Job Discussion Forums

[Plual226]

Hi guys and gals,

I notice that the Chinese school semester starts in September, and there seems to be a lot of jobs around at the moment for that time frame. I however, am looking to line up a job for the new year.

What is the job market like around this time? Is it possible/likely to get a job even during semesters, or do you generally have to wait until the next one ends?

Also, is it worth applying for jobs this early, or am I jumping the gun?

Many thanks for the advice.

[Toast]

Assuming you're referring to uni jobs, and pulling numbers from my ass (but probably not far off the mark) I'd say 70% of jobs are available starting the September semester, 20% to begin after Chinese New Year (around the end of Feb. but tends to vary), and 10% are available at various points during the year due to no-shows or teachers breaking contracts early for whatever reason.

Bear in mind, while 20% seems low you're talking about 20% of tens of thousands of jobs. Assuming you have your paperwork sorted and satisfy the visa criteria if you want a job at that time there will be many available.

Start looking from mid November onwards, and remember once it hits Chinese New Year (Mid to the end of Jan 2014) the campuses will be a ghost town and if you don't have anything arranged by then you're likely SOL for a Feb. start.

[beckyshaile]

Universities have secured employees for the coming/new term prior to the first day of classes; usually by a month or two or more. It's ridiculous to even bother if the semester has started. "Language Schools" or mills hire all the time.

[vikeologist]

If you decide to start in the new year (by which we mean the Chinese new Year where the second term starts at the end of Feb-ish), then you probably need to start applying the start of November, since schools will mostly want to wrap up recruitment for the second term by the end of December. Certainly too early to start applying now.

[muffintop]