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Q: Hi guys (and gals), I need some advice about landing a teaching job...
Hi everyone!
I'm currently looking for a teaching job in China and I've got tons of questions for all of you that did it, with or without getting a t-shirt.
First of all some background. I'm 37, from Poland but lived in Italy for about 26 years. Native speaker both for Polish and for Italian (which I suppose is my main language actually). Fluent English altough the accent is a bit funny (never lived in an English speaking country but I've got friends from England, Scotland and Ireland in Rome and I can watch English movies and stand-up comedians without any problems, just don't ask me to watch American movies without subtitles). Because of life circumstances no university degree, just an undergraduate diploma in Italy as translator (foreign languages English and French). I've been working in Italy for a commercial company for about 15 years.
Now...
I'm fed up, both with my job (which I consider pointless) and with life in Italy and I want to make a drastic career change, opting for teaching in Asia. I consider teaching the most important job in the world, a job in which I don't have, sadly, much experience apart from private lessons of Italian for foreigners and classroom lessons of photography ( a serious hobby of mine along with writing).
Apart from doing a job I think it's really worthwhile I also intend to learn Chinese (Mandarin) and maybe save a little something (I'm all about living the local life and not re-creating a corner of Europe in China). I've never been to China before but I've spent some time in the Malaysian Borneo (Sarawak) just living as the locals did. And I'm not looking for a one-year stint, I would like to stay there for at least 3 years.
Ok, I think the background's all here.
Now for the questions...
a) Since the ads for Italian teachers are not many would it be helpful to get an online TEFL certificate (at least 120 hours of course) in order to apply for English teaching positions so as to get a toehold in China? I've been looking at various websites and ICAL seems to offer a good deal without looking like a scam. Yes, I know CELTA and the like would be better but frankly I can't afford 2.000 Euros and a whole month without working. I've noticed some ads don't necessarily ask about teachers born in English speaking countries, any European country would do;
b) Are there any trustworthy agents out there? I've read the articles about agents and scams, it would have been nice to find some contacts since Italian (or Polish) teaching jobs are few (well, one so far) and searching over the Internet provided sweet FA (but then there are too many websites out there so the search engines won't always give you what you're looking for);
c) How much RMD should I aim for minimum? I know some schools would overlook the university diploma issue but I don't want them to scam me just because of that problem;
d) I've been in contact with one school, they told me they have to check with the "Visa Bureau" in Beijing... but some friends told me there's no such thing. Does anyone know how the complete Visa process works like, just to avoid being told b*llsh*t (wanna buy a vocal)?
e) Do you know of any trustworthy website listing all language schools in China along with the languages they teach?
Thanks!
Konrad
11 years 33 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Your written English is very good,try Aston English Xian its not a bad school,iwas there 2 years,you can take a TEFL course with them cost about 200 Euros or less plus they pay you back if you work for them 6 months
KonradSchubert:
Thanks, just checked their website. I'm off for the weekend but on Monday I will contact them for sure.
It is better to be on ground to start the search.While here, you can find your way around it.If you are sure of your English level, you don't need an English proof to teach in the rural parts of the country .You can start from there and when you are hardly rooted,then use the experience to work in the metropolitan cities.I know couple of Russians teaching English here.Its not about the money,but the the passion of sharing what you know with people who need it.Teaching itself is a learning process.You will have to practice all the time before going to class because teaching English in China is more of clowning than you know it.Reading books,watching videos of other people presentation and so much more which will improve your own skills. get a tourist visa of multiple entry and come.
KonradSchubert:
Money's the issue here. Not as in "I want to earn a lot" but as in "I can't afford to fool around unless I know there's a job". To come over I need to quit my current job (I have to tell them 2 months earlier), quit my apartment contract and rent a storage to put all my stuff in.
It is better to be on ground to start the search.While here, you can find your way around it.If you are sure of your English level, you don't need an English proof to teach in the rural parts of the country .You can start from there and when you are hardly rooted,then use the experience to work in the metropolitan cities.I know couple of Russians teaching English here.Its not about the money,but the the passion of sharing what you know with people who need it.Teaching itself is a learning process.You will have to practice all the time before going to class because teaching English in China is more of clowning than you know it.Reading books,watching videos of other people presentation and so much more which will improve your own skills. get a tourist visa of multiple entry and come.
Konrad: you have a lot to learn, and your best bet is to Google every possible question you may have, because here you will get answers in generalities, the fine detail you need will only be available reading search results.
For a school to hire you legally, they will have to be authorized to hire foreigners, and does have a license to do so by the government. No license, you will work illegally. Now, there is nothing wrong with doing some contacting from your home country, bu your chances will be greater if you do it here, in person.
In order to legally work in China, you will need a work visa. Once you enter China with it, and before you start working, you will have to do a few things within specific time frames. You will have 10 days to apply for a work permit from the Labor Bureau, and to get that, you will need t go to a designated hospital to get a Health Certificate ( mine cost 280 yuan), took almost a week. Also, you will need to get a Foreign Expert Certificate ( or FEC}, and one of the requirements for that is a college degree. Without one, you can just about write off bigger cities unless you or your employer have the right connections, in smaller cities you will have a better chance of getting the first FEC without a college degree.
Then, within 30 days of arrival, and with the work permit, health certificate and FEC, go to PSB and get your residence permit. Once all of that is done, then you can legally start working. Many Chinese are not aware of this process, and maybe that is why you were told that they had to check with the visa bureau.
Just do not go crazy, many others have done it, you also can do it if you do not give up.
KonradSchubert:
Uh, thanks... finally I'm starting to get the picture about the whole visa process.
Shorty:
Suggest you check the black list before accepting any job and follow the good advice of HappyExPat. Almost half of the "schools" and "training centers" in China are not even licensed nor registered. I also suggest you google Clever China Cheaters and go the blog site that pops up and search their index at the bottom of the page and find the four subjects about agents, wages, contracts, and blacklist. Within an hour you will be well-armed with enough knowledge to avoid the education minefield in China
It might actually work, just get a TESOL online...and put some teaching experience in your CV along with the translator experience, no one's gonna check it.
I'm not a native speaker either, I work in a public Uni (which I consider the best choice for a teaching job in China). Around this time schools are desperate to find teachers...just before the start of the school year. Anyway, feel free to message me. Cheers, Petar
KonradSchubert:
The translator experience and some teaching experience (ok, it's photography not languages, but still we're talking classrooms) are already on my CV.
The only problem with the school year thing is they may be desperate but the timeframe's too short for me (as replied before to another answer I need about 2 months before being able to move and it's a process I can actually start only knowing I've got a job waiting for me in China).
manasyt:
True but if you want to go this year you can still do it...as many schools don't succeed to find all the teachers they need...I started my first job in China in November 2010.
About the CV - even if you put that you taught English for 2-3 years...no one will check, as I said 
As i know,there are also many people studying Italian in China now though the number is not as large as those studying English,Spanish and Japanese.So you still have many opportunities to teach Italian,come here first and then change a job when you have been familiar with this place.
chenhan:
PS:I searched on baidu just now,and found most ads recruiting Italian teachers are written in Chinese.So,you could have someone to help you if you want to get a Italian teaching job when you are here.Whatever we do,usually the first step is the most difficult,good luck!
KonradSchubert:
That's why I was thinking about getting a TEFL online, in order to land a job teaching English and then, depending on the situation and the offers, switch to another one (possibly for Italian). Obviously after at least one year, unless there will be problems with the school I would feel bad about not respecting a contract and the people giving me the job.
chenhan:
yeah,that's what i meant !Of course you should stay in your first job till the contract expires if nothing wrong happens.
I found a couple by searching 'italian' in the job section here :
