Job Discussion Forums

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

When you compare your qualifications and experience as well as your pay and benefits and working hours, do you consider yourself underpaid?

Will. · Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 783 Location: London Uk

Well of course.
In comparison to the amount the school/ college/institution/owner gets from the student or in funded situations for the student in respect of the time I teach, most definitely.
In comparison with other people my age with similar or lesser qualifications and not as much experience definitely exploited.
When I compare my consultancy fees with others in the field EFL is again underpaid...or perhaps it is undervalued and we are undervalued as well.
Of course there are some who will say they are earning what they think they are worth. they obviously have no sense of self worth and undervalue themselves perhaps because as new teflers they are really not considering what they do as really 'working'
interesting post...gives me an idea...working on someone else's input

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I had to choose option 3.
Sure, I'd love to earn a higher salary (who wouldn't?) but I earn three times as much as a local teacher at a job that I enjoy and that I find relatively easy to do. On my salary I can afford to buy a decent house locally, and live a good lifestyle.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

I chose option 3 as well. I'm well-qualified and experienced, so I suppose I could demand higher salaries, but they just don't exist in the countries I've worked in. Even in Japan, where EFL salaries are higher than in much of the world and where I lucked into what might have been one of few remaining good jobs, I earned about as much as I was earning years earlier (like, when I was 21 and fresh out of uni) as a receptionist.

I do quite well here in Peru. If not for my massive, western-sized student loans, I could even afford to live here long-term. I wouldn't want to, but that's a whole 'nother issue...

The salaries that I've seen in the US, my next destination, seem downright insulting for the qualifications that they demand. I was getting $25 per hour part-time while I was in grad school (still working towards the MA), but I've seen many more ads for jobs that pay $15-$18 per hour (part-time, so no benefits!) and require an MA.

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Malsol · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1976 Location: Lanzhou

I CHOSE #2 BECAUSE i TEACH CORE BUSINESS COURSES IN CHINA AND I AM PAID WELL FOR WHAT I DO.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Nope.

Girl Scout · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 525 Location: Inbetween worlds

I have to choose #3. I get paid for 11 months and I only work 8. I live in an incredible apt. that is supplied by my uni. I work half as much as I did in TW. I have only spent about 2/3 of my current salary.

In TW, I was paid well above ave., again I had an employer supplied apt. However there, I only spent less then 1/2 of my salary.

I agree with denise. I'm well qualified with experience and publishing. I could demand a higher salary, but there are very few of those jobs available. Also, many of those jobs don't apeal to me. I enjoy what I do. I want to keep it that way.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Yes, when I compare myself to my Japanese counterparts. Not complaining though, it is OK.

cam · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 124 Location: Maine, USA

In comparision to other professions in Western Europe ESL teachers who work at language schools have really poor conditions and low wages. These conditions will not improve as long as there is an endless supply of ESL teachers and travellers willing to come and work in Europe for low wages.