Job Discussion Forums

[Travel Zen]

What's so good about the place? As opposed to the Mainland or Korea?

Curious.

[Charlesm_888]

Just read some of the posts in the Mainland and Korean forums and you will see why.

[puiwaihin]

One of the chief benefits of mainland China is that the qualifications for the work visa are considerably lower. You can get a job teaching there without a university degree. You still need to have some kind of qualification, but the standard is lower.

The pay is also much lower and you cannot save up much money or pay back debts, although you can live quite well in China on what you make. Additionally, employers don't often live up to their word and expect employees to frequently work without pay (for employees paid a wage).

Korea offers a good salary, but reports say that there is a strong anti-foreigner sentiment there and a lot of business owners who don't live up to their contracts.

Hong Kong combines a good salary with better work conditions.

[mictweety]

I have family there, so I am quite bias as to why Hong Kong is better. I also know that it is a safe and a clean place to travel/live. I have traveled into mainland China before, and I just don't feel safe being around town by myself. I am more at ease when I am in Hong Kong, but what can I say, I belong in a city.

[dodgee]

I think the answer really is that if you are a professional teacher, fully qualified and wanting to be challenged in the work force then HK is far more rewarding than teaching in Korea, Japan etc.
Life is much easier in HK compared with Japan, many people speak English when little problems arise, knowing when cool events are on is easier than receiving mid-night phonecalls from a students mother inviting you in stilted English to some musical recital, the foreigners you hang out with come from a wider work network, travel into and out of HK is an absoute doddle, and I have doubled my salary and more over my experience on the JET Programme.
As much as I loved living in Japan it was a hard place to really chill out as I found many aspects of the job to be 24/7. Here in HK if I want anonymity it is much easier.

[Noelle]

I've considered Hong Kong in the past and would like to consider it in the future.

I am currently a teacher trainer in Korea and have been given the opportunity to instruct secondary public school teachers from all over the country in composition and methodology. It's a pretty well respected position which I am quite honored to have, and don't plan to give up anytime soon...

I will leave Korea though within the next five years, most probably to return to the U.S. for awhile to teach in a university language program.
I've also taught European, Latin, Asian and Middle Eastern students in the U.S..... all adults and many of them at a high level of proficiency.

I have an M.A. in TESOL (not online) which I am currently putting to very good use here.

Like many of my kind, I also started out teaching kids and found it to be a lot of fun. However, I'm not looking to work with children again and will avoid countries where the only teaching opportunities involve young learners.

Is Hong Kong one of these countries? Or do they have any kind of opportunities for real professional development like the program I am currently working for in South Korea?

Teacher training is wonderful but I'd also be quite happy to teach in an academic institute where there is a focus on testing... Cambridge, IELTS and/or TOEFL (no TOEIC).

Do opportunities like this exist in Hong Kong, or would I be wasting my time looking?
Any advice would be appreciated!

[ChrisRose]

Subject to whom issued your MA or MEd TESOL there are some interesting and challenging positions available. However, you would have to search through all of the genuine school or college advertisements.

Only government colleges, Private International Schools (not private tutorial schools) might have courses at suitable levels. With regards to beign a NET / EDB NET, then it is again questionable.

In each school there are enough suitably qualified teachers. Usually each school headmaster or panel would like to have additional teachers, just to allow the students to interact and communicate with a Native Speaker. Whilst this role is important and highly valuable, you may find the work lacks both challenge and depth. But this would depend upon the school and how the principal / English panel head would wish to deploy you.

There is another downside. Many schools as I mentioned in a post earlier today hire anyone with a pulse and send them to schools.

Whilst observing a NET this past week. I could relate horror stories, however, instead I shall only comment: I have seen what should never have been seen... and repeated on a daily basis.

[silver_butterfly]

Any advice would be greatly appeciated

I'm currently teaching English at a public middle school in Seoul Korea - I am currently half way through my second contract with the same school, and prior to this I worked for 6 months in a private school.

Come early next year I have to decide whether to stay at this school for another year, or go somewhere else (as I am starting to get itchy feet!).

The catch is that I started studying for my MA in Linguistics this year, and I won't finish that until 2010. So, if I was to change jobs and leave the country, I would need to have as much left over as I do now, in order to pay for the MA.

I really like the look of HK, maybe even Singapore. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to move and continue paying for my studies, or would I be better off staying in Korea?

Any advice to other good places to work in Asia which pay similarly (after bills etc) would be greatly appeciated.

I also have my CELTA.

Thanks

[Marcoregano]

Do you have QTS? (Qualified Teacher Status) - you need this for the best secondary/primary jobs in HK, eg. at the international scholls or the NET programme. If yes, then yes, you would be able to get a job that pays well enough for your purposes. If not, maybe not - living HK is much more expensive than Korea.

[Honky Nick]

Hi silver_butterfly,

Sounds like you've had a good time of it so far. I think you would be able to keep studying and work in Hong Kong on the NET scheme. I have done my Graduate Diploma in Education while working full time and haven't felt too stressed about it (although your workload, as with everything, will depend entirely on the school). The money's also good enough that you could probably save a fair bit, although I'm not sure how it compares to Korea.

You may also be able to work at an International School. Do you have a teaching degree?

Nick

[silver_butterfly]

Hi guys,

thanks for your very quick responses!

Unfortunately, I'm not a qualified teacher. I only have my CELTA and by the time I would start a new job I will have two and a half years experience in Korea, and I'll be half way through a MA in Linguistics (maybe that will count for something?).

My current job is great and I am going to consider re-signing (and be sad to leave), but I am getting major itchy feet , I need a change!

Thanks again!

[smuvkat25]

[A'Moo]

I am in China now, and have been to Korea and Japan. Whilst never teaching in HK, I have been many times. Personally, I would choose either China or Korea/Japan over HK, the reason being that, I came overseas to experience a different culture/style of living. HK is just a watered down China or watered down west, take your pick. If you HAVE the qual's to make good coin in HK, you would be making good money anywhere. Most people I know teaching in HK are making 35-40k without accom, some less, though many on this forum will say they make more than that, and they probably do.

[Marcoregano]

Most fully qualified teachers make more in HK than they would back home in the UK/US/Oz or wherever - that is why they are here.

I agree that culturally-speaking, HK is a kind of in-the-middle, not quite China and not quite western, but so long as your making reasonable money I think HK is worth a few years or more, and it does have a peculiar attraction - or culture - all of it's own - though some people don't find it, or don't like it. However, all things considered, if I was only just scraping by financially (and I was for a few years) I admit I'd rather be somewhere else.

[smuvkat25]