Job Discussion Forums

Kent Golding · Joined: 14 Oct 2010 Posts: 15

I want to teach in China, and from what little I know, Gold Star appears to be a reputable company. Their clients include Disney, EF and Shane English School. I sent in application materials yesterday and they got back to me ASAP.
However, I only found a few reviewers online, and they posted uniformly positive reviews. Maybe I'm cynical, but that seems a little suspicious. I know some of these companies stock the web with phony, positive reviews.
Also, what about Footprints Recruiting? They seem pretty legit, and their website seems really helpful. But I found a few bad reviews online.
I'm convinced that any attempt to secure a job teaching overseas will be a leap of faith - it has to be. I've never taught overseas before, and it is impossible for me to foresee every scenario and to know exactly what I'm getting into. But I'm finally ready to take that leap.
Any info about these companies - or if you can recommend any truly great recruiters for China - is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

bnej · Joined: 09 Jun 2009 Posts: 57 Location: Toronto

Kent, what's your situation like? university grad? TESOL/TESL/TEFL/CELTA? my guess is no experience?

how long do you want to do it for?

My experience is that recruiters are only good to go through (for China) if you have a specific goal, or a specific job that you desire. ie. if you're a qualified high school physics teacher with some years of experience, it would pay to contact a recruiter to try and find you a suitable position at an international school. If however you're a fresh grad with no experience, I think it'd be best for you just to do the leg work on your own and get in touch with schools directly.

mike w · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:22 am Post subject:

Kent Golding · Joined: 14 Oct 2010 Posts: 15

bnej: I graduated college in 2004. I worked about 2 1/2 years for a "distance-learning" company in the USA. I was pretty successful at the company, but they finally fired me earlier this year after my continued employment proved intolerable for both parties. (I say "finally" because I wish they'd have fired me months earlier, but anyway...)
I also have a TESOL certificate. At my company, I taught South Korean students exclusively. I have never taught abroad before (or worked abroad, period,) and, given the "known unknowns" and "unknown unknowns" I am dealing with (to borrow some phrases from Donald Rumsfeld) I would feel more comfortable in the hands of a recruiter, even given the drawbacks to recruiters that I have heard about.

Kent Golding · Joined: 14 Oct 2010 Posts: 15

mike w: What are some negative things about the companies I mentioned?
I took an EF educational tour to the British Isles when I was in high school, so in the back of my mind I have a feeling of goodwill toward that company. When it comes to the House of Mouse, however (Disney) I am prepared to believe the worst.
About Shane English School and Wall Street English, I am completely ignorant.
Whatcha got?

mike w · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:24 am Post subject:

EF - possibly the most disreputable of all the language mills in China. Do a search on Dave's - there must be pages and pages of postings. I would suggest that the negative postings outweigh the positive by about 100:1.

Shane - I know people who have worked for Shane in the not too distant past - they didn't have many good things to say about them, especially about finding reasons to take money out of salaries.

Disney - Mickey Mouse outfits - corporate line - singing and dancing and entertaining the kids. Don't see that fitting in with someone who wants to teach.

Wall St. - You didn't mention them in your first post. I know a couple of guys who have worked at Wall St. - they didn't have too many complaints - and the ones they did have weren't major issues. more like a bit of 'nit-picking'.

Kent Golding · Joined: 14 Oct 2010 Posts: 15

I also had read negative things about Shane. Disney is Disney, and it's pretty surreal no matter how you look at it.
The Wall Street company seems kind of attractive. I used to teach South Koreans - adult business people. Talk about motivated. And usually friendly. I feel a little more comfortable with adult students, but figured the teachers' qualifications also would need to be higher.

Kent Golding · Joined: 14 Oct 2010 Posts: 15

Yes, I forgot to mention the Wall Street company at first. But they are one of the clients represented by Gold Star.
Also DD Dragon. I've read some positive things about them, despite the fact that their name sounds like an old school Nintendo game.
Anyone know about DD Dragon?

spicykimchi · Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 50

I've been talking with Gold Star, and I'm a bit suspicious so far. I have four years' experience in Korea, and I majored in English, too. So I didn't think that it would be that difficult to find a job. But I got this message from Gold Star, "It is imperative that you have a TEFL certificate. Otherwise, you will be unable to obtain a work visa." The recruiter then sends a link to me with a bunch of online TEFL classes, and of course the most expensive one has a "recommended by Gold Star" sign next to it.

Then again, I've been seeing quite a few jobs that want the candidate to have a TEFL certification. Is this a new requirement?

w68ill@yahoo · Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 8 Location: China

Jim Althans who runs Gold Star was my Dos at EF Wenzhou. He's honest. The requirements for getting a work VISA to teach in China are going up all the time. It's now difficult to get a Visa in some places even if you have a degree and a TESOL certificate, the authorities are wanting experience as well. It's a good idea to get some type of certificate to ease the VISA process.

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

I can honestly say at least half of the FTs I met here, probably closer to 3/4, don't have TEFL certificates.

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

Guerciotti · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:35 am Post subject:

If you must get a TEFL, try something like the ITTT 100 hour online course. The price is reasonable for a sometimes necessary credential. My university required it but as others said it's not a hard and fast rule.