Job Discussion Forums

[lou_c]

My wife and I are hoping to work in Yunnan province next year. We're experienced public school teachers with Masters degrees, so we thought we should be able to find university jobs in advance. But apparently jobs are a little harder to come by there than in other parts of China, so much so that we have a hard time getting colleges to reply to our emails. Based on that, some posts here, and some other advice, we're thinking that we should just go there and look.

My question is this: We'll be arriving about the middle of July. Will all the good jobs be gone? Is this a reasonable way to go about it? Has anybody gotten a good university job in Yunnan in July? Informed opinions and descriptions of real experiences will be appreciated. If you've got something helpful to say, please don't be put off or distracted by the inevitable flames and counter-flames.

[Ariadne]

If you arrive after the middle of July you may not find anyone to talk to about getting a job at a university. Folks will be gone for the summer. Look for the names of universities online and then check out their websites. There will often be a contact email addy for employment info. You guys should be able to find university jobs with your education and experience. If you can, try to line something up before you go. Unless you have good local contacts, it can be tough arriving cold.

.

[Roger]

That's right - July and August are holiday months.
And the likelihood of securing a good job there isn't much better if you travel there...a few FTs end up working for a cowboy outfit.

Then, there are the two of you - finding employment for a two-some is even more difficult. GOod luck!

[hairuo]

Most schools are in the process of lining up teachers for September, right now. It takes a little time to get through the process...so dont wait until July. Someone just told you to look for schools in the area and write to them. That is sage advice.

[sojourner]

Lou,

From what I've heard, it would appear that "nearly everyone" wants to work in Yunnan ! I'm not sure why that's so - the weather, the "colourful" ethnic minorities ? I've also heard that many evangelical Christians are v. keen to go there - why ? One opinion that I've come across, suggests that the "colourful" ethnic minorities feel very much alienated in a society controlled by the Han Chinese - thus, making them susceptable to THE WORD, seeing it as a form of spiritual solace, to take the place of their traditional beliefs which have proved inadequate in enabling them to cope in such a "foreign" environment. People who see themselves as missionaries probably don't care if they are paid peanuts - as long as they can gain access to potential converts. Often, the missionaries are given some financial support by their fellowship groups back in the West. This lack of concern over remuneration would, I'm sure, be noticed by employers - thus, helping to keep FT salaries lower than what they should be.

Anyway, regardless of whether its due to footloose backpackers, earnest evangelical missionaries, or curious anthropology majors, there appears to be a LOT of competition for jobs in Yunnan. Because of the operation of the Law of Supply and Demand, should you find a job in that province, you can be pretty sure that the salary and conditions would be well below what you'd be offered in other provinces. Are you willing to consider provinces other than Yunnan ? As an earlier poster to this thread has suggested, you should start applying for jobs in Yunnan about four or five months before the commencement of the uni term. Do a search for colleges and unis in that province. Alternately, you could ask a recruiter to do a search for you. Many posters to this forum are very critical of recruiters. Yes, some of them (ie the recruiters !) might be pretty dodgy or inefficient - but there are some good ones (such as my own). Also, some recruiters might have guanxi (sp ?) connections with FAOs in many unis.

As I indicated earlier, you should also consider provinces other than Yunnan. If you work in another province for a couple of years, that experience would enhance your chances of landing a job in Yunnan, as you would have a competitive edge over the inexperienced, starry-eyed hopefuls.

Good luck.

Peter