Job Discussion Forums

stunnershades · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 32

Why does one have to be so qualified to work in China? Many of the job postings I've read have asked for applicants with at least 2 years exp. and a TEFL certification, even teacher certifications. Given that you don't really make much, comparatively, in China this seems absurd. Does the level of professionalism for said jobs usually coincide with the high standards?

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Supply and demand is at play a lot. If one doesn't have experience or an English teaching certificate then you take what you can get.

Keep in mind that only about 30% of local college and university graduates end up with a job of 1,500 RMB a month or better. So employers are used to be able to pick and choose.

There is competition for good jobs here. However there are still places that will take you without a degree but that's cause no one wants the location etc.

Tsuris · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:42 am Post subject: Re: Chinese standards

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

I've done this before but not for some time. I'm an Australian so let�s say I work for the University Of New South Wales in Sydney. I'm a casual English teacher doing sixteen class hours of teaching a week for $45 Australian an hour. That's $720 a week before tax. Tax is about 30% on this. So let�s say I clear $500 after tax a week.

For an apartment like I get supplied with I'd pay $300 a week at least to be close to the Uni of NSW in Sydney and that's unfurnished. Care to see how you live on $200 a week when you have to pay for utilities, transport, food and general home costs. Yep and it's a casual rate so forget the holidays.

Now I'll pull in 5,000 RMB a month with my new job but I'll get about three months of paid holidays a year. Toss in all utilities, airfares and a apartment. (5,000.00 CNY = 773.207 AUD) (16 class hours of 45 minutes per class)

So just about the same in hand a week after accommodation but with three months holiday and all utilities paid plus an trip overseas once a year.

Last week I took a lady to dinner at a local Korean restaurant and it cost me $10 Australian. In Sydney the same meal for two of the same standard in a restaurant would have cost me at least a $100 Australian.

So I'm on a terrible thing here am I? Yep at least I know that I�m not doing too badly. I also do a bit of part time work for 110 RMB an hour. I can get a good body massage for five hours for that here in China where I live. An hours teaching in Sydney would get me 30 minutes if I�m lucky

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Just for the sake of pushing a point, �The child care thing�. Where I live in China you can hire a mother for 600 RMB a month to look after a young child. So six hours of part time work as a foreign teacher a month and you have your baby sitter for the month seven days a week. I work where the office lady gets 600 RMB a month. One of my students has a mother who earns 250 RMB a week for 70 hours.

Back in Sydney these days you can get a young Asian student to look after your kid for about $7 an hour under the table. That's cheap for Australia. So let's say $700 Australian for 70 hours. (700.00 AUD = 4,523.24 CNY)

stunnershades · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 32

Is the supply and demand ratio really so askew in China? I would guess your average ESL adventurer choosing Korea or Japan long before coming to China. I suppose America's wavering economy could be the explanation but the majority of foreign applicants aren't from America.

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

I help a number here in China that PM me. I can safely say that any half reasonable job offered here has no shortage of applicants. That�s why you will see me advise some here to make up their minds on a good job quickly as Chinese employers seem to take the first one that says yes that has the qualification that they want.

So you sit back and pretend that you can have half a dozen jobs on hold then you are kidding yourself plain and simple.

If you think you are important and a rare commodity then you is also kidding yourself.

The better jobs want a track record here in China where they can make contact and find out that you were popular with students plus your student's marks didn't drop after your employment. Also that you got along with the Chinese staff and didn't cause problems.

Welcome to China!

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589