Job Discussion Forums

[Erutpar]

I'm looking to get my feet wet in China, specifically Beijing. I'm American with a Bachelor's degree and some English camp experience. I know many of these training centers have their ups and downs and obviously I'd like to take the path of less stress. I'm just hoping some of you can chime in on your experience, or what you've heard about these places in Beijing.

So far I've found
Wall Street
EF
Meten
New Oriental
Shane English School

If you can recommend others I'd appreciate it. I'm leaning towards teaching adults, though my priority is finding a decent starter school.

Kind regards

[Erutpar]

Please?
Or if you can point me to some Beijing specific resources related to training centers. I'm scanning this forum with little success.

[twilothunder]

Never worked at any of those places, but have heard plenty about some of them from colleagues and friends who have worked at these places (note that in some cases, in different locations to Beijing...)

New Oriental - mostly good and can pay very well (after you prove your competency and loyalty). I know one ex-IELTS examiner at New Oriental who is making a lot on the back of his expertise and experience.
EF - known lots of people who've worked for these up and down the country. Most people say similar: A decent first China job (but no-one seems to stick around for more than a couple of years).
Shane - heard mostly bad things.

[therock]

In Beijing a lot of these schools require two years experience and a TEFL due to work permit requirements. If your heart is set on Beijing and don't have the two years experience or TEFL, you'll definitely find something, but most likely the school will not be able to get you a working visa.