Job Discussion Forums

[mekala]

Hi. I am an Asian American who has over 3 years experience teaching in Thailand, US and Europe. Currently, I am in Europe and would like to head back to Asia, particularly China. However, I just received some disheartening news from a recruiter that I may have difficulties finding work because of the way I look. I NEVER thought this would be a problem, because so far it hasn�t been. In fact, in Thailand, it was probably an advantage that I looked like everyone else and I felt that the students were more comfortable with me because of it. BUT, maybe I�ve just been lucky.
If anyone has any feedback they can provide me regarding this issue, I�d appreciate it. I just want to know the reality of the situation and want to know if it will be a problem finding work in China.
THANKS!

[Volodiya]

You want to work in China? You got a university degree? Keep applying.

Don't let one person, or five or six, put you off. You just need to get your foot in the door. You already know you can succeed.

Look at this thread, for further comments on your question.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=21934&start=0

[brsmith15]

Unfortunately, your looks may actually work against you, believe it or not. Most schools want a white face, even if the person can't speak English. I have a good friend, a Chinese-American with a PhD and many credentials who had a tuff time finding a job here and he speaks Mandarin!

I'm caucasian.........but rather dumb.

[Volodiya]

Yes, yes. Mekala, I think we understand that this could limit your job offers, but you only need one that sounds interesting to you, and you already know you can succeed with an Asian "audience". Just get busy applying: forget about this issue- it's only a distraction, and it's nothing you can do anything about (and why would you want to, anyway, huh?!!).

[The Barbarian]

brsmith15 - what the devil are you up to in that photograph?

[Chris_Crossley]

I currently work in a school in Wuhan where a Chinese American guy works part-time, so clearly the fact that he has a Chinese face does not work against him at all. He has part-time work elsewhere, so he clearly has at least two schools where being a Chinese American English native-speaker is "no problemo"!

Take heart, Mekala, and keep looking - you never know your luck!

[tradinup]

brsmith is wrong and rambling on a common misperception. Why is a Doctor looking for a English tutoring job in China? Give me a break. An American-born Chinese with PhD could find a University job here tommorow, though I don't know why he would want it. More Dave Blah blah blah...

[moderntime]

Hi Mekala,

I can completely sympathize, I'm in the same position. I have three years of experience teaching here in the US (as a literacy tutor, not as a certified teacher), I speak Cantonese and some Mandarin, and it has been tough. Over and over again I've been told that schools do not want Asian Americans, but I guess the only thing I can do is keep trying.

Originally I wanted to teach at a kindergarten, since that is what where my experience lies and I love working with kids. But I haven't been able to find a position that will hire an Asian American, so I've been expanding my search to middle- and high-school as well as universities.

I've also been told that it would be easier to find a job at a government school instead of a private or a recruiter.

I wish you the best of luck. If you get a job, could you please post that on here? I could use the encouragement!

[tw]

Though there are Asian Canadians, Americans, British, etc teaching in China, I have to say we are probably only 1% of the entire foreign teacher population in China -- at best. I think most teach at public schools because 99.99% of private language schools and recruiters shun us for "looking Chinese".

[Roger]

[clomper]

Our school is not picky if you want to teach here. We're still looking for teachers. PM me if you're interested.

[wonderd]

Two years ago, maybe this would be a problem. There are countless stories in the past of your looks or ethnic background being a problem. I remember one friend of mine from Canada, who had an Italian background but no accent whatsoever, was let go from a school because in one class he said that he was Italian Canadian. They heard the word Italian and that set them off.

Still, I do know ABCs that have jobs as teachers here. This is Shanghai, I don't know the rest of China. Good luck to you.

[tw]

The way I see it, private language schools would rather bring in some non native speaker from Eastern Europe who has a 2-week online TEFL certificate instead of an ABC/BBC/CBC who has spent most if not his/her entire life in UK/USA/Canada. Why? To attract students.

Two years ago it was a problem, now it's an issue and an epidemic.

[tony lee]

Similar question on chinatefljob list today --

Upon receiving the picture we were prompltly told by the recruiter
that it is difficult to place teachers "who do not have blonde hair
and blue eyes." ... Is this a sad reality or just poor recruiting?
...

-----------------------------------------------------

A normal case of please don't blame the messenger for the reality of
the situation. This recruiter is being honest with you, not dishonest.

Of course we will get the cries about money-grabbing, dishonest
recruiters not wanting to bother with difficult placements because
they spend too much time and have to work too hard to get their
ill-gotten scalp-money.

Wrong! Even the most ethical recruiters rarely get the chance to
waste much time at all talking to the school because most schools
are very quick to refuse applicants that don't fit their stereotype of
what a foreign teacher should be. There is no room for negotiation at
all with all but a very small minority of schools and even the ones
who do state they have a non-racial selection policy will have little
trouble choosing between a blue-eyed blonde and an almond-eyed
brunette regardless of qualifications or experience.

I continually pass on applications for western-born or at least
western-educated ethnic Asians AND well qualified and very experienced
SE Asians and Indians and Black Africans AND well qualified and highly
experienced Europeans for that matter, but the success rate is
negligible. The schools just will not consider any of those groups
except sometimes those from Europe and then only after a telephone
interview.

Even teachers in those groups who have successfully taught in China
for several years are rarely given the courtesy of a quick glance at
their resume let alone a phone call to their existing school.

I will keep sending the applications to the Beijing office and I will
keep telling my Chinese associates there that they are already
employed in China so just send them off to the schools and see what
happens -- and I will keep getting the "No, sorry" back a few days later.

Where I do waste my time with little prospect of any financial return
is by writing to the teachers to let them know the difficulties they
face and to advise them to keep applying for any schools they think
might be suitable. Sometimes I put them in touch with others in the
same situation who have succeeded.

It is not just "difficult", it is damn near impossible, even when the
ethnic Asian teacher comes packaged with a blue eyed blonde teaching
spouse.

And Yes people, recruiters DO ask for photographs BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS
DEMAND THEM. The schools pay the recruiter. It's called customer service.



Tony Lee

[tw]

Pass this along to your Chinese collegues in Beijing:

狗眼看人低