Job Discussion Forums

[foris]

I have read in a number of different places that it is unwise to use a recruiter to get a teaching job in Taiwan. Is this the consensus? If so, how do people normally approach getting a job there? Obviously, this means going to Taiwan first, but how easy is it to get an appartment once you arrive? And is it easy to find a job without speaking Chinese? If some of those who had followed this route could provide some of the details of how they did it...

Alternatively, can anyone recommend a good recruiter?

[clark.w.griswald]

If I were you I wouldn't NOT use a recruiter, but I wouldn't rely upon them or make any commitment to a job through them. Try and ignore those who suggest that ALL recruiters are bad and should be avoided. That is just nonsense!

My advice is to contact some recruiters to see what they have to offer, and express an interest in any jobs that sound good. Don't allow the recruiter to put any pressure on you to arrive earlier than you plan to, and don't send them any documentation or sign anything. Just let them know that you are interested and that you would be happy to meet them and check out their schools when you arrive. Any recruiter that has a problem with this is best avoided. When checking out the recruiter ensure that your contract is with the school and that the school pays you directly. Never sign a contract with the recruiter and let them collect your pay from the school!

You could do exactly the same thing as mentioned above with schools directly, and I would encourage you to do this also. Sure some positions will have been filled before you arrive, but so what, there are other options. Contact some chain schools too as they seem to have ongoing positions available, and would be a good back up if nothing else pans out.

As far as recommending a recruiter, well I have never used one personally so cannot recommend one from personal experience. There is one on the recommended list over at www.buxiban.com . There seems to have been little in the way of negative comments written about that guy, even though he has been around for a while. He is about the only one that I would say is not likely to give you too much trouble, but I am sure that there are a few that could provide you with good service. A few to be avoided are IACC, Englishme, and Artisan International.

Whatever you choose, double check everything that you get told, and trust your instincts.

[TaoyuanSteve]

[foris]

Thanks for the recruiter advice. I think I'll avoid them unless absolutely necessary. What about staying in Taiwan once I arrive? What kind of costs should I expect? Is there a best city to start in (considering jobs and aesthetics)?

[clark.w.griswald]

I don't doubt for a minute that some recruiters are bad news. There are a couple of outfits that are clearly to be avoided and I named these in my earlier post. I don't however subscribe to the tarring and feathering of a whole industry based upon the actions of some bad apples.

Of course recruiters make money off of us. Every company we deal with on a daily basis makes money off of us. This doesn't mean that they need to do so dishonestly. The same applies to recruiters. The fact that they are a recruiter doesn't automatically make them a dishonest person.

It is true that you do not need a recruiter, but why not use one to do all the legwork for you? As I mentioned in my previous post this comes with a proviso that you don't let them pressure you into signing something that you are not comfortable with, and that they give you the opportunity to check the school out prior to making any commitments.

I think the problem with recruiters arises largely from newbies who do not research properly before they arrive, and whom place their full faith in the recruiter to set everything up for them. If you do your background research, and exercise due care, then you have nothing to fear from recruiters.

You can still pursue the direct contact with the schools avenue, but why limit yourself to this when a recruiter could help you out and possibly find you a job that you like.

[matchstick_man]

I used a recruiter when I returned as the guy who replaced me in my previous job used the same guy. However I ended up getting a job that was advertised in the China post. I also took an hourly job which turned out to be unwise move. If you can get a job that pays salary for so many hours(say 80 for $50,000) and then hourly after that. You will be happier from a saving point of view.
Out of Taipei, in the small towns it is easy to do legwork as there is less space to cover than in Taipei. Usually at most schools more than one person can speak some English. After all that is the school's business.

[Aristotle]

Hi foris,
Recruiters are to be avoided at all possible cost. Of course some people can not get an English teaching position on Taiwan without them and ill informrd people tend to believe that having a fraudulent ARC offers some sort of protection from harassment. In many cases the opposite is true.
If you can't find work, a recruiter may be your only option. However you will be working illegally at a considerably lower wage and often in less than favorable working conditions.
Foreign labor brokers or agents operate without oversight and unregulated on Taiwan. They seldom have any kind of business license and the ones that do, issue fraudulent ARC's. On Taiwan the government does not enforce the few toothless labor laws that do exist. Instead they rely on the justice for hire principle so common in these third world backwaters.
Good luck and please read this,
http://www.geocities.com/taiwanteacher2002/Success.html

A.

[clark.w.griswald]

[matchstick_man]

re: Aristotle's post: What a load of nonsense. Someone's been watching too many X-files DVDs. As I stated before I used a recruiter. I have an ARC actually I was much better off financially through the job the recruiter got me than the job I got myself. How can anyone guarantee their hours won't drop by a stupid management move. Jobs through recruiters usually feature a paid ARC. The job I got myself I paid for it when I should have told them too shove it as there are so many more jobs out there.

[robert45]

As long as you're in Taiwan and can speak fluently speak a language, you might want to check out You can sign up to make a teacher profile and then find private students. But you have to already be living in Taiwan.

[foris]

Thanks for the myu.com tip. Looks like a good site. But does it work? And also, is there a best city in Taiwam in terms of finding jobs. I ssume Taipei is good, but what about the smaller cities?

[matchstick_man]

Living in the small towns....jobs are easy to get. It's likely you'll get hired just walking through the door. Rather than having an interview and a demo. Many people advise against going to the small towns...however if you're not into bars and don't need a lot of foreign company and your goal is saving money then small town Taiwan is for you.

[matchstick_man]

Double post!

[TaoyuanSteve]

I won't say small or large town as it comes down to what the individual wants. However, I strongly recommend that one gets here before deciding on where they will live. Small towns in Taiwan frequently have no charm to them at all and can seem dirtier and less desirable than big cities. Also, fellow expats and English speakers will be fewer and farthur between. Again, this isn't a problem for some (I live in Taoyuan). It's just better to be here before making any decisions about where you're going to live. Jobs are readily available in smaller towns, often much more readily than places like Taipei. This is partially because these places are less desirable to expats.

[Aristotle]