Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

and my study abroad program ends in the first week of July, i don't want to return to the US yet and want to try ESL, someone posted that i should look into Taiwan as an alternative to Korea and China... i was wondering what sort of work i would have to do in country (Taiwan) to get a job, how to dress, etc... also how much Mandarin would i need to know...?

is it possible to get an adults only position?

thanks

[Girl Scout]

I believe you already said you have a BA and you were getting a second one. You could teach English. Most of the jobs are teaching little kids and school aged kids. You don't need to know any mandarin to work or live here. Jobs here require a one year commitment.

Dress codes are very loose. Clean is about the only thing my employer cares about.

You can find a job here all year round. Peak hiring times are July and Aug. A lot of the adult only positions are looking for people with experience. These jobs also get taken by people who have been here awhile and know when and who to talk to. If you are interested in teaching adults, but don't get lucky enough to pick up one these jobs, I suggest you find a position that requires only the min. to get your ARC. Then you could teach adult privates.

[Sheep-Goats]

Your contract will be for a year and Taiwan is blacklisting contract breakers right now. You have a year to spare?

Dress here is equivalent to American dress -- which is slightly more formal than Canadian if you're Canadian. Lots of teachers here teach in shorts and printed T-shirts (or the school's uniform shirt), but you'll be more appreciated if you upgrade that a bit to nice jeans/khakis and something a little more formal than a plain 'ol crewneck T.

Interviews are interviews and you should dress for interviews when interviewing, ok?

Mandarin is an asset for kindergarten classes, which are both illegal and plentiful. By first or second grade most of the kids you'll be dealing with have enough English to fairly easily understand directions and have dealt with foreigners before, so beyond beginner level your Chinese ability isn't horribly relevant -- but it does help when schmoozing with your boss and/or negotiating.

With no experience and with this being your first post-college job, you'll almost certainly be teaching young children (5 to for a majority of your hours. This is by far the biggest sector of the market anyway, but those teachers who prefer adults (most) and have already been here for a few years do their best to hoard up the adults-only hours.

[chaz47]

so i just hop a plane to Taiwan and away i go? how do i go about finding a job once i get there? would you say that it is better than Korea? are the kids well behaved? how much money will it cost to survive until i get that job...?

any good sites listing jobs in Taiwan?

thanks all

[Aristotle]

[clark.w.griswald]

Yes the best advice is to come here on a visitors visa and find work once you get here. The current system supports this way of doing things.

[Sheep-Goats]