Job Discussion Forums

[pcdavid04]

i've been scouring the job oportunity ads preparing for my arrival in taiwan in about a month...

it seems like there are tons of part-time jobs and far fewer full-time opps. do you folks think i'd be better off taking a few part-time slots rather than just one full-time?

some of the issues i'm concerned with are getting my ARC, health insurance, and the reliability of part-time jobs?

will i have a problem getting an ARC without working the minimum hours at one facility? can i qualify for insurance working part-time at a school?

in your experience, are part-time jobs sustainable?

thanks for your time

[Ki]

Different people have there own preferences and a lot of the time it depends on what age group you are working with and what you find when you get here. I think that the minimum hours for an ARC are 15 (ish). I also believe that this will qualify you for insurance. If it is your first time here (and first time teaching) then having the one full time job will make things easier for you.

I would recommend finding one main job, which will provide you with an ARC, and then searching for part time work or privates after that. So keep this one job as your main priority and everything else is secondary to it. Maybe get a buxiban position and then look for a kindy in the morning or vice verca.

Different people have their own opinions and there was a post not so long ago which expressed this. [Not sure which one.] Remember that the greater number of jobs you have the greater time you spend travelling from one job to the next.

On a final note I will suggest that if you were wanting to take a couple of weeks vacation at any time it would be harder to find a substitute teacher at three different schools than at the one. But you could always cross that bridge when you came to it.

[clark.w.griswald]

Ki raises some very good points and I would certainly recommend that you follow his advice. There are of course disadvantages and advantages to whatever decision you may make, but what Ki suggests is likely to be the most sound legal option. Privates can be a good way to earn extra income, and if you are good at then you will have no trouble keeping students. They can be unreliable at times, but this flexibility goes two ways, as it allows you to take time off when you need to. I think Ki made a very astute comment about vacation time and finding substitutes, and therefore one main job for ARC and medical plus privates is the way to go.

One small point, the minimum number of hours for an ARC is 14. In some cases teachers with teaching hours less than this will find that the school still offers an ARC. The way that they normally do this is to sign one contract with you for the actual number of teaching hours, and another 'bogus' contract for 14 hours or more that they submit to the government for the work permit.

[Aristotle]

Positions that pay by the hour are generally considered better than salaried positions. The down side can be finding the right hours in the right spot.
The optimum formula is for two part time jobs in close proximity, block hours paid by the hour.
Part time positions generally pay higher rates than full time positions and require less out of class preparation.
More pay for less time, work and BS.
Most people prefer to have block hours of 3 to 4 hours with a one to two hour gap in the middle.
For example a position that pays 650 to 700 an hour for 3 hours in the morning followed by a one to two hour lunch break. The second block in the afternoon for 3 to 4 hours at another school in close proximity.
Having jobs at two schools, part time offers greater job security as you can change one of the jobs for something better and still have an income during the transition period.

Don't be too concerned with ARC's and work permits, find a solution that works for you and go with it.
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A.