How long have you been at your current job?

  • Unemployed/ Between jobs
  • Less than a year
  • 1-2 years
  • 3-4 years
  • 5-7 years
  • 8-10 years
  • 11-20 years
  • More than 20 years (I’m too old for this shit)

0 voters

This is my fifth year at my current job and I’m starting to feel a little restless.

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For those who have been at the same job for more than 10 years, what has kept you there?

I like it there and the boss doesn’t fuck with me. Why chance my arm elsewhere?

7 Likes

I actually like the people I work with, I believe in the mission of the organization, my pension will be larger the longer I stay.

4 Likes

I mostly enjoy the job. My commute is a ten-minute walk - this is a big one! If I’m going to continue my career as a university teacher, there may be better schools to work at, but I doubt they’d be that much better, and moving to a different school would be a giant hassle for only questionable benefits.

I like my situation now and most of my concern is over things getting worse (e.g. dwindling student numbers, politics with China), rather than trying to make my situation better.

But I’m also well into middle age, and that certainly affects how I view things. Ten or fifteen years ago, I may have thought “Hm, is it time to move on?”, whereas now my thoughts are more along the lines of “Hope this situation stays stable until I’m kicked out of the workforce.” Oh, as well as the monthly “Woo hoo, 57% of the way through the mortgage!”

10 Likes

I don’t have to attend meetings, don’t have to deal with the boss, work four days a week, and can work remotely whenever I need to.

9 Likes

Super interesting and very varied work, challenging, great colleagues and supportive bosses, and if anything goes wrong I can’t be blamed since it wasn’t really my mistake :banana:

Or maybe it’s just that my knowledge of people and processes in this company wouldn’t be worth much to any other company, so changing jobs would result in much less pay :ponder:

5 Likes

16 hours a week. I walk in teach and walk out. They rarely bother me, no meetings, super easy. That said, it is a cram school and I’m amazed that I’ve managed to put up with is this long (so are they. They can’t seem to figure it out). The money is good though and it’s easy. I had an offer to teach full time at a university, but that would have meant a pay cut and being there at least 40 hours a week.

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It’s usually the other way round.

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I really like the freedom of changing jobs here. I’m at a new school now but stayed at my last job for about 5 years. Back home I’d be in the union and stuck in the same school for most of my career. Taiwan gives you the freedom to just move schools. I’ll probably stay at this one long term… But if not, changing jobs is easy.

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Main reason: simply cannot get another job like it in Taiwan, including job specs and salary . Mainly $$$. Would have changed role or employer if not in Taiwan , Taiwan is holding me back . So for the money I keep plodding away and wait for the paycheck.

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Wow, over 10 years at one cram school… That’s something.

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Build up the savings. There’s something really satisfying about this when it’s working!

Guy

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My uni has hinted they want me (and everyone else who only holds a Masters) to enter a PhD program in order to continue there after current year, and I just don’t have the energy or motivation. But if I left it’d surely be the end of my career in academia. So I have a lot to think about as I enjoy the job and class autonomy (and vacation!), but undertaking a PhD would be a huge commitment I’m not that passionate about in the first place.

8 Likes

You’re coming up to your 5 year contract renewal, I guess. My 10 year renewal is coming up next CNY.

I’ve been under pressure to do a PhD for 5 years. I dunno. If I don’t start to do one and they need a new lecturer, I’ll be a gonner. So far, I keep getting my contract renewed.

They don’t pay enough to attract competition IMO, so they can’t fill the positions.

EDIT: It would definitely be the safe bet for me to start a PhD now, but studying Applied Linguistics leaves me equally cold.

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I’m ready to just cash in my chips and try to get a job at an international school here that my friend said he’s had a great experience at. More work hours, but less bureaucracy and preparation and committee assignments. And it also pays more. But that’s no sure bet. I have a colleague who left our uni a couple years ago and has been bouncing around between brief buxiban stints ever since. It’s clear he regrets leaving.

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I guarantee there will be more marking. Think carefully.

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If you’re talking about KAS, good luck. They want people who have experience with MYP IB. It’s really tough to get into. Most people need to get a couple years in the middle east first.

Other schools are decent. I did international schools for about 9 years. The pay and holidays are great, but the behavior of students is the real drawback imo.

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Excuse my ignorance, but what’s that stand for?

Middle year program, international bachelorette

Schools like KAS and TAS are impossible for most people teaching here. I have a great resume and they won’t even give me an interview. Their contracts are amazing, so they can find people from overseas.

KAS also suggests that you work for them as a sub. That’s a possible was to get your foot in the door. Get a buxiban job in the evenings and sub there for a few years. You might get in.

1 Like