Job Discussion Forums

JJ1137 · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Thailand

Currently been offered a job at a School in Foshan. Are there any public schools hiring in Guangzhou?

Our current offer is for 1 year and starts us at 7000rmb. That salary is progressive every 3 months and has us ending at 8200. They provide housing and if you dont want to live on campus they provide an allowance of 1500 rmb per person. We are paid overtime of 80RMB an hour. We have 12 Chinese holidays paid that we get off. We have 2 consecutive days off in a week.

Is this a good job offer? Can anyone tell me anything about other public schools?

Thanks

dragon777 · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 163 Location: Christmas Island

It is not bad. However, you do not say how many hours you are required to work in the contract. Is it split shift? What hours at school? ie. bum warming. Are utilities included? Airfare etc.? This info helps. Please provide.

JJ1137 · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Thailand

Sorry about that.

We have 8 hours paid sick leave. We have 25 teaching hours a week and that includes office time but not lesson planning. It is not a split shift. We are also required to participate in interviewing other teachers and parent teacher conferences as needed. That is only 4 extra hours a month. Utilites are provided and covered. Also airfare is given to us at the end of the contract and they will pay up to 6500rmb. They pay a completion bonus at end of the contract of up to 6000rmb assuming you get a good evaluation from your students.

Sugar Magnolia · Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 233

Stay home.

Yunqi

Jayray · Joined: 28 Feb 2009 Posts: 373 Location: Back East

Pass on this one. Too many hours. Pay is too low for what they expect. When you arrive, there will probably be some surprises that you might not like.

dragon777 · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 163 Location: Christmas Island

Sounds alright, however the 4 hours will be a little bit of pain in the arse. They will use this against you, to achieve their little own aims during your contract(just do it, no big deal).
Also, remember after 4800 rmb(I might be corrected;They can tax you). This is up to the school or institution concerned. It sounds ok.

JJ1137 · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Thailand

Thank you for your responses.

I feel like i should clarify that the 7000RMB and progressive is all after taxes and this has been verified. Anymore posts are helpful.

cblack76 · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 26

You said the 25 hours includes office time?

How many contact hours do you have per week?

maotouying · Joined: 16 May 2005 Posts: 119 Location: My Chair In China

dialogger · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 419 Location: China

Up to a 10,000RMB cap on the return airfare would be nearer the mark for a 12m contract.
Are you coming from Thailand and returning there in which case it might be do-able but why should the school benefit because you are reasonably close?

80daze · Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Posts: 118 Location: China

The job sounds fine but the one question I can't see here is do you work from textbooks provided by the school/institution (that you can supplement) or do you have to create your own materials and lessons from nothing?

This happened to a colleague of mine who was simply handed a rough list of what they wanted taught and told to go and do it ( he left).

Apart from this it seems fine!

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

I'd really be wary about this 'office time' clause. Otherwise, it sounds decent.

One thing I'll never understand about China is how so many companies, or 'work units' as the locals call them, insist on face time, or for employees just to be there so the boss can call them when needed. This kind of time is highly unproductive. You often see it all over the place with local employees just sitting around at work in nearly every type of work. They may be at their computers doing MSN, standing around, or what have you, but they're not working, and they are required to be there.

Foreign teachers should not have to go through the same experience, or be treated in a similar way to their Chinese colleagues. Schools that insist on it should be given a pass.

On the other hand, maybe this 'office time' does serve a productive purpose. It is definitely worth asking about, and getting specific information on exactly what they want you doing in that office, and for what purpose.

Steve

El Chupacabra · Joined: 22 Jul 2009 Posts: 378 Location: Kwangchow

This sounds sketchy. 25 teaching hours is about 10 hours beyond the norm for tertiary posts. 8 hours sick leave is a joke, as most likely any missed classes will be rescheduled and you'll have to teach them anyway. Overtime hours are odd for a salaried post; means someone will be counting all the time.Will they dock your pay if you start your class 30 seconds late?