Did I choose a really bad time of year to look for work?

Ha! What use is a teaching job where you can’t be rude to the boss? They should be giving you 20 grand, fer abusing yer inalienable rights.

I was trying to work out the thinking behind that horror-contract I mentioned on the last page.

Perhaps they had 2 or 3 dodgey teachers in a row that constantly turned up late, shouted at the boss and then left during the contract…

But maybe the place is so awful that people couldnt help but show up late, and then disappeared into the night…

I didnt mention some of the other clauses such as:

  • The teacher must not speak with the students parents or pass on email addresses, phone number or other contact methods (carrier pigeon perhaps?)
  • The teacher must not sell any items to the staff, students or parents (what the hell?)
  • If the school is not happy with the students progress, they will decrease the weekly teaching hours.

Ive just had a hot tip about a job in Yilan. Will check that out next :slight_smile:

[quote=“pubba”]I was trying to work out the thinking behind that horror-contract I mentioned on the last page.

Perhaps they had 2 or 3 dodgey teachers in a row that constantly turned up late, shouted at the boss and then left during the contract…

But maybe the place is so awful that people couldnt help but show up late, and then disappeared into the night…

I didnt mention some of the other clauses such as:

  • The teacher must not speak with the students parents or pass on email addresses, phone number or other contact methods (carrier pigeon perhaps?)
  • The teacher must not sell any items to the staff, students or parents (what the hell?)
  • If the school is not happy with the students progress, they will decrease the weekly teaching hours.

Ive just had a hot tip about a job in Yilan. Will check that out next :slight_smile:[/quote]

That sounds a lot like a Happy Marion contract I saw before. It was almost word for word with what you have said, minus the 20,000 NT bond.

Ha! Lesson learned… Don’t believe how good a school is until you go check it out yourself. Especially when the person telling you how good it is wants to go away for a long weekend! :laughing:

I’m starting to get a bit worried now. Maybe I should start widening my search area from just Taichung/Taichung county and Hsinchu…

I’ve lost count of the applications that I have sent out, phone calls made, visits to schools. In the last 3 weeks I have received 2 email replies, and that’s it! It’s a bit disheartening…

On the other hand I have been offered jobs that pay 20 hours a week but expect you to work 35-40 hours a week. This makes the hourly wage end up being about 360NT an hour :frowning:

My plan next week is to hit the streets of Feng Yuan and try my best to look presentable/sane. I’m sure there are jobs out there somewhere…

[quote=“pubba”]
My plan next week is to hit the streets of Feng Yuan and try my best to look presentable/sane. I’m sure there are jobs out there somewhere…[/quote]

pubba, please keep us posted on your experiences, time-willing. I have it set in my mind to arrive late August in order to start in September but, honestly, I have no set timeline and could wait if the job market is deplorable-- especially for one with no teaching experience like me.

[quote=“globalgourmand”]
pubba, please keep us posted on your experiences, time-willing. I have it set in my mind to arrive late August in order to start in September but, honestly, I have no set timeline and could wait if the job market is deplorable-- especially for one with no teaching experience like me.[/quote]

Seconded. I’m hoping to arrive and start working sometime in June. I’ve got the guys at Reach To Teach searching on my behalf, and I’m hopeful, but not holding my breath. Helps to hear accounts from someone who’s actually on street searching over there.

Ha! Lesson learned… Don’t believe how good a school is until you go check it out yourself. Especially when the person telling you how good it is wants to go away for a long weekend! :laughing:

I’m starting to get a bit worried now. Maybe I should start widening my search area from just Taichung/Taichung county and Hsinchu (Xinzhu)…

I’ve lost count of the applications that I have sent out, phone calls made, visits to schools. In the last 3 weeks I have received 2 email replies, and that’s it! It’s a bit disheartening…

On the other hand I have been offered jobs that pay 20 hours a week but expect you to work 35-40 hours a week. This makes the hourly wage end up being about 360NT an hour :frowning:

My plan next week is to hit the streets of Feng Yuan and try my best to look presentable/sane. I’m sure there are jobs out there somewhere…[/quote]

English teaching, what’s the point? Bad money, bad job…

[quote=“headhonchoII”]
English teaching, what’s the point? Bad money, bad job…[/quote]

Personally, I can’t think of any other way to travel long-term without working under the table at a worse job, or just spending my meager savings only to come home and get a real job, back at square one.
Open to suggestions!

this is sounding like bad news for me too, im heading taiwan in september to start the hunt, just graduated and with no experience, looks bleak

Quick update for the guys back home watching the drama unfold :laughing:

I found a job through dewey (an agency). It’s in Miaoli County and pays 1000 NT an hour. Sounds good right? But… It’s only 1.5 hours a day with a free dorm style room (own bathroom). I pay for internet and power, and that’s it.

So 30k for 30 hours a month. They take out a flat 6% tax. None of this confusing 20/10% nonsense. It’s not too shabby, and I was planning to try and pick up some private students too.

Now the boss has offered me a ‘new’ contract. Midday to 6pm. I will still be doing 90 mins teaching a day (4.30 to 6pm), and the other 4.5 hours are loosely definied as ‘office work’. This is writing lesson plans, photo copying etc…

This new contract pays 50k a month, and I have to pay 2,000 for my room. So I take home 48,000 a month before tax. It works out to 400NT an hour. Bit of a difference from 1000 an hour!

But, I’m not complaining… It’s a job and the best I have found after looking for 6 weeks. The school is beautiful and modern, the classes are small and I like the town too.

In July they said I can move to ‘full time’ status which is 8.30am to 6pm. 2 hour break somewhere in between. The monthly salary will be 63,800.

If you are young and a recent graduate - come on over. I think you will find a job. Especially if you are here in June/ July. I have been told that a lot of schools hire during this time. If you really want to increase your chances - come during that time or even start applying before you arrive.

Let me know if you have any other specific questions re: the jobhunt.

Things are grim here, but there are still jobs out there. Just be prepared to wait for the right one. Have enough money (and visa time!) to take your time looking for a job.

That’s nice to hear Pubba. I have a job that I absolutely hate, but I’m too afraid to quit since I am worried about the present state of the economy.

But i’ll say 12-6 PM with only 1.5 hours of teaching-and 50,000 NT a month-Maybe I’m naive and stupid but that sounds pretty damn nice

Had a bit of drama yesterday… The boss told me that the 12 to 6pm job was no longer necessary…

I said ok then, I will be looking for a full time job somewhere else. I can’t get ahead on only 24,000 NT a month, free room or not…

Today I get a phone call, the job is back on. Start the 12 to 6pm job tomorrow :smiley:

James - where are you? If your job is really that bad, life is too short to be miserable… how long do you have left on your contract?

After reading this thread, my new mantra is not “It pays the bills, it pays the bills, it pays the bills…” but “Be grateful. Be grateful. Be grateful…” or at least “Don’t complain so much…” ad nauseum.