Job Discussion Forums

Trippy · Joined: 12 Mar 2003 Posts: 10

Hello, I am waiting to open a new training center near Shanghai. I have everthing ready to go but due to SARS can just not open yet due to government policy. Is this the same problem elswhere. Should I just go ahead and tell my team to start recruiting students. What would be the repercussions? What would be an appropriate salary for my new foreign teachers because the last thing I want to do is underpay such an important asset to the school? What is the average student tuition fee? I have my license and everything is ready to go! The reason I ask is that I have been getting mixed information from people in the business and I would like a few qualified intelligent people to give me advice.

Thanks, Trippy Very Happy

Minhang Oz · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 610 Location: Shanghai,ex Guilin

Whoa, Trippy, I'm a bit surprised you're asking these questions on this forum when some market research should have provided the answers, but that aside, as I'm on location in Shanghai, here's a few ideas.
Business of any kind that tries to part people from their non-essential rmb expenditure at the moment wouldn't be wise. Bars, clubs, restaurants are very quiet or closed. I wouldn't even open my lunch at the moment, but then I'm not in business.
Fees? I'm in a state tech. college that runs joint accreditation programs with 2 foreign colleges. Parents pay up to 12000 a year for around 25-30 class hours a week. The reputation of the college, and the employment rate of the students are both very high. Multinationals come to the school to recruit-kids generally don't have to look long for jobs. I'm saying that kids who come here are virtually guaranteed a good technician's job; they're not signing on with an untried operation.
Salaries? Some contacts I have in private language schools are on around 8000 pm for 20-24 teaching hours and 12-16 office hours. Accomm. allowances are usually 2500-3000.
Take care; operations fold here and elsewhere burning all involved, often most the people who can least afford it.

Trippy · Joined: 12 Mar 2003 Posts: 10

Well I sure appreciate your reply. Market Research? Hahahaha! Try explaining that to a Chinese business partner. I gave up 3 months ago on trying to convince him on certain business tactics. Oh well thats what a culture difference is I guess. I also believe alot of schools are in financial hardships at the current time. I have only been in Shanghai for 3 weeks and I am trying to catch up on all the info that was not done by the locals.
Damn they just will not listen! Well I will make do with what I got and hope for the best. Thank you again for your willingness to help.

Trippy

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

So, Trippy, where do you come into the picture? Are you going to be taken for a ride just because you have this attractive expat face that your Chinese partner needs to advertise his business?
And, do you have to invest any monies?
Can your partner obtain a green card for you?

Methinks three weeks are not enough for you to acquaint yourself with business practices in China...

Trippy · Joined: 12 Mar 2003 Posts: 10

Thats right Roger, I am going to lose everyting I own! I will not even respond to your idiotic comments from a lonely man that has 600 posts. If you had something better in life to do than put down other people you might be worth talking with but it seems to me that you are very disturbed over your present situation. Just concentrate on your own life buddy and the rest of us will make the world a better place. See ya

Sincerely, Trippy

chinasyndrome · Posted: Tue May 20, 2003 1:16 pm Post subject:

Hey Trippy,

sincere good luck in the new venture. I can't help you specifically on the Shanghai scene but maybe I can help in some of the behind the scenes stuff if that'd be any use to you. Just PM me. Happy to help if I can.

Not making you wrong about Roger, but I'd like to add another dimension to it. He's an absolute font of China knowledge and has helped a ton of people out. Often. Really often. Sometimes the written word comes out in a way that wasn't really intended - tone of electronic voice and all that. Our paths don't cross on the forum much and we've never PM'd so I'm not defending a friend, but his advice is usually really good and right on the money. I'd echo his comments in another way, and not because I think you haven't considered it. Please just be careful. The signals here can be incredibly subtle but nonetheless harmful.

Cheers and best wishes.

Les
Shantou

Trippy · Joined: 12 Mar 2003 Posts: 10

Thank you for your sincere reply, I will pm you if I do have any insider questions. You seem like a great person. As for the comments on Roger maybe I did go a little strong. Probably due to my competitive nature haha. It was not meant in a harmful way, I was just trying to take a personal stab at him for his lack of judgement without knowing all the facts.

Have a great evening, Trippy Laughing

Hamish · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 333 Location: PRC

chinasyndrome · Posted: Wed May 21, 2003 1:10 am Post subject:

Hamish is right! Drat - found out again!

Keep the soul, just show me the money! Well, okay. I'll take the soul too.

Member of management? I AM management! And just wait until I do a performance review on you lot!

I don't blame anyone here for not liking me. Don't like myself either. Leave me in a room on my own for 5 minutes and I'll start a fight.

On the upside though, I am very sincere in my insincerity. Wink

Thanks for the reference, Hamish. Should help me to get a job at your school. Are they looking for a Canadian who speaks like and Indian? And can I bring my wife? She's an Indian who says she's a man.

Hamish · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 333 Location: PRC

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

chinasyndrome · Posted: Wed May 21, 2003 7:35 am Post subject:

Performance review

Hamish

Exceptionally well qualified - made no major blunders yet
Active socially - drinks a lot
Family is active socially - wife drinks, too
Meticulous attention to detail- a nit picker
Exceptionally good judgement - lucky

Sunaru

Great presentation skills - able to bulls***
Good communication skills - spends a lot of time on Dave's Forum
Quick thinking - offers plausible excuses
Keen sense of humour - knoiws a lot of dirty jokes

Arioch36

Average employee - not too bright
Work is first priority- too ugly to get a date
Careful thinker- won't make a decision
Loyal - can't get a job anywhere else

Minhang Oz

Independent worker - nobody knows what he does
Aggressive - obnoxious
Has leadership qualities - is tall and has a loud voice
Expresses himself well - speaks english
Uses logic on difficult jobs - gets someone else to do it

Cheers, chaps! The Dream Team is here! Wink

Now remember to be nice to me. I've had a hard day. Very Happy

ESL Guru · Joined: 18 May 2003 Posts: 462

Trippy????

Is that like in "space cadet" or "Dorothy" or maybe "Alice" or some such thing?

Roger is spot on! You are a fool!

No two ways about it and when you lose your arse, remember we told you so!