Job Discussion Forums

[dakelei]

This was in the New York Times today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/opinion/china-as-a-destination-for-job-seekers.html?

Something about this article makes me suspicious. I can't quite put a finger on it. I wanted to post a comment but there is no place to do so, for starters. I read the NY Times every day and have seldom seen an Op-Ed piece that lacked a comments section afterward. Next, the tone of the article to me makes it sound like something from The China Daily, not the NY Times, particularly in the sections where it describes bad things in China BUT how America ain't any better. I also think it's strange that a 20-something with no "Asia experience" wound up with a job at one of the best (if not THE best) universities in China. Maybe I just woke up on the cynical side of bed today but I can't help but think someone put this guy up to writing this. I apologize to Mr. Levine in advance if this is not the case but something about the piece just rings phony to me. Let me stress that I do not completely disagree with the author's sentiments. Most of what he says is true. I just can't shake the feeling that there is a hidden agenda here. Call me paranoid. (And I know some of you will.)

[Non Sequitur]

I'm not an American but it sounds phoney to me too.

[randyj]

This article doesn't seem strange to me. Qinghua and other top-tier schools do not offer high salaries to foreigners because enough people are willing to accept less pay for the prestige of teaching at such a place. Ten years ago Qinghua even offered a job to me.

[Guerciotti]

Yes it reads like a yahoo-style paid advertisement/article.

Maybe his vaguely referenced Columbia degree paved his way to Tsinghua; who knows? That may be a good position but ask anyone who worked at a Chinese uni and they'll tell you it's a crapshoot. You don't know what you'll get. Box of chocolates kind of stuff.

Something ain't right here.

[MisterButtkins]

there was a job ad awhile ago for BeiDa offering 5.5k/month. A pretty bad salary in Beijing. So I believe that Qinghua would hire just anyone. it is amusing how the article tries to depict him as a "Lecturer on American culture" not as a "barely qualified uni grad who probably knows little about foreign language acquisition"

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

He is pretty decently educated; I find it believable.

[Miles Smiles]

It's a minor editorial piece that probably started out as a letter to the editor. Nothing fishy. Nothing substantial. His glasses are still rose-colored.

[Boxcar Johnny]

[igorG]

i also agree. Nothing fishy but feelings and inexperience. Easy to believe.

[veronica2]

Well I actually enjoyed the piece and while I think maybe he is a bit inexperienced, he is just writing his opinion.

[igorG]

And i believe his article may be a prelude to his request for another one year contract.

[veronica2]

Since he is a Columbia grad he may be trying to get a journalism career started, and the New York Time would be a good start.

[blitzkrig]

Uh.
Nothing at what he will do at china's "top ranked" universities will matter in the states. It's simply not transferable to anything he will attempt to do in America.

A job at TsingHua or Erwai is just as crap as any other "teaching job" in China - both in salary and employer.

It's not a smart move to go from USA to China for economic reasons. A simple thing like pension doesn't exist in China - So is the guy going to save 5000 of his 10000 salary to start securing a pension? And medical insurance? I strongly doubt that Tsing Hua offers an international medical insurance. Have fun when a doctor, who might care if he's lucky, is going to explain a serious medical problem.

With international schools as an exception - Teaching in China is mainly cut for people who don't take education seriously and want an "easy" ride.

[veronica2]

Well with all due respect, I guess pensions are pretty much going the way of the dodo bird in America, too. GM and other large companies can't always fund them as they're supposed to.

[Miles Smiles]