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| Tips of Surviving In China | ||
| This is for all you that are thinking of working in China. I am passing some bits of advice that have come at the expense of others. Trust me when I say that they paid for it dearly!!!!! 1. There are some decent recruiters, but many of them are not!!!! Have them right everything down on paper. All offers etc.. If you do get screwed by one at least you got some evidence for legal recourse if necessary. This is usually a pain in the ass but better than nothing. Dependening on how bad they worked you over. Many places you can contact directly. There are enough jobs here that you do not need a recruiter. The good schools have no problems in getting teachers, and many of the new ones with no experience or ones with bad reputations need recruiters to get them teachers. So use your best judgement upon this. 2. You will often have to sign 2 contracts. 1 is govt related the other is normally the in house contract the school will have you sign. Beware of them changing contracts on you at the last minute. If you are in the states have them sign terms with you B4 you go!!!!! 3. The govt schools pay less but normally you have to deal with less BS. However, I have heard od some schools pulling some shysty stuff on teachers, but the majority of the time they are on the up and up. Standard State package is 2-4k, Housing, Airfare reimbursement, Insurance, Travel subsidy which is either 1/2 of your monthly salary, 2-4 weeks paid vacation time, basic utilities - does not include long distance calls, Z visa sponsorship to include Residents Permit and Foreign experts certificate, and sometimes food supplements - free lunch at the cafeteria. 4. If you are serious about teaching in China, be prepared to do 2 years. Year one is break your cherry so to speak. Once you are in country and learn the ropes, you can find better paying jobs for the second year. 5. Have some basic people skills. No matter how you hate the SOB, try to break on good terms. Sometimes counting to 100 and being persistent helps. If they screw you over on your final pay, accept that your being screwed and get your release letter and get the hell out of there. Also warn the rest of the community. Because many of the expats have been burned in one way or another. Just think of it as you paying your dues, and go find a better spot. 6. Expect some amount of pimping. Most foreigners often get used in the schools marketing program. Expect to do a few hours. Usually its voluntary, but saying no may create some hostility. Better yet, have a clause in your contract that address these issues. 7. DO NOT ACCEPT ANY JOB THAT TELLS YOU TO COME IN A TOURIST VISA. If the school cannot get you in on a Z visa they are not legally able to issue you one, because they do not have the proper government permission to do so. They may bring you in on an F visa. Some places are reputable others are not. Trust your instincts on this. There are some programs that treat their teachers well, but many do not. 8. ASK FOR REFERENCES!!!!!!!!!!! Ask for the email and names of teachers working there now or that have worked there in the past. If a school is going to jack you, it will promise you anything in the world and put it on paper. Brutal reality is a harsh lesson. If it sounds to good to be true, probably is. 9. If you are looking for a wonderful experience, try the outlying areas. They will appreciate you!!! The pay is not as good, but you will be treated as a guest. Most of the good experiences I have heard come from those poorer areas, they don't have much to offer, but you will be honored, or they invite you to their home to eat with their family. You will get a true reflection of true Chinese hospitality. Yes you may not have hot running water, or have to use a squat toilet, but if they have a bowl of rice, they will offer it to you. It is whats in the heart that I appreciate. 10. Those wanting the bucks, try the private universities out. They tend to pay more than state runned operations. Some are good, others are hell holes. This will depend on management. Do your homework and background checks. Because of few hours of writing e-mails and surfing for information will be well spent vs. going through a nightmare. The average price ranges from 5-10k RMB monthly salary. Includes Airfare reimbursement, housing, visa sponsorship, 2-4 weeks paid vacation, and sometimes insurance, meals, end of contract bonus. Like any job you will need to negotiate, depending on market price and availability of teachers - you may or may not get asking price. Recently, many reputable places have wanted TESOL/CELTA certification. I have done fine without it. Basically, I plan my lessons, and use techniques that can be found in TESOL programs. I learned my way through by doing the job - OJT. I am also an experienced Human Resources Trainer. Unless you got experiene in training, I would advise getting these certifications. They will help you open doors to the better jobs. I have mainly depended upon my good references from positions that I have worked at. These go a long way. Also I have a network of friends that know my teaching abilities. If you don't have these, find an institution that will sponsor you to get it. Yeah you will work at lower pay for a year, but your 2nd year will be much more rewarding. It is worth thinking about for you newbies. 11. Look for foreign management where possible. Not all foreigners are trustworthy. I know a few expats willing to screw over other expats. If you are one of these, you are the lowest scum on this earth!!!! The rest of what I think of you - you can only imagine. However, most foreignors tend to run operations a bit better than some of the Chinese runned operations. Although, some chinese schools have gotten better, but until it is the norm, expect the worse. 12. Do not come over broke that you can't get out of here!!! Have a margin of safety that if worse comes to worse that you can pack your bags get into a hotel and leave the country. Have a no fault part in your contract that either party can back out in 90 days if terms are not acceptable. Often times the school will right this probationary period in their favor, where they have the option only. Make sure you get it. You will pay for your own airfare but - shyt happens. Also add an emergency leave clause, for family deaths and sickness - requires death certificate and doctors note. 13. Be willing to adapt to changes, and you will need to have a strong personality. You may be lucky and get into a good school, but then you may not. Remember you are not in the West, we have an expression amongst the expat community. TIC= This is China. They do things a bit different here. Do not expect them to be as organized or efficient as they are at home. I have seen many managers that are incapable of doing their jobs. They may have a Masters or PHd but they don't know squat about running an organization. Good teachers does not neccesarily make you a good administrator or human resources manager. Although I have seen some excellent ones that have worked their way up from teaching positions. 14. Interpersonal communications skills are valuable. Know how to handle yourself. Remember in dealing with the Chinese to allow them to save face and do things in a discreet manner. 15. Review your contract with a fine tooth comb. Look at the phrasing of the language. Define class periods & sessions. I.E. School may tell you 20 x 45 minute sessions but this means 45 minute class with 15 minute break. Therefore you are there an hour, but paid for 45 minutes. You may wish to address these issues. |