Job Discussion Forums

lukebrinkworth · Joined: 13 Apr 2011 Posts: 4

Hello everyone,

First time poster, long time admirer of the excellent advice offered here.

Just thought I'd share some info about Wall Street English. They have emailed me telling me they can't accept my application as I don't have the necessary two years experience. This has come as a bit of a surprise to me as EF have been happy to consider me. I have a degree and CELTA qualification, but the teaching experience was the stumbling block.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Perhaps there has been a crackdown recently on schools recruiting teachers without the 2 years experience? Maybe it's because Wall Street hires more in the big cities and they find it harder to get round the rule?

Luke.

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

sistercream · Joined: 18 Dec 2010 Posts: 497 Location: Pearl River Delta

Chinese law/ regulations = the opinion or preference of the local person with the most money/ guanxi.
You can go to two neighbouring cities (or even individual schools) and have the authorities tell you totally contradictory versions of the national regulations pertaining to the employment of foreigners, or any other subject for that matter.

time to teach · Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 73 Location: Bangkok

It probably means they have enough applicants right now with 2 years of teaching experience listed on their CVs.

As China, including the big mills here with salaries in the S. Korea range, continues to attract more and more foreign teachers, it allows schools like WSI to stiffen their hiring standards.

If you've got a TEFL cert and a bit of teaching experience, you could certainly cut the mustard at WSI, but as a general rule they only hire teachers with less than 2 years via personal references from other teachers, etc.

Another 'who you know' situation for sure.

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

I was turned down very early in the process of applying to Wall Street too. I DO have just over 5 years EFL experience, but as I was teaching whilst completing my BA, much of my experience is NOT post degree. The two year experience had to be post degree and I wont have two years post degree experience until Dec of this year.

I accepted that and my feeling is that Wall Street has quite high standards, esp when compared to many employers in China. I dont think thats a bad thing TBH!

knight4ever · Joined: 02 Sep 2010 Posts: 49 Location: Shenzhen

Depending where the OP applied, some cities are very strict about 2 years of teaching experience in order to procure a work visa. Beijing and Shanghai are very tight about this policy. Shenzhen and Guangzhou are a little more relaxed but it is becoming much tougher than before in these cities too.