Job Discussion Forums

[william wallace]

Nothing to say.

[bendan]

I think asking if 4,000 is enough is pointless without mentioning where you would be located, how many hours you would work, and what you would want to do in your free time.

On another point (sorry to go off-topic), do you qualify for permanent residence now? That might provide some new opportunities for you.

[kev7161]

Also, let's not forget the math of earning, say, 4000 rmb per month:

If you worked 20 periods/hours per week x 4 weeks, then that would equal 50rmb per teaching hour/period.

Now, most months are actually about 4.3 weeks (30 to 31 days) which drops the per hour to about 46.5 rmb. Then add in how much time it takes you to plan lessons, grade papers and tests, etc. 5 hours a week? 10? More?

Obviously, some of this ridiculously low salary is offset by such things as holiday pay, travel allowances, free accomodations/utilities, etc. These are tangible "perks" that must be factored into the whole.

However, if you were doing private lessons or working for an English language school (where they only pay you money), would you work for 50rmb an hour? Most of you would probably say "no". I've heard here on the board 100-150 is a more reasonable rate in most major cities.

In my situation, anytime I need construction paper or glue sticks for projects or any extra teaching materials or candy for the kids or any other little thing to make my class more interesting and fun, that comes out of my own pocket. For example: 3 of my classes are doing letter exchanges with American students. I asked my department if they would reimburse me for postage and they said no. I went ahead and did the project anyway, but that is more money taken from the bottom line.

So, to sum up: There are factors on both sides of the scales when it comes to the affordability of living off of 4000rmb (or 5000 or 6000). Someone said in the other thread that if you are only working 20 hours and need to make more money to go out and work a second job. I fully support that statement, however my particular contract forbids FTs from working a second job (why, I don't know, we don't do anything in the evenings here when it comes to teaching and/or being with the students!). Maybe it's okay to take the risk and find a 2nd job anyway, but word can and does get around. It may be only a matter of time before one gets busted for breaching the contract and then ????

[Roger]

I thought, William Wallace, it would be wiser for me to ignore this thread, but I have the bad habit of reading too many new threads...
My tentative answer to you is:
Seeing my job as a "calling", I am reasonably happy doing my duty and enjoying my huge spare time. This week I will put in 3 days of 4 periods and one of four periods. I can get up late, and I can meet up with my pals over a mocha. And I have a tonne of unread novels and other fasicnating literature to deal with, plus my daily newspaper and online activities.
However, I get calls from people to inform me that they know someone who is willing to hire me on a part-time basis. This is one reason why I cancelled my Thai holiday plans last holiday season. I had double income, more than double, in fact, and I didn't have to sweat.

There were times I had a schedule chock-a-block full with engagements. Some paid for me to travel to a small town 30 kms away (by taxi), others had their limo with chauffeur pick me up; I was glad to make the extra money but if there was too much work I felt pressure building up beyond a point I felt to be acceptable. Basically, I won't aim for more than 5 hours of work a day, and I want to keep commutes to an absolute minimum. My university has me on full-time benefits for 16 periods this term, spread over four days; say I want to maximise my earnings potential and work extra time to employ me a full 5 hours every day except on Sunday, I stand to work an extra 8 hours multiplied by RMB 100 to 150 per week; that is an extra RMB 3200 to 4800a month, or more. That's a workload I am perfectly comfortable with; I can easily add work on Saturday and Sunday too without feeling overworked. But I won't try. I take it if it comes my way.
The problem I see with people aiming to make 10'000 and more on a regular basis is: they don't last. Ask those who have done it, and for how long! Some customers are pretty demanding, and not necessarily your best students. I don't feel it's worth all my efforts if someone was too dumb to pick up English at school, and wants to learn everything in 3 months before they go to the U.S.A.

[mandu]

my 1st job in china was 4000 with a nice room with shower and tv

my 2nd job 6500 with a furnished apartment

my 3rd job went from 9000-10,000 rmb

now i get 10,000 a month with outout an apartment and i teach kindergarten

in my 1st year 4000 a month i did find easy to live off and save some money.also i ate at the kindergarten

[struelle]

All this time I thought the thread was about one more post before Roger hits #5000.

Awhile back I voted that it would happen on April 11th. Looks like I'm off, whoever put a vote in for before April is the winner!

He's only got 10 more posts to go!

Steve