Job Discussion Forums

[enigma]

Just wondering if anybody currently in China has a feel for the job market these days...

Do I have a hope in hell of finding a job or two for the summer that would pay for a round trip ticket from Canada, if I'm really careful with my money while I'm over there? I have a TESOL, several years of teaching experience, and one year's experience teaching in China. I'm willing to spend a couple of months working very hard.

Has anyone succeeded in making it worth their while to go to China just for the summer? If not, I'm faced with the uninspiring prospect of doing a summer semester at uni in Canada, while teaching at the local music camp or tutoring ESL kids here.

[lagerlout2006]

If you count Taiwan I did see summer deals there which compensated Int'l airfare. I'm not sure if they wrer legal in the visa sense though.

On the Mainland I doubt it unless you REALLY wanted to be careful with ,money. Like record-breaking careful with money.

[rickinbeijing]

Lager Lout apparently has been tipping too much lager these days. OF COURSE you can find lucrative summer camp teaching in China. In fact, it's the best season for it! Check here on Dave's list and try other websites in the Sticky post (see top of this forum's list). Or enter a Google search for them. And if you're industrious about the number of hours you're willing to teach you don't need to pinch pennies. Heck, a roundtrip ticket can't be more than 7,000 RMB. You can easily make twice that without working full-time. Also, most camps provide free lodging and meals, especially if university sponsored. But do get a contract before arriving, signed, sealed, and delivered.

[nolefan]

for better or for worse, EF usually pays for your round trip tickets to come and teach their summer camps in China. I believe that they're advertising right now in the "international jobs" section.

[Keath]

If you are not already in China, you will be hard pressed to find a school that will pay you a gainful salary and round trip ticket.

Schools will seek to find teachers ( already in China ) all the way until June before even considering paying airfare for folks to fly in from USA..

Do the math

Right now tickets in USA avg about $1000, (EVEN FROM CA) in two weeks they will avg $1200, thats 10,000 RMB.. Which is the basic summer program salary.. If you have no experience living and teaching in China, you are begging to be exploited unless you got with a reputable organization. .

The total cost of meeting you at airport and paying for your food, then giving you a salary.. Will well exceed 16-18,000 RMB.. So dont think you will be coming here and having fun.. you will get off the plane and hit the ground running.. If you want to tour, and have fun afterwards.. Bring some cash.. and stay away from EF..

[rickinbeijing]

Keath's post is well-advised, to be sure. With the rising cost of jet fuel and hence airline tickets camps are more inclined to seek out local talent. But it doesn't hurt to try. I've heard (secondhand) nothing but bad things about English First, by the way. Try Zhejiang University's summer program in Hangzhou and vicinity, although the pay is only about 6500 RMB max (but includes meals and nice little tours of a great place). Kev's post on this outfit are worth noting, although take with a grain of salt.

[rickinbeijing]

Enigma,

Also look into summer camps in Dongbei (i.e. Northeast China, i.e. Manchuria). Jilin and Harbin are not only paying top dollar but are much cooler than almost all of the rest of China in the summer. Harbin also has a strong Russian influence and great bread and borscht as a result of this cross-border contact. I've also heard that prestigious Tsinghua University in Haidian District, northwestern Beijing, is hosting a good camp on its campus, which is cooler and quieter than the rest of the city in the summer.

[kev7161]

[enigma]

thanks for the advice, everyone. i'm averaging your replies to a very qualified "maybe", but i'll keep looking.