Job Discussion Forums

[Evanec84]

I was wondering if it is harder to find a position as an Asian American in China. I have been applying to many places and not getting many responses. For the responses I do get back I go through the interview and sometimes don't hear back from them.

Although I have no teaching experience I do hold a 4 year degree from a decent university in the US and have been working with a company since graduation. (Over a year now). Maybe it is my misconception but I thought that a teaching certificate is not necessary in China for the most part.

The jobs I have been applying to I have found through the job board here. Are there any other places that I should be looking at for job postings? Thanks in advance!

[lf_aristotle69]

I've heard that there is often a strong bias against employing an Asian face. Part of the reason is student expectation. Chinese students may feel that an "Asian" can't teach conversational English (or whatever) as well as someone with a white face.

I've heard from friends and colleagues of Asian, African, Middle eastern, Indian and even Hispanic, descent that it is more difficult. You might have seen some job ads actually asking for Filipino, Indian or African teachers offering a deliberately very low salary.

What did you major in?

You might like to look at the University preparation/bridging courses or high school programs such as the IB.

Good luck,

LFA

[Tsuris]

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I believe you would find a job much easier in a smaller city, a public school, or a smaller college.

EF has been known to hire Asian-looking teachers from the West.

Good luck!

[North China Laowei]

First, I have read many things on this board about the difficulties ABC's encounter in searching for jobs in China. That is "I have read on this Board".

In practice, however, over my years in China, there have been ABC's present in almost every university where I have worked since I have been here. Sometimes only one, like several years ago, sometimes 5-7 like last year.

I have even worked with CBA's (Chinese-born Americans) who still spoke with an accent but were highly educated. They encountered no great difficulties in finding jobs -- they encountered difficulties, however, with the PSB in terms of visa processing. (Like "Are you a spy" mentality).

So if you just confine yourself to what you read on this Board, yes, it would appear difficult. In practice, however, it is doable and not just in the "villages and in the countryside".

A university degree will help for sure but a passport from one of the scheduled countries is essential.

[j552k]

Hi. I am a Chinese-American finishing up my 2nd school year here in China, and getting ready for my 3rd. I haven't really checked out this board for awhile, coming back only recently.

I remember when I was first looking for work here in China, I received some nice, positive advice from others, like tw, who have been able to find steady work, despite their ethnicity.

I just want to tell you that, yes, it is possible for Asian-Americans to find work here. But, it will be difficult as most private schools and language mills really do prefer Caucasian teachers. That's just most likely because some Chinese parents have fixed ideas about what they think a foreign teacher should look like. Not all private schools are like that though.

As mentioned by others, your best bet would be to try public schools or schools in smaller cities/towns. Just keep sending out those emails and take the initiative in contacting schools. I've started applying for positions for next semester and have received offers already. So, just keep trying and don't let non-responses get you down.

[Tsuris]

[Evanec84]

Thank you for the replies, and yes I may have biased myself by looking mainly at the job posts on this board. It seems that I will just have to try harder!

To the poster who asked what my degree is, it is a bachelor's in management information systems.

[North China Laowei]

[j552k]

[james s]

i worked at a bunch of schools and many of them let go asian faced teachers not because the management was bad.it was that the stuents felt that it was not real english.

at times, it is the management reacting to student demand. if a group of students told me they would quit my school coz my teacher was asian and not american, in there eyes, and the school next door had a white guy, well, i wouldnt care, but the management have in my experience, been known to release a teacher or 2.

this is well documented on this site, which i may add, is not just any esl site. it is the #1 largest esl related site in the world.

trust its writers to some degree. and always use judgement.

[Mpho]

Come on out to Xinjinag Autonomous Region. We have many Filipino teachers here, Singaporeans and other Asia looking people. Students have no problems and the schools don't.

In the past 2 years, we have had these teachers in Kuitun, Karamay, Dushanzi to name three places. Some are still working here and many are signing another contract for next year.

Mpho

[mcl sonya]

well, as you see there are the good and the bad cases. if you keep applying, you will find a place. I sent out I don't remember how many resumes.. maybe a dozen? through abroadchina.org, at any rate it was during midterms and I did it rather absentmindedly thinking I would really try at some later date, and that's how I found my job. only one school replied, a college in the center of Qingdao. Not sure they knew whether or not I was ABC when they said they were interested, but they hired me anyway. I rather like it here, I mean it really grows on me more and more. There are moments where I think I'd rather jump ship and ditch China, but in general I enjoy my time here, the students are good enough, and the school treats me well.

they don't see so many ABCs in China, I sometimes think they have difficulty wrapping their minds around the fact that one can look Chinese and still speak perfect English and know American culture. Normally, hanging out with foreigners and speaking lots of English too fast for them convinces them that I'm American, and people are really interested in me once they realize this. I mean lots of people ask me where I'm from, and even though they say I don't look American they call me like.. I think they're calling me a bridge, the word is qiao. I get called on to translate a lot and help women pick up on my black friend.

No one has ventured to say that my English was anything less than mind-blowingly perfect. The person who hired me says she's so glad I'm around, it's good for the students to see an overseas Chinese and it's handy to have someone around who can speak Chinese too. (Apparently my Chinese is getting better here, although my Taiwanese accent is deteriorating.. scary and a bit sad to lose one's accent. some students said my Chinese is turning into a sort of mythical creature that looks like four things but is none of them). My first week of classes, each time I walked into a room I could hear the students murmuring, "But we're supposed to have a foreign teacher!" As soon as I opened my mouth, butchered their Chinese names during roll, and struggled against speaking too quickly that first week, any doubts they may have had about having a "real" foreign teacher quickly dissipated. They don't even ask whether or not I speak Chinese, I butcher their names so convincingly. It's important to establish this early on, that they can't speak Chinese with you in class, or you get language rebels.

I think seeing an ABC encourages them to realize that it isn't physically impossible for them to learn to speak English with a good accent; indeed, many students, not just my own, say they hope to learn to speak as beautifully as I do and ask me how I learned. so I guess I represent hope and some sort of goal, it's not just white people who can speak like this.

I feel like I'm a lame teacher - I really have no idea how to teach and am sort of shooting in the dark, I'm Chinese-looking, etc., but I guess I'm doing ok enough. Students sometimes invite me home to have dinner with their families, which never happens with the other FTs. I had one class from hell that I had to bust out the Chinese with; I made them do a long dictation of class rules, and after that they behaved beautifully. Occasionally I use a word or two of Chinese to clarify things. I had to miss class to go to Taiwan last week, and during that time apparently their representative asked the school if they can please have me for their FT next semester, because they miss me and I'm the coolest FT they've ever had. Some boy (if it was one of the girls I could believe it, and I'm sure it's the girls that told the school that) told another foreign teacher that I was his FT and that he loved my class. Amazing. I wouldn't mix the languages for any other class, but apparently being Taiwanese-American and Chinese speaking and mean and everything - it's ok.

[Evanec84]

What are some other big cities besides Beijing and Shanghai in China that I can look at for jobs?