The Employment Supermarket

[Gonzo Journalist]

This is not an essay or a rant.
I've done a lot of B.Ed teaching practicum supervision and evaluation over the years. I think I can spot good, or potentially good, teachers.
Then why am I seeing what I see in China? People I think have the ability are desperate for work. Others with the talent only to spin poo on the internet have landed in favourable jobs.
Chinasyndrome has a great sticky on the CV part of the process. But how about us laborers in the literary vineyards, we chalkface workers [and not excluding CS, because he definitely is], giving readers an insight into:
how you landed a job you're happy with;and/or
what would you do differently to get a really good job?

Please note here, "good" is by your definition. Money, no roaches, short hours, free beer, nubile wenches [or boys]......you decide, but you do need to spell it out.

My contribution later. You can see mine if I can see yours. God, how many times have I heard that!

[Roger]

I taught at a British-founded private secondary school in Hong Kong for 2 years, and was rather happy with working conditions and the professionalism of the school. It was another story as regards the treatment I received at the hands of my British colleagues; let's simply put it as the twain shall never mix!

How did I get this job?
I was tutoring the kids of an expat family, he from the UK, she from Canada, and since he was very happy with my endeavours he recommended me to this school which invited me to do this part-time job.
At the end of my stint, when the kids had to pass a GCSE, all succeeding, I was given a letter of recommendation.

While this letter of recommendation has been helpful in the mainland to get me new jobs every year, I can't say I have ever been as lucky again.

[Lager]

Good job???

A) teaching issues. Do they care enough to provide the basics like printers copiers etc. Do they take even a slight interest in your classes. Not all schools do.

B) non teching stuff. Do they give a damn about your well-being. Not all do. Do they play games and say-Yes we will do that tomorrow only to never do it. Example--I am up early because they came around and put curtains on the windows. I have been here 6 months.

I have had 2 jobs in China and they have been night and day. The 1st was Shaoxing University which I would highly recommend. Laugh at the low salary (they offered all the overtime you wanted though) but they really know how to treat FT;s. Frm the moment they met me at the airport they showed a sincere interest in how I was getting along. I am not a kid that needs to be taken around by the hand. But China is bizarre when you first arrive and I really appreciated this royal treatment. By contrast an old friend is working in Guangzhou and is having a horrible time. He has not had drinking water or gas for months. They pay late and the wrong amount---making him fight for his salary. He pays for utils although they dont work and his own visa. They accuse him of being a bad teacher and threatento fire and fine him...This is his first time in China and he is getting extremely bitter.

So how did I find my lovely job??? The short answer is the tefl site. I was lucky though. Late last Feb the school were short 2-3 teachers. I was finishing up in Korea and said I could be there fast. I enjoyed the term immensely...By the way the other teachers were terrific. All were happy to be in China--studying the lang etc. A very sensible bunch. Not like the crybabies you see a lot. Insanely I told them I did not wish to stay for a 2nd term---wanted to see another province...Later I changed my mind but it was too late. They filled the spots ---mostly with MA's. (They are trying to get a higher status with the gov;t and now employ mostly people with advanced degrees.)

MO are there really good teachers having trouble finding work??? Sounds unusual but jobs do get filled fast...In August I was looking at Uni's in Chengde and Tianjin... When I hesitated the spots were quickly filled. And Tianjin only pays 3000.

Professionalism is important of course but I really think in PRC the main thing is how you are treated. If they want they can make life a living hell as my poor friend is finding out.

[Roger]

Competition is a factor not to ignore!
In Shaoxing they must treat you with a modicum of respect otherwise you could be off to grener pastures in next to no time.
In SHanghai or Guangzhou, though, people's disposable incomes enable them to "buy" what they want, which lures all manner of businesses to satisfy their desires - some without leaning on the law that governs employment of foreign nationals.
Salaries and hourly rates in these cities are "high" by Chinesestandards - and that's often a risk for those who offer them to "teachers" (I mean foreign teachers). They tend to just pay hourly wages, and often you end up having no lesson because there have been no takers.
Most jobs in big towns now are assignments to schools that pay to an agent.
There also is a high concentration of the country's most respected institutions in these places, and they have been on a turbocharged expansion drive lately. I guess their investments in new campuses is eventually going to strain the banking system, or to bankrupt some of these universities!
I walked out of a well-paid job after two months last semester precisely because my city-run college was operating in a brand-new campus, and cutting every corner they conceivably could cut -at my expense.

[roaming kiwi]

...because my city-run college was operating in a brand-new campus, and cutting every corner they conceivably could cut -at my expense.

Ooo that seems so familiar.

"Sorry, you can't have new books, because we're moving to a new compus in September."

"Sorry, we won't fix the cesspit toilets, because we're moving to a new compus in September."

"Sorry, we can't fix the microphones or the 'multi-media unit', because we're moving to a new compus in September."

"Sorry, we can't fix the incorrect English signs, because we're moving to a new compus in September."

"Sorry, we can't get our heads out of our arses, because we're moving to a new compus in September."

"Sorry, ......because we're moving to a new compus in September."


Now the thing is, "compus" is NOT a typo. I was officially told by the head of the English majors that China is making it's own form of English "like American English or New Zealand English". That hurts.

Hmmm, next time you drive into Baoding city (Hebei) from the north, immediately after the toll gate look right and up at the first building that proudly states in HUGE letters "Site of Baoding Teachers College new compus".

Priceless.

Oops I digress 'tho.

[Steiner]

Isn't that where Hamish is? Nice work, Hamish. Good to see you've got everything under control there in Baoding

[Hamish]

Stop by this web site for a laugh on this subject exactly.

www.ysu.edu.cn/english/compus.htm

"The Beautiful Compus of Yanshan University"

RK writes

Hmmm, next time you drive into Baoding city (Hebei) from the north, immediately after the toll gate look right and up at the first building that proudly states in HUGE letters "Site of Baoding Teachers College new compus".

Right! And, it is one of those Swiss Army deals with the swivel and crossed-haired gun sight on top where a MAN can aim artillery and poo like that.

MAN stuff.

Huh?

Steiner said:

Isn't that where Hamish is? Nice work, Hamish. Good to see you've got everything under control there in Baoding

I can't even control who they hire at this dump. We got yer bubbling blonds with their pet cave dwellers sweeping in here from the underworld and jabbering in some unwashed anti-English, claiming that they're part of our gene pool, and scaring the natives with the beat of a profoundly different drum.

Nice enough, but we gotta get her “mate” to wash his knuckles before the big faculty dinner with the Party Secretary.

[Sandgropers]

Sounds like you're hiring some of the 'Yahoos' from Gulliver's Travels

Cheers

[roaming kiwi]

...and jabbering in some unwashed anti-English,

This is coming from the guy that thinks modern British English is older and more archaic than that gurgling noise that emanates and is meant to pass as "language" from his bulking form.

[Wolf]

What did I do right in finding my job? Not much, I guess. But I got lucky.

I responded to an add that my university placed on tefl.com. I highlighted the fact that I acually had experience working in Asia already, etc. It must have worked, because they hired me instead of a local applicant.

What would I do differently? Interesting you should ask, as my new job hunt is about to begin. I'm trying to find a job in a country I do not currently live in (again), so my list might be a bit different than just trying to hop two towns over.

1. Use all internet recources available to me. And over the past few months I've tried to make a reasonably complete list of ones that cover the areas I'm interested in.

2. Trust my instincts. If I sense a Disturbance in the Force, then I walk. This isn't an easy thing to guage, but I've paid my dues with crap jobs, I think.

3. Ask to speak to teachers already there. Ie unmonitored communication with current FEs. If the place is a joke, they won't let me. And if the details don't mesh with what I'm looking for, I'll know before I go.

4a. Toss all my good stuff onto my resume. Teaching experience, BA in English Lit, my embryonic MA studies, volunteer radio work, JLPT score (hey I failed the test, but not by much), full time work experience, etc. Plus a photo. Sigh, most places ask for one.

4b. Get my letters of recommendation in order. Past and present (I'm going to bug my dean and FAO for some nice, juicy, red chop besotted letters.)

5. Finish my contract here. I'm about to complete a year and a half living in Jiangxi province, as per my agreement. If that doesn't proove my willingness to work for a place that treats me right, then I'm going to cry.

6. Ace the interview. Unlike all previous job hunts, this time around I have some idea of what I'm talking about when it comes to cirriculum planning, second langauge aquisition, student needs, etc etc etc. Sure, that might scare some language mills, but I'm as good at what I do as I can bee after four and a bit haphazard years and a bit of study. I'm willing to do the job. That ought to put me closer to the top of the slush pile than I might otherwise be.

7. Domestic langauge skills. It looks like I'll be trying to get back into Japan where (even now) I speak their langauge. If I get interviewed by a Japanese national, then a little keigo (polite languge) should go a long way.

8. Read all job ads carefully, respond to those I'm interested in, and already know the information they've provided when interacting further. I won't ask a question that they've already answered.

9. Similarily, check out the company's website, if they have one.

10. Pray to God, as I have no confidence whatsoever in myself to do this properly.

[OffTheWall]

Hey, Wolf--I'm heading to Japan too. I'll be there for a week (27 Feb -- 5 March) to line things up, place to live and more. Then I'll return before 1 April.

Who knows, if you end up there also, maybe our paths might cross.