Job Discussion Forums

[Non Sequitur]

I wonder if we could jointly compile a minimums checklist for those who want forum-dwellers to comment on job offers?
Some posters seem to feel that posting: �Is RMB5000 per month OK for China?� is a reasonable opening gambit.

My attempt at a list:

� Tax free salary pm?

� Pay for own apartment or free apartment on campus?

� Utilities free or pay?

� Subsidised cafeterias?

� Teaching hours pw?

� How many minutes is a teaching hour?

� What subjects? � Giving the same lesson multiple times in the same week means one lesson plan.

� Requirement for marking in non oral English workload?

� Are timetables flexible enough to arrange permanent or occasional 3-day weekends?

� Any non-class expectations ie admin or English Corners?

� Is all teaching on the one site?

� If you have a split day and work say 8 to 10 and then again 2 to 4, is your apartment close enough to return to?

� In China travel allowance?

� International airfare refund or allowance?

� Paid winter holiday?

� If you re sign are you paid for the summer holiday or part thereof?

� Will the school making the offer allow you to contact current or past FTs?

� Are textbooks provided? Bound to be useless but if �Yes�, it does indicate some preparedness.

� Classroom audio visual equipment?

If these direct and measurable items can be obtained by the OP looking for advice, then the more subjective issues like climate livability, expat community, tolerance of non Caucasian ethnicities, etc can help with the OP�s decision.

Any I�ve missed?

[dean_a_jones]

[lockedinadrawer]

PM, PW, and more.

Don't user abbreviations. They are useless, confusing, out of context and are more of a waste of time than whatever the issues are to begin with.

If you want to be understood then stick with full details, not cut-off abbreviations, because I see some vague things here.

[dean_a_jones]

[Lobster]

A few more:

Is a receipt required for airfare reimbursement?

Is the airfare reimbursement taxed or not?

Will they provide a release letter in a timely way?

Number of students per class max?

Age of students?

Payment for travel time?

A/C and Heat in classrooms?

Evaluation methods and consequences?

On-campus housing: shared? restricted access hours? visitors? power cut at night?

Supervision: who do you report to, how many bosses will you have?

Who pays income taxes? Is a receipt issued regularly?

Sick days?

Stat and non-stat holiday pay?

Notification of and pay for classes cancelled on short notice?

Office hours?

Other school activities?

Paid in full on final day of contract?

Chinese labour law supercedes contract?

Intellectual property rights?

Conditions for notice and termination by both parties?

Vague morality clause?

Probation period length, pay and conditions?

RED

[Miles Smiles]

[Lobster]

Oh Miles, you are an incurable optimist!

BTW, when I came back from afk s.o. said they made 3k PM and I said OMG, rofl!

RED

[Scott 1955]

But

[Trinley]

Those are good things to think about. I would avoid asking too many nit-picky questions though, like "will my pillows be soft and fluffy?" And I wouldn't turn down a good job offer because the bed was traditional. My bed was hard, but I got myself a mattress pad. Somehow they seem prepared for us to ask about the toilet, which I find pretty funny.

But in general, these are helpful points to consider.

[Miles Smiles]

[Non Sequitur]

Some good additions but a lot of the later ones are things you should ask either other FTs (that's Foreign Teachers) that the employer can put you in touch with or people who you encounter on Dave's who have first-hand knowledge.

[Non Sequitur]

Just bumping this to assist new poster.

[buffalobill12323]

This original list is perfectly fine for those who are happy to come see, and experience China and have no money issues - my altered list is for the more ambitious, perhaps with plans of staying a few years and making better money

7000 min plus looking to boost that to 10/12K plus with privates - to do this go to bigger cities - so, this gambit is NOT for the hippy tree hugger type. 20K after a few years is possible, even more if you work your ass off

My attempt at a list:

� Tax free salary pm? - This is irrelevant UNLESS you are making decent money, taxation only begins at 4800

� Pay for own apartment or free apartment on campus? If you have a uni job free is a must

� Utilities free or pay? - not of great import if you are earning at a decent level

� Subsidised cafeterias? Decent earnings? Wish to avoid gutter oil? Avoid

� Teaching hours pw? 14 = 7000, 16 = 8,000 etc (primary job)

� How many minutes is a teaching hour?

� What subjects? � Giving the same lesson multiple times in the same week means one lesson plan. Oral only please

� Requirement for marking in non oral English workload? See above

� Are timetables flexible enough to arrange permanent or occasional 3-day weekends? All my classes in primary job are in 3 week days - tho, it may take a few years to be able to command this

� Any non-class expectations ie admin or English Corners? easy to negotiate your way out of this kind of stuff

� Is all teaching on the one site? Important

� If you have a split day and work say 8 to 10 and then again 2 to 4, is your apartment close enough to return to? Go home and nap at lunchtime

� In China travel allowance? 2200 is standard and provided by the govt - if your not getting it, fishy

� International airfare refund or allowance? Negotiate or a refund rather than a fixed allowance, which is never enough

� Paid winter holiday? Anything less than 100%, walk away

� If you re sign are you paid for the summer holiday or part thereof? Anything less than 100%, walk away, my last 2 uni jobs offer 12 full months to all, re-sign or not

� Will the school making the offer allow you to contact current or past FTs? probably Patsys anyway - untrustworthy

� Are textbooks provided? Bound to be useless but if �Yes�, it does indicate some preparedness. Provision of useless textbooks is a good thing? Mkayyyyyy

� Classroom audio visual equipment?

If these direct and measurable items can be obtained by the OP looking for advice, then the more subjective issues like climate livability, expat community, tolerance of non Caucasian ethnicities, etc can help with the OP�s decision.

Any I�ve missed?[/quote]

[Bud Powell]

The question about who pays the taxes is important. If you're not fluent in Chinese, You'll have to depend on someone else to help you remit taxes. public Unis are notorious for not remitting taxes. The upshot is that unless you can present evidence of your having paid taxes you won't be able to convert currency.

Give up on the school-supplied computer. If they work at all, they're full of bugs. Bring your own.

[teenoso]