant.
The improvements in conditions mentioned by others seem OK and certainly put paid the the nonsense talked by some contributors.
What contact hours pw are you currently doing?

[amberandonyx]

Thanks for the response Non Sequitur! My goal is to move to a larger city, I am willing to take a pay cut for a better location, especially since I don't have the 2 years yet. Currently, my contract has a maximum of 20 hours, but last semester I only taught 8 hours haha. I am not sure about my schedule for next semester yet.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

[amberandonyx]

Thanks! The one year experience will be at my current job, so I have proof of that. I think I will be able to find a decent place with the one year.....I'll take a small pay cut to get to a bigger city.

But if they accept giving me 7.5k, I might stay for another year . That's their Ph.D level, but I don't think there are any Ph.D's at the school, at least not foreign ones.

[Non Sequitur]

[amberandonyx]

Haha yeah, I'm thankful, especially for it being my first job and with me doing my Master's coursework at the same time. So it has been very good for that, but my goals from here on require a move to a larger city, and I want somewhere with a larger expat community.

I'm about 2 hours from Chengdu and Chonqing from what I'm told. I will be working with a recruiter based in Chengdu and China Connection Education Service for university positions in Chengdu and elsewhere in a few months when schools aren't looking for teachers for this semester anymore. On my own I'm compiling all of the information for other university foreign affairs departments to send out my information at a later date.

At least this is my plan as of now haha, hopefully it will work.

[RiverMystic]

Three are university positions with Chinese universities for over 10 000. They are somewhat rare, but I've seen them advertised. I was offered 14 000 at Tsinghua but turned it down. I wasn't interested in destroying my lungs in Beijing for so little cash. Also, they only offered crappy dorms as accommodation, or pay 4400/month to live in their apartments. It was a wise choice ultimately, as I've now signed on for more than twice that much at a foreign university in southern China in a really nice city, and their accomodation will only cost me just over 1000 a month. And it is a professor position, not lecturer or lowly instructor (which is what Tsinghua offered me).

[amberandonyx]

Wow awesome! I hope to get to the level where I can be 10k at a university. This is my first year. I am mapping out things to learn and do, but if anyone could offer some guidance for future paths or studies to go for I would really appreciate any input.

[LarssonCrew]

I'm with River.

I was offered a job for 15 hours in Beijing for 12000 plus on campus apartment.

Problem with both Shanghai and Beijing now is that so few employers offer actual accommodation because they don't want to pay out 5000+. This was also a crappy [shared!!!!!] FT building apartment, no thanks.

Although if they had offered off campus with that salary and hours I'd probably have taken it. On other ESL related Beijing specific websites there are countless private teaching gigs desperate for teachers offering 250-300 an hour.

I'd have happily done 20 hours tutoring for 250 or 300 and then would have walked away with 30000+

But, shared, crappy apartments and horrendous smog = no thanks

[amberandonyx]

If you don't mind, which Beijing specific sites are you referring to? I'm still mostly searching daves and the teachaway type sites.

[Non Sequitur]

Remember you NEED a Z visa.
This means a regular employer from which base you can do privates.
Surprised this 'gold rush' stuff is still being put forward by regular Dave's contributors, without caveats.

[amberandonyx]

I'm already in China on a Z visa, and I have no intention of working without one. Thanks Non Sequitur