Job Discussion Forums

[colin]

I have been teaching in taiwan for two years and feel it is time for a new experience. I have done a reasonable amount of homework but still have a few questions re teaching in Shanghai.

First I am undecided whether to freelance or to be legal.Seems to be be a difference of oppinion out there. Point blank,if I can make more $ and advoid a school trying to own my personal rights I am willing to take the chance.

My plan is to hit the streets and do as much cold calling as possible. Any advice on this stratagy?

Are the language schools block hours or split hours?What is the norm?

And what is the esl job market like in the second week of March? Are there still good opportunities or just table scraps?

Ni men cu yi bang wu ma? shay shay ni!

[senor boogie woogie]

Hola!

I think going to a strange place just to freelance is a bold proposition.

First of all, if you are not affiliated with a school, you will be on a Chinese "L" visa and will have to leave the country every three monthes to renew the thing. Going to Korea or Hong Kong gets expensive every three monthes. Then teaching with an L visa is illegal, you are a tourist, not an employee. Supposedly, you can go to HK and get a one year visa for 1100 HK, my boss showed me the flier. Thankfully, China is easy when it comes to visas (for some odd reason).

Second, Shanghai is very big and expensive. Where do you want to live in Shanghai? Shanghai is as big as New York. Do you speak Chinese at all? Where are you going to stay while you go on your job hunt?

Third, Chinese culture is built on "guanxi" or relationships. people here are not going to hire you out of the blue to teach their brats. You are recommended by someone else (word of mouth) or you work in a place, and you work on the side.

What I would do friend, is to get a job at a local University, working about 12-15 hours per month, with a small apartment for you to flop in, then look for other jobs on the side, build contacts and relationships with the locals and the foreigner community and then go from there. Or better yet, go to Korea. You'll have to visa run, but Japan is close and you will make a lot more money in Korea on the sly than here.

Good luck. You'll need it.

Senor

[senor boogie woogie]

Hola!

I think going to a strange place just to freelance is a bold proposition.

First of all, if you are not affiliated with a school, you will be on a Chinese "L" visa and will have to leave the country every three monthes to renew the thing. Going to Korea or Hong Kong gets expensive every three monthes. Then teaching with an L visa is illegal, you are a tourist, not an employee. Supposedly, you can go to HK and get a one year visa for 1100 HK, my boss showed me the flier. Thankfully, China is easy when it comes to visas (for some odd reason).

Second, Shanghai is very big and expensive. Where do you want to live in Shanghai? Shanghai is as big as New York. Do you speak Chinese at all? Where are you going to stay while you go on your job hunt?

Third, Chinese culture is built on "guanxi" or relationships. people here are not going to hire you out of the blue to teach their brats. You are recommended by someone else (word of mouth) or you work in a place, and you work on the side.

What I would do friend, is to get a job at a local University, working about 12-15 hours per month, with a small apartment for you to flop in, then look for other jobs on the side, build contacts and relationships with the locals and the foreigner community and then go from there. Or better yet, go to Korea. You'll have to visa run, but Japan is close and you will make a lot more money in Korea on the sly than here.

Good luck. You'll need it.

Senor