Job Discussion Forums

[envirochick]

ready to quit my job, sell my house and even leave my teenager behind for a year
no undergrad but five years of college and two diplomas, currently employed with an environmental consulting firm
too much at stake to end up as a horror story
would do better in a small setting...are there any in China?
dedicated and tenacious and used to change...although nothing quite at this level

can you recommend a reputable agency, i've made a list of all the places I shouldn't be dealing with but need to know where I should be looking

have you heard of the Office? a group of foreign teachers who have started their own school in shenyang and dalian? they have an add posted on this site

any advice is greatly appreciated, looking to start in the summer of 2006

[Roger]

Try BUckland in Yangshuo; they have a good website, and most people come away with very positive experiences. I said "most', because you will always hear some complaints.

[millie]

Yes, Louras, your comment may not be all Pulp Fiction at all

But why recommend anyone to a recruiter when they are a totally unnecessary part of the process Why

Is there something you are not telling us Roger?

Oh, there I go again, forgetting that veracity can be a mutable quantity in Fantasyland

There are lots of jobs out there so take your time and choose carefully.
Direct contact with schools is a good route to explore and if you check this recent thread for example, you will see that others have posted some useful links. http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=33648

Try to determine if you have adequate qualifications for other countries since working in rural China can be a long way from paradise.

Good luck,
M

[Roger]

People like louras have demonstrated time and again how mentally unfit they are for a life here, and as for 'millie' we are in doubt as to her or his true identity; this person certainly has several online personalities!

To come back to the incriminated post of mine: I answered that first poster's query to the best of my knowledge; I second anyone who says it is always best to approach a school itself.

But there are reputable and reliable go-betweens, and Buckland certainly is one of them. That's nothing to do with "fantasies".

And as for tthe multitude of jobs that are avaiable - if one believes make-belive adverts - I say: try it, but don't be surprised if you get contacted by...yes, another recruiter/agent/go-between!
And then it's bound to be a disreputable one!

[millie]

[Roger]

Louras complains that jobs elude him, and he thinks the Chinese discriminate against him, or that Chinese employers are no good; I am not the only one who thinks his whining is over the top and the major reason for his streak of bad luck.

As for you, 'millie', yes I believe you have a variety of identities; and what's more, you don't ever offer constructive input here. What have you said so far in the ongoing Q&A game? Nothing but underhanded attacks on a certain other poster!

What better example of a poster that guesses and imagines things than you can you offer us?

Do you know Buckland, or is Yangshuo too far away from Shanghai and/or Hong Kong? You mean you cannot afford to visit that place and find out for yourself, right?
Then it would be better for you to shut up!

[nolefan]

While some people might disagree with me, I still think that recruiters have their place in this marketplace. They are in some aspect the supermarket of teaching positions in China: The schools they represent are not the best nor the worst, most of them pay average and have nothing special. Some people like that!

Keep in mind that when i mention recruiters, i am not talking about the ones that take a cut from your salary or the ones that farm you out to schools all over the city/county/province/country... I'm talking about the agencies that have a proper office and proper staff to assist you find a job and help you with a number of minor issues that might come up. The schools pay them a one time finder's fee of about 4000RMB and the deal is done; They have no access to your funds or salary or whatsoever, it's all between you and the school after that.

[Louras]

"Louras complains that jobs elude him, Kindly quote me and he thinks the Chinese discriminate against him, Again, kindly quote where I used the word "discriminate" or implied discrimination or that Chinese employers are no good;Now that I did say I am not the only one No, Clarckie agrees who thinks his whining I am whining??? is over the top and the major reason for his streak of bad luck.What streak of bad luck??

[clark.w.griswald]

It is true that you do not need a recruiter to find work in China, but a good recruiter can certainly make things much easier for you.

Don't be afraid to use a recruiter, just exercise due diligence in ensuring that the recruiter you are dealing with is not one of the ones that is probably best avoided. Recruiters offer a service for which they get paid for and one of the services that they offer is information. Don't be afraid to send a recruiter your list of questions (I have prveiously warned about overwhelming schools with such lists) and you should certainly expect answers to each of these.

Research the recruiter, the school, the city that the school is located in, and life in China in general. I personally believe that the more you know about each of these the more likely it is that you will have a good time here.

As far as a list of good recruiters, well it is difficult to offer such a list as everyones needs are different. Based upon the feedback of previous teachers, I would recommend the following:

Buckland
New Times International
One World Development

You will find some complaints about the above companies, but overall these complaints are 'personal' and overall the feedback is good.

As with any job offering always try to confirm what you are told by the school or the recruiter, and Daves can be a good place to get this confirmation.

[Roger]

...and as for the cut the agent takes I misstated that part; Buckland doesn't take a "cut" from your dues; they take it from your employer who has to pay your whole salary and other dues up-front into a sort of escrow account managed by Buckland for your benefit; your salary will be stated clearly in your contract and no deduction will be made.

You can also rely on Nolefan's information! There clearly are a few good recruiters to choose from!

[SimonM]

Pass me a resume and I might be able to get you a position here for the start of 2006 autumn term. No promises though.

[WordUp]

Hi Envirochick,

I was in a similar situation not long ago, left a prosperous law firm in Boston to take a year off and teach in China. Didn't want to roll the dice and was willing to pay for a good quality service company to gaurantee a professional placement. I dont have a teenager but I did leave my mini-snauzer behind.

I had looked at lots of different schools and a few companies and after 4-months I chose a company called journeyeast.

[url] http://www.journeyeast.org [/url]

There was always someone there to answer my questions and the phone interview was pretty informative compared with some other programs I contacted.

Another thing that aided my search was doing a, " whois " search on the web page of the company. You can learn alot about how long the web has been around for and who runs or owns the page.

I've been living in Zhejiang Province since early September and I'm loving it. Its the most fun I've had since graduate school! (a long time ago)

I'm back stateside for the holidays and will be returning in February.
Anyway, good luck with your search.

Kind Regards,
Richard L. JD

[HunanForeignGuy]

[JadedMenhir]

For my part, I would recommend New Times International operating out of Shijiazhuang. I've been with them for a year now and they've supported me every step of the way, when dealing with personal problems in China and with schools.
I could not recommend them more highly.

[mcgaugheygary]

Hi folks,
This is a great forum, especially for a newcomer. I would like to ask the Hunan Foreign Guy if he could give some examples of good recruiters to the list. I'm struggling waiting for a letter of invitation from a school in Hefei. I turned down 2 excellent university jobs for this school, and now I feel. I'm on hold.
So I think I'm ready for a good recruiting outfit.

warmest regards
signed Nervous in Northern Alberta