Job Discussion Forums

[zoopeda]

Dear Applicants to Harbin, China,

If you are researching teaching positions in Harbin, China, please read this:

Some time ago, I viewed a warning about the Heng Feng language school in Harbin. Then I was assured that management has changed and so have conditions there. I cannot stress enough the falsity of this last statement, and to save anyone the rejection of a contract offer (after my arrival here because they have simply hired too many teachers), having my visa revoked because the owner/principle refused to return my passport after applying for a visa (essentially as blackmail--i consequently had to physically steal my passport back from her) and then turned it into to be nullified upon firing me (with 2 days notice) because she has 12 teachers who each work 5 hours per week. This gross mismanagement is a travesty for teachers and students alike.

And so it is my duty to post an official warning about the school's "new management." As it turns out, Heng Feng changes teachers and management every two months because of the situation there. In fact, I was hired by one "office manager" in october, a new office manager was there when I arrived in December, and yet a new one has taken over before my departure in January. At first I attributed such miscalculation to incompetent management, but it didn't take long to realize it was a simple lack of ethical obligation that drives the corruptness there.

Ms. Zhong, the school's owner, subtracts pay from her already underpaid Teacher's Assistants depending upon the grades the students earn, and she takes pay from the chinese TAs when western teachers arrive late to class or "lean" (and she can see you via her video monitored classrooms). She has broken her contract obligations with me and several other teachers. She has attempted to blackmail me by threatening to kick me out of my apartment the following day if I did not spend my time there on comission, doing marketing at the local Kentucky Fried Chicken. Fortunately she changed her mind and pushed it to three days. There are three more teachers there who are coordinating a group QUIT at the end of this month because Ms. Zhong is in violation of her contract with ALL of them. And it's really easy to find a much better job in Harbin.

THE WORST PART of the situation, is that the school's owner has influence over local authorities, and she had my business visa revoked and changed to a one-week, un-renewable tourist visa simply because I was unhappy with her demand that instead of working as a teacher, I do marketing in a yellow rubber suit at the local KFC. Fortunately, being deported has its perks, and I got a sweet trainride through China out of it all. Luckily I came here with enough money to handle the situation...

Please do not view this as a rant from a bitter post employee, but a fair and honest attempt at warning any new applicants. I have settled into an awesome new job and so there is zero PERSONAL incentive to speak ill of Heng Feng. Harbin is an amazing place (the best for learning spoken mandarin) drenched in less-westernized chinese culture--being less influenced than other cities in china, maybe due to its isolation and cold climate. Other than the severe air pollution issue, the only problem I've had here (i like the cold) is HENG FENG!!! again this is not out of spite for the school; just consider yourself warned.....

PS- I regret waiting so long after January's fiasco to post this warning, but the principal warned me that she would contact her "friends" again if she found any post on the internet. I am now safely outside of Harbin.

[ProfessorBob77]

You are right about almost everything!
Except....her name is Ms.Zhang not Ms.Zhong!! Either way I think to call her Ms. "anything" is misleading. As for her long reaching powers, don't worry about that she's too busy ruining her business. I'm almost ashamed to put Hengfeng on my resume!

Professorbob77

[tofuman]

Kia, If you take a job like this after being warned by these people, do you expect to find any sympathy when you get shafted?

I would ask her about the complaints you have read here. Why are people ashamed to admit they worked there? Is marketing in a rubber ducky suit part of the job? Can you provide documentation for my Visa Z before I arrive?

Find a school with good references.

[zoopeda]

Mrs. Zhang is a highly irrational person with a manic disposition. She is a very sad woman, and I really don't think she wants to continually screw over employees. But there's no telling what she'll say to you, and what will be truth vs. lie. She simply lacks any ethical foundation, and she is willing to do ANYTHING to drive her business forward and protect her pride.

In my opinion, Kia, it would be very unwise to accept a job with her after reading all the warnings. Even if I and all the other ex-heng feng employees who have posted are liers, wouldn't it just make more sense to pick a school with positive feedback postings? The woman had me deported for quitting because she wouldn't let me sign a contract after coming there from across the world. I did get a sweet train ride back from Hong Kong out of it, but wouldn't you rather take a nice trip like that, stress free, with a little extra un-extorted money in your pocket?

I would ask Mrs. Zhang this: why she can't get you a Z visa until after you arrive (which is illegal), why she's had at least 4 office managers in the last 5 months, why she keeps video cameras in the classroom, why she doesnt allow employees to sign a contract until after they complete a "probational period" involving dancing in a yellow rubber suit. actually, ask her that: will i have to wear the yellow rubber suit. or teach at kfc. or work as a solicitor, not being able to speak chinese, and earning only commission. that's not a bad start. ooh, one more, why she looks strikingly like Mao Ze Dong (that's no joke...mole and all!) in the meantime, the market for english teachers in China has never been more welcoming. please don't go shooting yourself in the foot...

[brsmith15]

Would it be inappropriate to have someone....a local hire...dump her in the nearest trash heap????

[YearOfTheDog]

Hey Zoo,

I hope it has all worked out for ya man. I worked with you for a while at HengFeng and now work in Inner Mongolia.

Everything he has said is true, I posted more about it in another thread.


The way I see it is, we can keep posting about what Heng Feng does, how you shouldn't go there. The choice is yours where you go, and if you don't listen, have fun being screwed.