4+ job offers within the same company?

[Meihou Wang]

I've been negotiating the terms of a job offer with a franchise of one of the larger ESL companies in China (not EF), and I have recently received similar offers from affiliate schools/branches/franchises within the same company in more attractive locales.

My Chinese friends (I'm a 1st timer from the USA, still in the USA) all tell me that I cannot show interest in any of the new offers, since I've already been negotiating with one of their own. As my friend Jeffrey (from Xi'an) put it, "It's like dating a nice girl for a few weeks, then telling her that you'd rather date her sister instead."

At first there was only one other offer from another branch of the company in question. Now there are 3 more, all of which are in more desirable locales.

Do I:

1) Ignore the other offers

2) Show interest without mentioning my talks with their other school(s)

3) Tell those offering the new openings that I am interested, but that I'm already considering a similar offer from within their company?

4) Any other ideas?

Any help would be greatly appreciated~

Cheers,

~*Meihou Wang*~

[George61]

Go with the best job in the best place.

[Hamish]

I agree.

If they want to fight over you, let 'em.

Go where you want most to be, and where terms are best.

At this point, you owe them nothing.

[Meihou Wang]

Thanks for the advice.

Still, my Chinese friends here seem to believe that the old switcheroo could really burn me down the road, socially speaking.

I'd love to believe that they are oblivious to each others' recruiting, which they may very well be.

Any other thoughts?

~*Meihou Wang*~

[George61]

I doubt that switching could hurt you....if the sister puts out, go with the sister!! ;D

[Lotus Eater]

Gnerally these 'franchises' are independent entities and don't talk to each other - so it's not as if you were wanting to date the girl's sister - but her 2nd cousins. If you stuff up in one of them it is likely that you will be blacklisted by all, if you do well and ask for a different location, you may be given help to transfer.

Go for where you want.

PS - if you can live with permanant pollution - Xi'an is great!

[Meihou Wang]

Ok, quick opinion on the four choices:

1) Ningbo

2) Xiamen

3) Dalian

4) Hangzhou

--------------------

Considering these options, which would you choose?

Thanks!

~N~

[Dajiang]

Hangzhou.

Dalian from what Ive heard is a nice place. But dunno if there's much to see there. There is in Hangzhou and its surroundings.

Xiamen is far away from everything.

Ningbo seems alright too, but Hangzhou I like better. Also location wise.

Oh and yeah, go with the best offer you can get.
Dajiang

[Lotus Eater]

Depends on what you want to do in China. If it's culture and adventure - take the place furtherest away from a big city. If it's hanging out with other foreigners, hitting the nightclubs and bars, take the biggest city. If it's travel - take the one closest to a major transport node (you can check maps and see which one has the most railway linkages).

Take into account the kind of climate you like - or at least avoid the climate you most hate.

Sorry - best I can do.

[Missi]

All those cities were nice to visit for a while, but I wouldn't want to live there for a year or possibly more.

I prefer the smaller cities.

[Decurso]

I haven't been to any of these cities..but since you asked "what would YOU choose" I'll say Hangzhou.It's supposed to be a great city.

I agree with what everyone else has said.Take the job you want.You don't owe anybody anything until you've made a commitment.

[Meihou Wang]

bmisiuda said:

All those cities were nice to visit for a while, but I wouldn't want to live there for a year or possibly more.

I prefer the smaller cities.

Missi--

Which smaller cities?

I'd like to be near the seaside, possibly in Shandong or maybe even further north--but I'm also obviously willing to consider various locales in Zhejiang.



*~Meihou Wang~*

[Crippler]

Modern, seaside, foreigners, clean air for China = Dalian

[solongtinik]

DALIAN DALIAN DALIAN!!!!!!!!

believe me, it would give u the feeling of not being in china!!!!!!!!!

go get it and i'll find sometime to visit that venice inspired city again!!!!!!!!
gotta find u there soon...

btw, don't drool so much bout their beaches...got nothing good to say bout 'em...

[Raoul Duke]

Hey Meihou,

As said elsewhere, I definitely agree with the others on the multiple job offer thing. Go for it...all you can get. Believe me when I tell you that the rules and restrictions that bind Chinese workers in China will not apply to you...but of course it's difficult for your Chinese friends to see and understand that.

As for the cities, you don't really have a bad choice here. At least from the town perspective these are all pretty nice places and it will be hard to go wrong. Dalian, Hangzhou, and Xiamen can all be delightful places, and Ningbo is not bad at all. From this list, just go where the best job is.

[Meihou Wang]

Well, Dalian seems like the choice among many here---thanks for all of your input!

I'll let you know what happens. Hopefully I'll be in one of these choice locales soon! And when I'm there, anyone in the area from Raoul's should hit me up to go get a beer.

Any and all oppinions are much appreciated!

Muchas Garcias,

*~Meihou Wang~*

[Raoul Duke]

If you talk to other schools besides Web, be sure and run names past us. Someone here may know them...

[Mark FJ]

been to all the cities on the list.
by far my choice would be Xiamen.
all the cities have lots of foriegners, all have lots of western sh1t, all have different histories.

Xiamen does it best and has miles of beautiful beaches and the weather to enjoy them.

[Raoul Duke]

Xiamen is nice. I've heard a great many highly experienced expats in China describe Xiamen as the best place to live in China.

'Course, I have to think they never been ta Suzhou.

[Lotus Eater]

Or X i'an. The ONLY drawback here is the pollution. Other wise fantastic first place to live/work in China.

[Raoul Duke]

I love Lotus but there's just no comparison. The only draw Xian really has is that Lotus lives there.
Of course, I understand that Lotus is lonely out there and desperate for someone sane to move there.

[Lotus Eater]

Or figure out what you really want from China.

[Mr Nobody]

I like the history there, which is truly impressive.

But it snows in winter, gets too hot in summer, is polluted and dusty and wasnt too keen on the food. I was there for less than a week, though.

But yeah, Lotus makes up for all that.