Hi, I’ve been reading a lot of the forms on here, trying to get the best handle on when is the appropriate time to begin job searching (like how far in advance)? I will be completing my doctorate in April, and as you can imagine, I have racked up student loan debt. So, starting sooner is better. I know summer gigs aren’t really the contract norm, so I guess I am looking at the Aug.-Sep. Start date of 2026 (but would be open to sooner if the opportunity arises). Other than that, I am pretty open to possibilities. I have seen the pay for professors at universities, and it appears working in K-12 is worth more overall (benefits, salary, stress). I don’t really have a preference in any work platform (private, international, MOE, etc) as long as it pays decently. I do not have extensive teaching experience beyond private (1-1) ESL teaching and serving as a Teaching Assistant at the University. However, I do have a TEFL certificate. Also, I guess it is worthwhile mentioning that I have been to Taiwan before (although only for vacation, not for living), and that being said, I am considering this next step as a long-term move. I am also considering areas in Taichung and anything north of it.
I am open to any and all feedback/ advice. Thanks in advance. 
In terms of when to apply for a job, my two cents is to arrive in Taiwan early and give yourself lots of runway. You will need time to get the lay of the land, do interviews, and most importantly apply for the work permit and residence card after you get an offer, which takes a few weeks. My opinion is that all of this is much easier to do locally if you have the time and money. This is just a guess - I would imagine public schools and universities would need to start handling applications and bureaucracy sometime between now and February. You can look at 104.com.tw for local job postings.
In terms of K12 or public or private etc. … I’ve heard that Hess is not the best but is very Taiwan/English teaching beginner-friendly. If you have a PhD I would try my hand at applying for universities since from what I’ve heard it’s far and away better than working at a cram school or kindy. (There’s a recent thread with a lot of replies about finding a job in Taiwan with a PhD.)
Thanks for the reply. I have read other posts where people said similar things that ‘boots on the ground’ is far better for finding a job. Stupid question, why is that? Is it just quicker because they can see the person and cut potential costs, such as plane costs? Will paperwork like obtaining a working visa, etc., be more of a pain and longer or about the same, if I applied while still here in the States? 
I am not sure I would have enough, I felt comfortable with cash-wise to come a few months with no job. Not to mention, I would feel more comfortable securing a job before moving my life over there. Especially, since I am not fixated on a location, and more open to the best kind of contract deal.
Yeah buxibans, I don’t think it would be my cup of tea, just cause I would need to work at multiple places to cover the cost of living and save enough to send back to the states monthly for student loans. Public schools you generally apply to through recruiters like TeachTaiwan, right? I have thought about reaching out to them to see what they can offer and at the same time searching for openings at universties, although I hear there are fewer of them nowadays and meh level of pay. I am definitely more comfortable teaching adults, so a Uni job would be nice. (I was reading the recent PhD thread on here from the person with a Math degree, I believe, there were some interesting tidbits on there)
Thanks, for the advice on tealit and 104. I’ve been looking, but I guess where I am so early, I haven’t seen any postings that are ready for openings mid next year. Although, I am gonna start more aggressively reaching out to places, I was thinking around December, when schools start thinking about the following school year.
Make sure your PhD is authenticated by TECO before you leave wherever you’re doing the PhD
Also, most of the k12 schools should be looking for someone qualified to teach in their home country. Usually a PhD doesn’t count.
Pay is gonna be higher in other countries, too
Never too early to start job searching
Even if you only have a Master’s in Ed. It’ll be more difficult and may require a little luck, but you can still land a job as a Uni instructor if you have an M.Ed.
While the work environment and perks (long summer holiday, no desk warming, more autonomy in teaching, etc) are far superior, the pay at unis is terrible. That is true. Don’t expect a western salary is all I’ll say about that.
I can’t speak for university gigs but as far as public schools are concerned, many of the recruiters will start looking at applications and doing interviews in the Spring for the standard start date of August 16 (although that is flexible depending on the logistics of the move and how fast paperwork moves). I myself did not do ‘boots on the ground’ and chose to have a job lined up beforehand. That made my landing quite smooth as the coordinators helped me immensely with everything I needed to get started. That said, if you have the money saved up, have the time available, and want to scout things out that certainly wouldn’t hurt. My recommendation is to apply with several recruiters, especially if you want to be choosey when it comes to location. The recruiters will compete for city bids in the Spring so you never really know who will have what contracts for what cities, sometimes as late as early summer. There are also last minute hiring possibilities as well. Good luck!
Yeah, same situation here in the States. People assume a PhD means
you can teach anywhere, and that is not the case. 
So, funny enough, none of my degrees are necessarily in teaching. However, they are not in the science/math fields either. The only ‘teaching’ certification I have is my TEFL certificate, which I received from a University (I know some organizations seem to prefer that over the online ones offered). So, I assumed looking for jobs outside of teaching in Taiwan would be very difficult, especially with my low intermediate Chinese level. Therefore, that is why I thought teaching would be the most realistic in.
This was my thought too, since I don’t have tons of saving to do the few months out arrive approach. I also see it not necessarily bad with receiving assistance for arrival if companies do offer it. Although, I have been reading mixed results on this. Many seem not to offer really any assistance (in searching for housing, etc.). I really only heard of the recruiters: Teach in Taiwan, Teach Taiwan, TFETP, Reach to Teach. Then independently searching Tealit, FB, Daves ESL… Are there others I should be looking out for or using? Or is one known to be better? From my understanding it is more the luck of the draw for schooling environments/ culture.
Thanks for the advice and wishes.
The Western pay, is not even on my mind, let alone real sights. I have looked into pay/ salary for a few countries in consideration before this, such as Mongolia, Korea, Singapore, etc. But in the end, I am looking for long-term living, and my understanding of Taiwan (the lifestyle outlook), for the most part, I think, is worth the investment. I am not necessarily young (I’m in my 30s), so I am ready for that change of lifestyle. I stayed in Korea for a little while (not teaching), and although I really love the food, I found the cost of living a bit high, not to mention the social pressure (drinking, especially for hierarchical reasons, which I am not a drinker) was not for me. I am really just looking for a job outlook that can cover the cost of living (comfortably/ not lavishly), afford student loan repayments, and perhaps wishfully have a little for savings. This is one of the main reasons I ruled out Taipei. That being said, I do enjoy the rain that many don’t 
and another reason I would prefer mid to northern Taiwan.
Have you lived in Taiwan before?
I have not lived in Taiwan, I have only visited for like 3 weeks (stayed in Kaosiung). This was also like 9 years ago. I know not enough to truly know a country. But it did give an idea of what I was possibly going to get into.
I was so disappointed by the food in Taiwan
Yeah, like I said, I loved the food in Korea (actually gained weight while over there, cause I loved it too much ). As for Taiwanese food, it is okay, but not a love relationship. Disappointing cause I am a foodie.
I used to live in Korea too. I can’t believe I used to complain about the food there. It’s like haute French cuisine compared to the culinary wasteland of Kaohsiung. I will say I think both the international and local food choices are better in Taipei than in other cities (except for Tainan which has good local food like hotpot). I’m just perpetually disappointed in the food here as it got hyped up in travel shows by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern and it’s the home of Din Tai Fung which achieved global legendary status in the late 00s/ early 10s.
Yes, exactly. You still hear many people reference Taiwan as a ‘foodie paradise’ with its extensive selection, but I felt like it was a lot of oily options, with fewer having complex or varied flavors. But who am I to speak on it? That being said, I am all here for the hotpot culture.
A decent human being, with a sense of taste and a bit of eating experience. Spread the word. Taiwanese food sucks. Lots to love about Taiwan, but not the food.
@TT may dislike the food here even more than me. I’m pretty down on it but perhaps a bit more forgiving
I think there’s a couple redeeming dishes. I like good gua bao, xiao long bao ( soup dumplings), and there’s some pretty great hotpot places especially in Tainan. International food mostly sucks here (they’re always making it sweeter and less authentic in order to appeal to Taiwanese tastebuds), but they do some Chinese dishes very well such as Kung pao chicken and Peking duck. But it’s just not the sum of its parts as there’s many more subpar places than great ones. The cleanliness of many places is also a factor. I’ve come across those small German cockroaches in the bottom of my soup bowls before. And if you eat at the famous night markets you better not be too squeamish, as seeing a rat scurry under a stall is a common sight.
Since when did hot pot become a local specialty of Tainan? 
Coffin cakes are the famous local specialty, which aren’t common in other places in Taiwan because toast filled with chicken stew isn’t for everyone.
I didn’t say it was some exclusive delicacy. But Tainan is famous for its hot pots.