Job Discussion Forums

[elliot_spencer]

I am coming to China in September .. I really wanted to work in Guangzhou but the only job I could get was with EF... They do pay well.. 12350 plus 665 every month.. thats like 13kRMB.

Then I was offered a uni job in Fuzhou which sounds amazing.. only 18 hours a week and the pay is 12800RMB... not bad!

Here is the trick.. in my contract with the uni it says I will be paid for the winter holiday of Jan but not for the 2 months during summer.. not even a dime...

Is it worth it? I heard Fuzhou is pretty dull too! Would EF in GZ be the better option (esp as I am interested in GZ)?

Thanks

[the_otter]

Can't help the OP, but I too would like to know about Fuzhou. I'm hoping to get a job there myself, though not for 12800!

[cormac]

Do a search for EF on the forums. There's quite a bit of information here about their wages, and working conditions. As for Fuzhou, I haven't been there so all I have is secondhand and not that useful. Sorry.

[dean_a_jones]

OP

Is that because the contract ends before the summer (common at universities, as many teachers then leave)? If so, if you resign to stay on, then you may get summer pay. Worth finding out if you are not completely clear. If not, summer time usually means a lot of other work outside the school, if you want it. Either way, it's a good salary, and should give you plenty to keep you going over the summer if you budget well over the year.

A university is usually regarded as more interesting work (with a bit more freedom) than EF around these forums, but not having worked for a private school, I could not personally say.

[Silent Shadow]

Well, 12800 for an 18 hour a week uni position is pretty good pay, even without being paid for summer. That is way above average salary for a uni, and is only usually paid if you're teaching specialized subjects.

You need more details, though. Will they pay your utility bills? What about airfare, and is free accommodation provided? Even without such items, it wouldn't be bad, but you need to know the answers in order to get a more accurate estimation of what they're offering.

[elliot_spencer]

The salary is 11k and accom allowance 1800rmb a month. Bills etc paid for by myself...

NO SALARY in summer even if sign contract again.

Is Fuzhou good?? and are EF really shit?

[dharma86]

Having no pay for your summer vacation is a bit of a setback but yeah, that kind of pay for a university is not so common.
If you're staying in China your flight reimburshment would cover your summer.

Taking into account your costs for you bills, accommodation etc, it seems you'd be left with a livable sum.

Of course in China you're not here to save big money, right?

Do you enjoy teaching in language schools?

If you're new to esl then I think the university is a good choice judging by what you have told us (so far).

"Is Fuzhou good" what do you mean?

[elliot_spencer]

Is it a nice city and liveable.. Is it better than GZ?

With the uni the travel allowance is backdated and only payable upon travel receipts.


Thanks

[dharma86]

Yeah, you will get all the flight money at the end of the contract, before the summer.

I cannot speak from experience about either of those cities, sorry, but it seems like the value of your pay is higher in Fuzhou.

Although more expensive, I know that Guangzhou is filled with all the western luxuries.

I hope some people can give some experiences to you.

Well, what is it you "don't" want from a city?

[elliot_spencer]

Travel will only be paid if I go home for the summer etc. If I decide to stay and travel around china I WILL NOT GET the flight money as I need a receipt of my return flight from China to London

[dharma86]

It should be in your contract that if a flight ticket cannot be provided by the end of the contract, the cost of your return flight will be calculated. (which can be just your flight to China's flight - doubled).

It is the government who provide this money to you, not the school. If they're not going to give you a full flight reimburshment for a full 2-semester contract in means they're pocketing it!

[nickpellatt]

This is just my opinion, disregard as you see fit!

I think if I really wanted to work in a particular place, then that would supercede any other job offers. If you really want to be in GZ, for whatever reason that may be, then securing a job there is great. If said job also includes a good salary and ticks all your teaching boxes in terms of class sizes and hours, man ... surely you have to take it!

Ill be honest...im unsure what to make of all the feedback on places like EF, Wall Street et al. Even more so when people are forever bigging up University work. My feeling is if you are really serious about EFL, professional development, and teaching the CELTA way of PPP, and student centred learning, EF etc is probably the way to go.

Uni teaching often seems to be few class hours with massive classes that you may only see once a week. These classes may be of mixed ability and you are left to your own devices to do as you see fit. I dont see that as being ideal conditions for quality teaching practices, and Im not sure its the type of work that would suit everyone.

At some stage in the future I would like to work for the British Council, and I dont think i would get the right experience or skill set for that type of work from the typical Chinese Uni gig.

A lot of the complaints about training schools is often the way teachers are micro-managed, observed and asked to follow strict guidelines and cover syllabus according to a book or program. If that is the nature of the main complaints about training schools, then I think I would disregard such complaints.

Being stiffed on contracts is something else of course. Good luck either way, and whichever one you drop, PM me the details, maybe Ill take the unwanted job off your hands haha

[elliot_spencer]

Thanks for that... My main frustration with EF is working weekends and only 10 days paid holiday plus 11 national holidays.

[rogerwilco]

I always insist upon a fixed airfare allowance payable in two payments.
One half paid at the end of each semester.
I can then decide for myself if and when I travel, and I do not want the hassle of providing receipts.
A flight allowance of 8 to 10,000RMB seems typical.

I would prefer to never work for a place like EF, but that is up to you.

[Jeremiah]

A couple of years ago, Elliott Spencer was writing as if he knew every thing pertaining to "teaching" in China on this website.

Now, he is asking about EF???

Let your minds imagine.