Job Discussion Forums

[l_ho_]

I've just started to apply to schools, hoping for a job that starts in July\Aug\September. I've been a bit disappointed in the lack of good offers\responses that I've received, having sent my CV and cover letter to a few dozen universities and not having heard back from one.

I finally gave in and gave my info to a recruiting agency, something I was hoping to avoid doing, having heard and read a bunch of horror stories in dealing with them, plus I would rather not give someone else a cut of my hard-earned salary. Nevertheless, the recruiting agency has only come back to me with poor offers, most of which I haven't even considered for a second.

A few times in my life I've hopped on a plane to a new destination and found a job within a week just by pounding the concrete and wallpapering the town with my resume. However, these were all in English speaking areas.

I keep reading some people recommending the in-person approach, but without any teaching experience or the ability to speak Mandarin I'm nervous that things could go very wrong (at the very least losing the cost of a roundtrip ticket) if I just fly over and try my luck.

...that being said, I am still considering it right now while the end of summer flights are cheaper than they will be in a few months.

Has anyone else attempted this before with no teaching experience? Would one of the "veterans" of this site and of teaching in China recommend it? Any major precautions I should take before I try it?

[dean_a_jones]

I said it depends, mainly because this could be done if you have a lot of spare cash you could burn through and don't mind heading home if for whatever reason you don't find a decent job.

You are probably still slightly early for most universities, hence the lack of response. I have just been sent an ad to edit for recruitment, but our school has not even asked which of us are sticking around next year. Although some places will start their recruitment now, most are likely to wait until April or May. If you wanted a university job, I think you will just have to be a bit patient and bide your time.

If you do want to do the in-person thing, then pick a city and be prepared to spend thousands setting yourself up, dashing around, etc. Keep in mind a lack of language skills and Chinese experience will make the whole prospect tricky. You will also likely have to make a visa run to Hong Kong or whatnot (assuming you find a legit job) and probably have to pay for it yourself (which can be expensive and time consuming, depending on where you are).

Also worth noting that coming in on a tourist visa sounds like it is getting a bit more tricky, and have heard people reporting they need to have return flights booked (or at least flights out of China) as well as an itinerary and evidence of things like hotels booked.

Honestly, I think you are better off being patient, sending in more CVs and paying more for the flight a bit later. If saving money is your objective, arriving without a job will likely not help this cause.

[bnej]

If you have teaching experience and the necessary certifications, flying here and trying to get a job after you land isn't AS risky as coming here with no experience and no certifications.

[gravilove19]

If you are going to attempt to come without a job I would have a list of places and companies you know are at hiring. That way when you get here you don't have to worry about finding the people as well. I currently teach in Weishan, Jining City, Shandong, China. If you need help PM me.