Job Discussion Forums

[taipaishan]

I am thinking of getting a general MBA for when I go to teach in China next year. I feel this will open many oppurtunities for me as well as keeping the door open to other employment.
How do you guys feel about it? Is getting a degree in TESOL better?

[Chris_Crossley]

I myself have an MBA degree and I will say that it MIGHT - just might - give you a better chance of getting a job at a private school or college that teaches business English, yet there is no guarantee whatsoever that it will give you a better job or even a better salary. One suggestion I can give you is Informatics - I was headhunted for this college precisely BECAUSE of my MBA, even though I had had limited experience of teaching business English. However, I am presently under contract to another school, so I can't take a full-time job with that college now.

Trying to negotiate a better salary just because you have an MBA may be difficult, if not impossible, if you aren't in China already. Once you are, you can always approach several schools and ask what they are prepared to give you with the qualifications and experience that you have.

If you have a job to go to already, though, you will just have to accept what the school is going to give you in terms of salary, and you can try your luck for when you want to move on to your next job after your contract expires.

I have been teaching in China since October 2001 more or less continuously, although my having the MBA, which I had got in 1999, was not a factor in my getting my first job, where I stayed for two years teaching predominantly general English to adults and kids. Having a bachelor's degree in any subject usually suffices for most schools, be they in the private or the public sector. Expatriates having a master's degree is something that schools readily make use of in their publicity - and, if you're really lucky, they'll even put the letters MBA on your name card (if your school issues name cards, that is).

If you are really set on coming to China to teach English, I do not believe that getting an MBA is at all necessary. There are plenty of jobs to go around in China, so you won't be short of any job opportunities no matter where you are or where you apply to. If anything, I'd suggest coming over, teaching for a few years and then doing an MBA in some kind of education management field either back home or even online when you are still out here - you can shop around on the net - if you are really deadset on getting an MBA, that is.

[Rice Paddy Daddy]

Get an M.A. Applied Linguistcs / TESOL and a CELTA if you're going to teach long term.

[Chris_Crossley]

Have a look at the messages I have written in the thread entitled, "Is it worth doing a TESOL Diploma?"

[carken]

I agree with previous posters about whether an MBA will/will not help you in your job search in China. However, a TESOL certificate or diploma will certainly help both you AND your students.

I'm an ESL teacher in the U.S., and personally, I can't imagine teaching English as a foreign language without a teaching background. The ESL certificate certainly helps, too. I taught in China for 2 years and also have done several summer English programs for Chinese teachers.

Carole

[Ludwig]