Job Discussion Forums

nomad-ish · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:22 am Post subject: Work advice please!

hi, i was hoping someone could give me some working-in-china advice. i was thinking of taking on a contract in august 2011 and was wondering what my best bet was.

here are my qualifications:
-BSc in science, MSc in forensic science
-3 years of full-time efl teaching experience in government schools in south korea
-some laboratory work experience (4 months work, 8 months volunteer)

the reason i've added in the laboratory experience is because i'm really hoping to find a position teaching science in english in a college/university. i came across a past job opening for a science position at nanchang(?) medical college, so i started hoping that there are similar positions occasionally, and this wasn't just a very rare occurrence.

just in case this is very rare, what is my best bet in terms of saving money and/or not working extremely long hours?

i really hope someone can help me out here! thanks in advance

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

most jobs involve oral english. there are other jobs out there, that are a bit more "specialized" and perhaps more interesting (mine is) but you need to dig a bit more to find those ones.

you'd better decide what you want more - save money or work less. you can't really have both at least not initially.

saving money means more income, which means longer working hours. private language school maybe.

if you want a relatively stress free year with a light work schedule but still make a decent salary (less saving potential though) then go for that. university job.

establish a goal then find the job that fits your needs. anyway you've got plenty of time, hiring for next august will begin in may next year.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 12:19 am Post subject:

thanks! i think i'll head the university route then since i'll probably have a good amount of savings from my last job. i'm also hoping that they'll let me use their labs for research if i go with a uni position Very Happy

i'll start looking in april/may then!

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Yea if research is what you seek, hit up a uni, but make sure they know you have some scientific ideas you want to look at.

HiddenTreasure · Joined: 03 Oct 2010 Posts: 81

Your degree and "lab experience" are absolutely meaningless.

You can get a job as a language teacher. You don't have the qualifications for the others in China. Unless you are fluent in Chinese, then you have no real chance of any such non-language related job.

Master degree in an "advanced field" .... so why not get a proper job in your own country?

mike w · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 4:22 pm Post subject:

nomad-ish · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:42 am Post subject:

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

I think your qualifications are good. I don't know where you are from, but if you are from GB or N. America, then I think you can get a decent paying job in one of the "off-shore" schools-these are high schools run by Canadians and accredited by various provinces and they must employ qualified teachers. Therefore their remuneration is several times that of a normal language mill.
Then, you can live well AND save some.

Is that what you have in mind?

nomad-ish · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:08 am Post subject:

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

Since you have a master's degree, then you can be accepted as a qualified
independent school teacher, a private institution. I am pretty sure of that.
I am confident you can have that designation and reap the benefits.

I think it would be worth your while to look into "off-shore schools" in the net and see for yourself.

Just contact some of the agents. Good luck!

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

Since you have a master's degree, then you can be accepted as a qualified
independent school teacher, a private institution. I am pretty sure of that.
I am confident you can have that designation and reap the benefits.

I think it would be worth your while to look into "off-shore schools" in the net and see for yourself.

Just contact some of the agents. Good luck!

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

Since you have a master's degree, then you can be accepted as a qualified
independent school teacher, a private institution. I am confident you can have that designation and reap the benefits.

It may be worth your while to look into "off-shore schools" in the net to make sure.

Just contact the agents. Good luck!

PattyFlipper · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 572

mat chen · Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Posts: 494 Location: xiangtan hunan

Patty I love this insult. I have had it many times myself. I have a Chinese wife and love living here. So the hard liners from the cultural revolution who learned English reading the big M's little red book in English would say to me."If you love China why don't you go back to your country and go to China town."

crashintheriver · Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Posts: 8