Job Discussion Forums

[crazyliberalkate]

My boyfriend and I are interested in teaching in Beijing starting in September for 6 months. We are native English speakers with university degrees, but do not have teaching experience or TEFL certificates. Does anyone know of any universities that we could teach at?

[therock]

I don't like your chances. First you only want a 6 month contract. Beijing is a relatively popular choice for ESL teachers and a lot of them are are willing to sign for a year. Most schools prefer the teacher to sign a one year contract.

Also you might want to start applying NOW. Well prepared and decent schools will soon be on summer holidays and already have their monkey's lined up for next term.

Best advice I can give you, find a list of Beijing universities and start contacting them now.

[SnoopBot]

You can find a job easily but maybe a little harder to secure a good university teaching position due to the 6-month contract period - exactly for the reasons "The Rock" mentioned above.

Because you have no experience, many universities will not be as receptive to hire you especially at the top 20.

TEFL cert helps to show them you have some teaching exposure. = a plus for some places and others do not even care or know what it is.

Are both of you Native Speakers with Anglo-Saxon features? That is another often-used criterion for positions.

Sometimes, the area of your undergraduate degree will help you secure employment. i.e. You have a degree in Human Resource Management and you will teach ESOL flavored adult business English

Now the language mills and ESL sweatshops, often want inexperienced teachers to "mold them into their kind of teacher." So expect the conditions to be not as good as the university positions.
You can read the pros and cons about the working conditions on the web board.

As �TheRock" said, "Hurry up, because the openings are filled with the less desirable ones being left."

Often, the positions are all closed in September, sometimes a teacher did not show up, was unacceptable, or had some problem and left early. Therefore, you can still find openings up Until October.

Now, here is my advice for the 6-month contract. Tell them you will not want an end of contract bonus and will pay your flight to China and return. Possibly, you can get them to pay your flight there.

However, do not expect them to offer an end of contract bonus or the free airline ticket back home deal on a 6-month contract.

If you make them understand, you will not expect:
1. End of Contract bonus
2. End of contract air ticket home

You can get a 6-month contract. I was able to do this in 2004 but I had to waive both of these items above.

If that does not work, advise them you will pay for the airline expenses both directions. If that does not work, try another school.

I hope you are doing this for the experience and not to save big buck$ and then return home.

You will run just about even after footing the airline ticket yourselves.

With all this said, finding a job should be easy, but a good position with good pay and other perks is more difficult. Many of us here are still looking for these types of jobs.

[cj750s]

You can try a school that has part time position..if you need an email adress pm me...

[william wallace]

Try Jiaotong University in Haidian.

[crazyliberalkate]

So it looks like Beijing is going to be hard to secure a teaching job. What about cities close to Beijing-- does anyone know of any schools or contacts? Thanks!

[SnoopBot]