Job Discussion Forums

[collme]

Heyooo

I am currently trying to find a teaching position in Taiwan, from the States, however, I'm not having the best of luck, and I'm not sure why? I have a degree in journalism, the CELTA, just recently taught kindergarten for a year in South Korea and have experience teaching adults, which I did in Ireland for six months. I don't know whether I'm just incredibly impatient, if recruiters/schools are slow to respond, if there just aren't that many jobs, or if moving there and then finding work is my best option?

I wanted to secure a job before I arrived in Taiwan, just for my own sanity and relief... I also don't mind working in a chain school, but I don't seem to be getting any responses. In the last 3 weeks I have signed up with 3 different recruiters and sent my resume to 3 different chain schools directly, but nothing so far. Is this normal? When I was looking for work in Korea, recruiters were shoving several jobs down my throat on a daily basis, thus this seems quite disappointing in comparison..... any words of advice would be greatly appreciated.

[markcmc]

I've always just arrived and looked for work once here, so I'm not sure what is normal, but approaching only 3 recruiters doesn't seem enough. There are quite a lot of jobs on tealit at the moment.

[Taylor]

Hi Everyone,

Schools in Taiwan have always preferred to hire someone who is already on the island.

This allows the school to know you are actually there. It also allows those in charge to see how you look and how you interact with others.

If you were running a school here, would you hire someone from overseas without meeting them first? Probably not.

Taylor

[Hightop]

I second what Taylor said. Schools like to see you first and also see a demo class. Korean recruiters throw jobs at waygooks from abroad because they like them to arrive blind. And lets face it, if Korea did not offer the free airfare and it was not so easy to get a job there would they be able to find teachers?

[zipper]

I am happy that it is not a recruiters' market here like it is in Korea. It kind of keeps the competition down a little, and the global recession along with lower birth fertility rate has dampened the Taiwan market a bit as well.

OP, it is better to come here and apply for a job. It is similar to Thailand market as well; most jobs in Thailand are easier to find inside Thailand rather than from the outside. I think that it is better this way, because you don't have the middleman profiting and changing standards in the market by bringing in more bodies that will ultimately drive down wages. IMHO

[collme]

Thanks everyone. So when you arrive, do you just search for local jobs on tealit? ALSO, does this mean you'll have to do a visa run as well?

[JDB]

You need to get a visitor visa before you go, it has to be obtained outside of Taiwan. Contact the Taipei economic office in your country. A visa run is to go get this visa. Don't tell them your going to teach English, say your going to visit friends or tour the country etc.
You can't secure a job beforehand, even if a school tells you otherwise. You have to be present in Taiwan to get a work permit.