Job Discussion Forums

[DosEquisX]

As of late, I have been receiving some absurd offers from universities. Last time I was searching for a job, I went through a recruiter (merely 9 months ago). The salaries were higher and the hours were lower.

Now, I am searching for work on my own and some of the contract offers I'm getting are an insult to my intelligence. Some examples from universities:

18 hours (60 minutes each), 4,000 RMB/month, 3,000 RMB flight reimbursement, one month vacation

20 hours (45 minutes each), 4,000 RMB, 5,000 RMB flight reimbursement

18 hours (45 minutes each), 4,500 RMB, internet and phone bills paid by FT, 5,000 RMB flight reimbursement

Is this a downward trend in the ESL market in China? Or am I being severely lowballed because I am searching for jobs on my own and they think I'm an ignorant fool?

[choudoufu]

same locations?

[DosEquisX]

[choudoufu]

i mean your search location now --- same as last time? are you
comparing pingguo to chengzi?

southwest typically has much lower pay than the average university.
going rate in kunming is under 3500....with a masters.

deep into guangxi, there are unis offering 2500/month.

[DosEquisX]

I'm currently in China.

[choudoufu]

i mean your search locations within china.

your last search 9 months ago. what cities/provinces were you
considering?

this search. same areas?

[DosEquisX]

Ack, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Last time around, I was looking at offers around 5000 RMB from unis in smallish cities throughout China via recruiters. I didn't have any specific location in mind since I was pretty ignorant about what cities were better than others. I basically just fired out applications to any job with what I perceived to be reasonable hours and pay.

This time around, I wanted to stick to large cities. I had schools in Guangzhou and Nanjing interested in me, but their offers were quite poor (exception was one than GZ that offered a contract, but has ditched me since). I wanted to pursue positions in Wuhan (my current location), but every place I tried was not hiring.

Since then, I have expanded into smaller cities scattered around China, some of which I have never even heard of.

I've been job searching for about two weeks now and have had plenty of offers, but I am looking for one that is at least as good (though preferably better) than my current offer. Aside from one in GZ, none have come my way. When I explain why I would like to obtain better (or equivalent) money, they cut me off and go elsewhere.

I guess people are willing to take those salaries without batting an eye, leaving me with trash offers.

[xiguagua]

I teach at Shaoyang University right now and my current contract is better than all three of the ones you listed. I'm leaving after this term so that job is probably to replace me Send me a PM if you want some more details on the job/city/school.

[Baozi man]

The circumstances at schools differ; however, before you accept a lowball salary, consider these actual numbers regarding the kind of money FTs generate:

I generate ~484000 a year for my school. That's gross. I am paid significantly more than you were offered and have a nice, big flat close to the school. I cost the school about 100000 a year in salary and benefits. That leaves ~384000 for the school and the mafia like organization with which I am associated. I'm just one teacher. There are others.

Other universities receive between 90 and 120K a year from the gov't for an FT. It's hard to quantify or generalize because there are so many variables. I just know my own figures and what I was told by a government accountant.

I was recently offered a job for 4500/monthly, which I spurned. Those are salaries which were being paid years ago. Everything in China has gone up, except FT salaries. Average income in China has increased ~300% in the last ten years. Most goods have gone up significantly in price. I recently paid 300RMB for a pair of pants that fit properly. A few years ago, I would have paid less than 100. I bought an ill fitting cheap pair that ripped apart the first time I washed them but what good are they?

Quality merchandise is more expensive here than the States. Knock off Levis cost 900-1200RMB in the local mall. A [fake] iphone is ~4000-5000RMB, is it not?

Depending on location, 5000RMB can be more than enough to live for a single person. You can buy a basic phone for a few hundred. What about your gf? She needs money too, you know. Don't forget holidays. If you sit in your flat watching DVDs instead of going to Yunnan, Laos, Japan and so forth, you're an idiot.

[xiguagua]

[liebkuchen]

I'm curious, too. While I'm probably just spending one year in China, my friend who teaches French as a foreign language definately wants to stay.
We were discussing renegotiating contracts with another friend. We currently get 4000rmb a month and free electricity for 16 hours max a week, sometimes less. My other friend thinks she should be aiming for 7000rmb a month. She has a BA and a post grad diplom from France. We're in a seaside city in Shandong. I thought this was a bit high but read this thread with a sense of despair.

[Opiate]

[choudoufu]

[MisterButtkins]

Are you looking for jobs that start next Spring? maybe you should have started a bit sooner. Or maybe you just need to look more. I got offered 6.5k at a uni when I was last looking for jobs (last spring), and 11k to teach at a private school for like 30 hours a week. I have a BA in English, 2 years experience, no TEFL, so my qualifications are okay but definitely not great.

Also, salaries are negotiable, and airfare is definitely negotiable. Honestly sometimes it can be as easy as just asking for a higher salary or more airfare and they will give you a bit more.

Oh yeah, despite common sense dictating otherwise, it has been my experience that applying to unis directly will often get you much lower offers than dealing with a recruiter, although you are more likely to get dicked around by a university which uses a recruiter instead of hiring directly.

[Simon in Suzhou]

Baozi Man wrote: