Although I am pink myself, I have had a few black friends on the island who found rewarding jobs as teachers. It wasn’t easy, as they faced many prejudices and greater scrutiny than non native-speakers with relatively less melanin. Many employers will hesitate to hire teachers with dark skin (whether because of personal prejudices or their assumptions regarding the prejudices of students’ parents), but others will welcome any teacher that has the skills, passion, and patience required to teach ESL learners. I have known employers of both varieties and, based on my experiences, can suggest that:
a) you attach your photo to your resume. This will reduce the “shock” when you show up for the interview with (potentially) racist pigs. It is the same strategy that I, as a prematurely balding and moderately obese gentleman, use to “weed out” employers who are only looking for blonde-haired, blue-eyed pixies.
b) go the extra mile. You can prepare a teaching demo video, professional-looking resume/reference letters, and submit sample lesson plans to potential employers. Most reasonable bosses will chose the most qualified candidate, and the extra touches can be influential.
c) use every resource available and apply to as many schools as possible. My African friend applied to many schools and eventually found one that was such a “good fit” that he has been there for more than seven years. Search online sites, possibly with the help of friends who are proficient in Mandarin, and look for “sub” jobs where you can have the chance to win over the boss and gain a permanent position.
Despite the existence of sporadic racist and the relative scarcity of jobs, I truly believe that a qualified candidate can find a job.