Hi,
I could do with some advice on getting a job in Taipei. I’ve been here two months now and so far have found no work. I’ve had loads of advice from people and done everything I thought I should do, but still no luck.
I’ve got the impression that there are 30 or 40 applicants for each job so it is quite competitive.
I have a B.A, a teaching cert and a little experience.
Everyone says getting a job is easy and you can just walk in and get one, but it doesn’t seem like that for me!!
Persistence, persistence, persistence. And a postive attitude. There are many good advice and suggestions on this board, just go read about eveyone else’s experiences. Also, familiarize yourself with the “Search” function.
This subject has been dealt with many times in many different ways. Feel free to PM me if you need further explanation. We can do this privately, as regular posters may feel this topic has been done to death and you may get less than desired responses.
[quote=“jdav81”]Hi,
I could do with some advice on getting a job in Taipei. I’ve been here two months now and so far have found no work. I’ve had loads of advice from people and done everything I thought I should do, but still no luck.
I’ve got the impression that there are 30 or 40 applicants for each job so it is quite competitive.
I have a B.A, a teaching cert and a little experience.
Everyone says getting a job is easy and you can just walk in and get one, but it doesn’t seem like that for me!!
Cheers for any advice.[/quote]
I am surprised to hear this. How many interviews have you been on? Have you tried the chain schools? Is there something about you that may preclude you from some jobs? Age, race, passport?
You haven’t supplied enough info on why you are being turned down? All I can advise is to treat looking for a job like a job. Hustle out resumes, do some follow-up calls, don’t expect the moon, that sorta thing. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Get an agent, and you will find a job no problem. I know they have a bad rep
but they take all the hastle out of looking for a job, the pay is normally simillar (600-650NT/hour) for a beginner teacher and the rip-off stories seem to mostly come from tealit.com (who have a direct interest in encouraging people to hunt for jobs through them than use this route).
[quote=“jdav81”]Hi,
I could do with some advice on getting a job in Taipei. I’ve been here two months now and so far have found no work. I’ve had loads of advice from people and done everything I thought I should do, but still no luck.
I’ve got the impression that there are 30 or 40 applicants for each job so it is quite competitive.
I have a B.A, a teaching cert and a little experience.
Everyone says getting a job is easy and you can just walk in and get one, but it doesn’t seem like that for me!!
[quote=“The Gumper”][quote=“jdav81”]Hi,
I could do with some advice on getting a job in Taipei. I’ve been here two months now and so far have found no work. I’ve had loads of advice from people and done everything I thought I should do, but still no luck.
I’ve got the impression that there are 30 or 40 applicants for each job so it is quite competitive.
I have a B.A, a teaching cert and a little experience.
Everyone says getting a job is easy and you can just walk in and get one, but it doesn’t seem like that for me!!
Cheers for any advice.[/quote]
I am surprised to hear this. How many interviews have you been on? Have you tried the chain schools? Is there something about you that may preclude you from some jobs? Age, race, passport?
You haven’t supplied enough info on why you are being turned down? All I can advise is to treat looking for a job like a job. Hustle out resumes, do some follow-up calls, don’t expect the moon, that sorta thing. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Good luck to ya…[/quote]
Times have changed, Gumper. I’ve been hearing stories like this for over the past year, from plenty of people. Putting two and two together - the job market for English teachers in Taiwan is drying up. Too many foreigners coming over chasing the same pool of jobs. It’s a lot more competive than when you and the rest of the old hands first landed here.
With the wide anecdotal discrepancies, it seems maybe there are geographic, english level/course factors to consider? Maybe some types of english jobs are easier to get whereas others are more difficult to come by?
I see two types of jobs being offered right now in Kaohsiung. The 10 hours a week gig and the 40 hours a week for 50,000NT a month gig. Both those options suck.
The teaching job market is shrinking…at least it is in my neck of the woods.
[quote=“Durins Bane”]I see two types of jobs being offered right now in Kaohsiung. The 10 hours a week gig and the 40 hours a week for 50,000NT a month gig. Both those options suck.
The teaching job market is shrinking…at least it is in my neck of the woods.[/quote]
Honestly, I see this as a good thing for Taiwanese kids. This means the foreign teachers will have to go further out in the countryside to get good work/hours/pay.
[quote=“jdsmith”][quote=“Durins Bane”]I see two types of jobs being offered right now in Kaohsiung. The 10 hours a week gig and the 40 hours a week for 50,000NT a month gig. Both those options suck.
The teaching job market is shrinking…at least it is in my neck of the woods.[/quote]
Honestly, I see this as a good thing for Taiwanese kids. This means the foreign teachers will have to go further out in the countryside to get good work/hours/pay.
Or, maybe this is just good for me. [/quote]
Absolutely. If Taipei is getting you down, get on the train. Even a short ways outside of town, there’s plenty of work.
[quote=“jdav81”]Hi,
I could do with some advice on getting a job in Taipei. I’ve been here two months now and so far have found no work. I’ve had loads of advice from people and done everything I thought I should do, but still no luck.
I’ve got the impression that there are 30 or 40 applicants for each job so it is quite competitive.
I have a B.A, a teaching cert and a little experience.
Everyone says getting a job is easy and you can just walk in and get one, but it doesn’t seem like that for me!!
Cheers for any advice.[/quote]
I think someone said it earlier, but put yourself out there as both a job candidate and a supply teacher. If the former doesn’t come up, at least you have the latter to fall back on until something does. And if your teaching certs are real (not just TESOL or CELTA), but like elementary ed. or ECE, PM me. I might have some info for you about a position.
Why cut down the options to only Taipei unless you came and have enrolled in a Chinese course. I’m getting sick of the typical forum advice. “Taipei is the place to start etc. Start in Taipei avoid culture shock”.
I’ve seen one sensible post on daveseslcafe that told an Australian couple who gave up and went home as they only looked in Taipei that should have taken buses etc to the small towns. This was two or three years ago which proves the more things change the more they stay the same.
ImaniOU wrote [quote]And if your teaching certs are real (not just TESOL or CELTA), [/quote]
They may not satisfy your requirements but they certainly are real! They are awarded by internationally recognised bodies and are accepted in most countries.
ImaniOU wrote [quote]And if your teaching certs are real (not just TESOL or CELTA), [/quote]
They may not satisfy your requirements but they certainly are real! They are awarded by internationally recognised bodies and are accepted in most countries.
I am satisfying the student teaching portion of my teaching certificate here at a buxiban.
I also had some trouble finding a job although I am half Chinese with a Chinese last name, which didn’t help.
I honestly think most of the buxibans don’t like people with certification and for good reason. I’m miserable. I’m counting the days until my certification is complete. I love the country (I wish I spoke some Chinese). However, I mean no disparagement to most of the people here, but they’re not real teachers. They consider it a job and a business. The few who actually care don’t know how to teach.
You won’t like working anywhere but a day school, something accredited. Limit your search there. I hear it’s actually easier to get picked by one of these places out of the country rather than in.
I don’t know. I have a department head at one of the top schools in my home state of Georgia, who has been e-mailing me, asking me to apply. He got special permission from the county Supervisor to give me a phone interview. This is after I told him no several times.
Kids and parents respect teachers here, but the colleague respect is uncomparable to the US.
The country is one of the kindest I’ve ever seen. The people are honest in a Taiwanese way. Good luck
Newbies - it isn’t as easy to find teaching jobs here as old-timers will tell you it is. Don’t get discouraged! Personally, I think substitute teaching is a great way to get in good with schools. Subbing gives you a chance to see how the schools operate, plus, if they lose a teacher you’ll be top of mind. So don’t turn down subbing work for fear that it will stop you from getting a “real” job.
They may not satisfy your requirements but they certainly are real! They are awarded by internationally recognised bodies and are accepted in most countries.[/quote]
But my school only hires people with real teaching certificates. The CELTA is a real one, the TESOL, well…for argument’s sake, I’m not going to go further than saying there are many programs out there that have brought the legitimacy of a TESOL cert. wa-ay down…but the only jobs I know of require state licensure. Keep your head up…I’m sure there’s something out there.
[quote=“ImaniOU”]…my school only hires people with real teaching certificates. The CELTA is a real one, the TESOL, well…for argument’s sake, I’m not going to go further than saying there are many programs out there that have brought the legitimacy of a TESOL cert. wa-ay down…[/quote]The Cambridge CELTA and the Trinity Cert. TESOL are equivalent and are internationally recognised. I agree with you about many of the other qualifications/bits of paper that are available.
Isn’t there an equivalent to the Cambridge or Trinity courses in the States or elsewhere? I mean an equivalent in quality and in degree of recognition. Seems a shame if not because as you’ve said before, some elements of those courses are Anglo-centric; in particular the phonemic symbol set that is used. Good for us Brits in a way I suppose – perpetuates the myth that we have a monopoly on “proper English”!
