Job Discussion Forums

[mieze]

Hello everyone, I'm about to ask a lot of questions to which I could (and indeed have already) gleam some info on each individual one from using the search function, but am going to just ask all at once here and anyone who'd like to help me out can answer and I will be grateful to them.

The type of thing I'm looking at is a tier 2-3 uni job, and I've got 3 main questions.

1. Getting the job.

Basically, I am 23, soon 24, with a BA and MA in a *very* vaguely related field, and a 3 year old CELTA which I've never really used. Have some teaching experience but only 1 to 1 and in my field, and no real professional reference. So am I a catch, or even employable (visa limit is 25...)?

2. Doing the job

I'm worried about teaching. My CELTA was so long ago now that I feel like I need a whole lot of prep, or, support on the ground in order not to have a constant panic attack for the first month or so. On the other hand apart from the lack of support and big class sizes, uni sounds like the perfect habitat for me. Low hours, pay and hassle from management is all fine with me, and I don't think I could handle any more than 20hours per week in any environment. Do you folks think I should just go for the uni job and hope that my initiative combines with favourable conditions and it all just works out OK, or should I just stomach a heavier workload and go to a language mill for some coaching and support?

3. Remuneration for the job.

I've been living on the dole in London for the past 6 months, which works out as about 2000RMB/m, in a city with about 80% higher prices according to Numbeo. I think this means I can live fairly easily on any salary I'm at all likely to be offered, right? Even only just over 4k RMB with free accom? (maybe not in Beijing, but elsewhere...)


Apologies for the length of post, and again if these questions bore you to tears every time you see them.

[haleynicole14]

1. Getting the job.

I think you will have no problem finding a job, although you didn't say what your degree was in. Jobs in China seem to be readily available to anyone who wants one, though the quality of the workplace can vary quite a bit. Just do your research on whatever job you are considering before you accept it.

2. Doing the job

No matter what preparation you have, the job will require some effort and present some challenges the first few weeks. Every class is different, and you have to get to know your students and school before you learn what routine will work best. I would recommend finding a routine for every class and loosely following a curriculum of your choice, if the school doesn't provide one. The curriculum and supplies you are provided will vary greatly between programs. At the middle school I taught at and for most other teachers I knew at other schools, we were just set loose and told to teach English with no idea of what to teach or where to start. Find out if you have curriculum provided or if you provide your own so you can plan ahead.

3. Remuneration for the job.

I made 4k RMB and had no problem. It was enough to purchase whatever I wanted and eat out as often as I liked in Hunan. But this is on the lower end of the payscale - if you can, try to get a little higher.

----
I'm certainly not an expert on teaching in China, but I hope this information helps. I remember when I was leaving for China and had absolutely no idea what to expect. The best advice I read was don't take yourself too seriously - not that you shouldn't be professional in your work, but that normally foreigners are hired to educate students on Western culture and to help them increase their oral proficiency. Classes can be fun, and since students are used to sitting and listening to lectures and studying for tests endlessly, they will appreciate a lower-pressure environment to practice their English.

[xiguagua]

First starting out I think you need to accept that you're gonna have classes that are completely horrible. CELTA and this stuff is excellent to prepare you, but it takes a bit of getting used to actually being in Chinese classes with 30-50 kids. You gotta just keep at it and take lots of notes as to what works, what didn't work, and how you can continue to improve to make things better.

I still look back at some of my classes and think "What was I thinking?" but you can't focus on that, just strive for constant improvement and you'll be ok.


Salary wise, if you're living in a small city you don't need much money at all. Where I was before, I pretty much never spent over 1k per month. I'm not a big shopper, not a big bar person, and I ate out ever meal in the school canteen or at a local small restaurant. But there was another teacher there that somehow managed to blow 5k a month.......I have no idea how he managed it.

[toteach]

Don't worry, you'll get a job offer. Write a friendly cover letter and post a photo of you smiling, and you'll get loads of offers.

You'll need to be more selective than you might think. Do you want to teach children, middle school, high school, college-age, or adults? Do you want to work at a public school, a private school, or a language school? Focus on your wants and then apply to those schools--no sense in taking the first thing that comes along if you really would prefer something else.

If you live frugally, you'll have to problems living on the offered salary. I find that I'm able to save at least 50%, but then I eat and shop locally.

[mieze]

Thanks for the replies.

Good to be confirmed in my belief that it's really easy to get a job anyway. Another problem is that I have a strong (its all relative) regional accent, which I can do my best at concealing but to any native speaker will be very obvious. Is that maybe my biggest problem?

[mieze]

[Opiate]

[choudoufu]

money won't be a problem as long as you don't have bills back home to pay.
unless you go to yunnan (pay average 3500), you'll likely get around
5000 rmb/month at most universities for 16 hours/week. you'll get
a furnished apartment with utilities paid, a paid winter vacation, health
insurance, and perhaps 10k flight allowance/reimbursement, (confirm it!
make sure it's all in the contract addendum).

5000 rmb goes a long way. you'll probably have some expenses the
first month to set up your apartment. (my school's idea of cooking
equipment was a hotplate, wok, rice-cooker and chopsticks) you can
cook yourself, or eat cheaply at the school cafeterias. you'll live on
campus, so no commuting costs. (do confirm that one.) 1000/month
can be comfortable.

doing the job? you'll probably have oral english and writing courses.
you can use the time from now until you come over with a fresh z-visa
to research the esl websites. you might want to print off 30 oral
lesson plans and 15 writing classes -- arrive at your new school with
your entire first semester already prepared.

[mieze]

That's a good idea choudoufu, probably wouldn't have thought of going to such concrete lengths before I go but it will make a massive difference i'd imagine, even if i do change them all after the first day.

[xiguagua]

The schools will know your age when they look at your passport or photo which will be almost immediately. So when applying for a school or when they see your resume and stuff they will know your age, so there's no reason to mention it.

Uni class sizes aren't bad at all. I know some unis with 20 students per class, mine had 50 however. But look at the alternatives, if you teach high school, you'll have a lot more. I had 60. Junior school, I had 90. Primary school, good lord i've never tried because it's probably a nightmare.


I would disagree with Opiate. There is no way you can blow 4k a month on eating unless you are just constantly eating. Or I guess going to expensive nicer restaurants and living the Western life. Possibly if you live in Beijing, Shanghai, GZ, or these huge cities and demand to eat out every day. But the OP said he wants a 2-3tier city which this won't be the case. And there's nothing wrong with "living like a local" why parade yourself around like you're better than everyone? You can cook for yourself and save money and eat healthier, or you can go to small restaurants or the school cafeteria. I ate out (usually in the canteens) every day for 3 years in China and NEVER spent anywhere close to 1k a month on food. And now that i'm cooking every day it's maybe 35-40 yuan per week on food.

[haleynicole14]

[rogerwilco]

[xiguagua]

[zootown]

[therock]