If you want to join the growing number of Westerners teaching English in mainland China, all you really need is a college degree and native fluency in English. But how do you find a job?
If you want to join the growing number of Westerners teaching English in mainland China, all you really need is a college degree and native fluency in English. But how do you find a job?
Here's what to do:
1. Learn as much as you can about China and the experience of teaching English in China. Once you know something about China and what to expect from the teaching experience, decide on a list of universities to apply to. You can try using the Internet as well; however, Chinese universities' web sites are not always helpful.
2. Contact one of the people at the school responsible for hiring foreign teachers. No other individual, no matter how important or friendly they seem, is likely to have the authority to hire. So who is the right person? Individual academic departments--usually foreign languages or English--hire their own foreign teachers, so the right person is usually the chair or vice-chair of that department. The foreign affairs office is often useless for getting job offers.
3. Sooner or later you will need to send a resume. Be sure to highlight any teaching or tutoring experience. You may also want to include references and a letter of explanation. Keep in mind that anyone reading these materials is likely to have very good English reading ability but may not understand Western resume jargon.
4. If you are ultimately offered a position you like, you may want to try a little negotiating. But you're unlikely to be successful if the school has a standard contract.
Chinese universities rarely require foreigners to teach more than 14 or 15 hours of oral English classes each week. If the department wants you to do more, insist on no more than 14 or 15 hours and ask if some of the lessons can be converted to optional office hours.
5. When you consider a job offer, you should ask for the names of foreigners who are currently teaching or have recently taught at that school so you can get the real scoop on the university and its treatment of foreigners.