Job Discussion Forums

[tofuman]

Are you a qualified individual contemplating your first contract or renegotiating? Here are some things you might consider asking for that are not part of the standard contract. A few other tips as well:

Water cooler and bottled water for drinking. (9Rmb/bottle. Not sure about cooler cost. I buy the water, they bought the dispenser)

ADSL internet hook up (100Rmb/mo)

Bicycle (400-600Rmb+)

Visa fees (I lost several hundred Rmb on this one. Let the school be responsible for visa mistakes. 600Rmb/One year multiple entry.)

Telephone (Phone company wanted a 5000Rmb deposit for int'l connection. I opted for a phone that could make calls by card only but can receive int'l calls.)

Computer (Standard is often Chinese Windows 98. Computer itself is low on RAM, etc. Consider bringing your own laptop including floppy drive, an excellent firewall, and virus protection. Don't forget printer. The ink cartridges can be expensive and low volume. Negotiate ink reimbursement and have them buy printer. I got beat on this one.)

Make sure you understand the travelling policy and curfew expectations, etc. (Some places expect you to be in by 10 and no travel is allowed.)

Round trip actual airfare. (One way is not good enough. Book your ticket to the nearest airport to your destination. ~8,000Rmb.)

I know you may be eager, but don't get deprived of what you should have or will need.

[Larry Parnell]

You're very young and inexperienced aren't you?

[tofuman]

Young ? No. Inexperienced? Yes; however, this is what works for me so far. What am I missing?

[Roger]

Bicycle? I had one in my very first college, and never since. These days they ought to offer you a chauffeured limo!

Another ideal to enter in your contract: free Mandarin lessons! I have NEVER had them! Our university thinks entitled to asking us to pay for a CHinese teacher whom we cannot choose!

[hilary]

[tofuman]

..."humble FT trash." I like the sound of it.

Larry must either be living in a cold water flat and paying his own utilities, airfare, etc. or he is earning 15,000/monthly with car and driver.

[hilary]

Maybe he works in one of those 'hairdressing' shops. I hear they earn 1,000 kwai per hour .... (but is he cute enough?)

[tofuman]

Bleached hair, velvet trousers, earring, loud shirt?

[kev7161]

My prospective new employers are offering me a bicycle in my contract. I don't know that I would use it, but I may well if I had one. However, I'm wary. If I take it and use it, but it ends up being stolen one night through no fault of my own, are they going to try and charge me for it? I'll have to ask them about that one.

PS: I didn't ask them for this, by the way. Maybe I should ask them for that car?

[catsrap69]

Look carefully through your new contract offers for this scary thing... a deposit that the comapny says it is required to withold as a guarantee you fulfill your contract, used incase you damage the school ar apartment, or as insurance incase a student gets hurt while attending class. Sometimes, very sneakily written will be a part saying if you do anything to harm the company or school's reputation or they feel you are an unfit teacher, they will use this to keep your deposit and fire you without warning or recourse. THIS IS COMPLETELY ILLEGAL AND YOU IN NO WAY SHOULD SIGN THIS KIND OF CONTRACT. I have found this type of thing now in 3 contract offers and all of them tie into the same group of Shanghainese that are notorious for being swindlers.... run away fast and don't look back!

[kev7161]

I have that clause in my prospective new contract. It's for 500rmb as "insurance" in case I damage any electronic items in my apartment. That amount is a drop in the ocean compared to my earnings for a year, but I have to make sure that everything I have in my apartment is new, not used. New doesn't guarantee good, but it's gotta be better than a used item. Otherwise, I don't mind this. I've had to pay security and first/last month rents on places I've rented back home. I understand the necessity of it.