As Chinese New Year approaches I’m sure many of us have contracts that are up for renewal.
For many reasons I believe that I am underpaid at the school I work at. I wont get into the details.
What is the best way to negotiate for a BIG (20%) pay raise in Taiwan?
I’d like to continue working there…
:bouncy:
[quote]What is the best way to negotiate for a BIG (20%) pay raise in Taiwan?
I’d like to continue working there…
[/quote]
You’re out of luck then. Don’t ask for a pay raise unless you’re prepared to get fired.
Brian
C’mon no Taiwanese person would give any foreigner a 20% raise unless they jacked up tuitions by 20%. They could not make a profit which is why they own schools, to make money not educate people…
[quote=“stevieboy”]As Chinese New Year approaches I’m sure many of us have contracts that are up for renewal.
For many reasons I believe that I am underpaid at the school I work at. I wont get into the details.
What is the best way to negotiate for a BIG (20%) pay raise in Taiwan?
I’d like to continue working there…
:bouncy:[/quote]
Are you doing something, besides just showing up, to justify such a raise? If you really are an asset to the school, then 20% may not be out of the question. If you’re doing a job that, like many English teaching jobs in Taiwan, could easily be filled by a replacement within a week, then asking for a 20% raise is a signal to them to begin looking for that replacement. Why not just get another job that offers the pay you’re looking for?
I’m not sure there is any good way to negotiate a raise. However, I believe a school should have a policy in place regarding raises. Does yours have one?
I doubt the school has a raise policy for foreign teachers. If I asked they would surely make one up to suits them and not me!
I am doing a lot for the school above and beyond the call of duty. I do those things because I want to, and, the kids deserve it.
I am lucky to be involved in a special program with great materials, small class sizes, and complete control. I also have pretty good guanxi with the staff. So, I don’t want to change schools. I want more money. 
Good luck, Stevieboy.
Someone once told me that if you are ever going to ask for a raise, then you always have to be ready to leave the job.
What if the powers that be turn down your request–just flat out say no. What are you going to do? If you continue to work there (and it sounds as if you like it there), then will you be seen as someone who can be told what to do, and apparently is willing to work for less than he feels he deserves.
Also, if you want a 20 percent raise, does this mean you are going to start by asking for a 20 percent raise? or will you have to start at say 30 percent and allow them some face when you negotiate?
I don’t think it is going to be as simple as saying I want 20 percent more, and then they just give it to you. It will be bu hao yi si, jing ji bu jing qi, SARs, wait until next semester, we just gave out Chinese New Year’s bonuses (do you get a New Year’s bonus?), and other excuses, but since you are such a good teacher and you have done so much for the school, then the absolute most they can give you is a 5 percent raise. (And then they’ll probably expect you to do even more for the school (yin gai de.))
I wouldn’t ask unless I knew that I could walk out the door–so you can negotiate from a strong position. If they know you’re “soft-hearted” and will stay, they’ll never give you 20 percent.
Best of luck (i hope you prove me wrong), and let us know how it goes.
I agree with most of the other posters here. The only way I can think of to justify such a raise to your boss would be to demonstrate that your being there helps them make more of a profit than they would with another teacher: i.e., somehow show that your reputation as a great teacher is attracting more students to the school (which = more $$ for your boss).
One question that I’ve always asked when applying for jobs is about their pay raise policy. My language school has given me an annual 3% pay rise over each of my four years there. My old elementary school was/is possibly the tightest institution operating in Taipei County, and possibly the greater Taipei area. They finally gave me a miserly $20 an hour pay rise on my 4th year and then took away my 10 minute paid break to offset the loss!!. I left there to find my new job where there are annual performance based payrises and the hourly rate that is more than the stingy Primary School I had just left. I can handle that. Cheers Amos.
Have you asked your boss if they want you to resign? Dropping not-so-subtle hints about how you don’t have enough money as well might set them thinking.
Prepare your case. Draw up a list of everything you have done for them, and continue to do. Figure out why you are an asset that is worth keeping.
And be prepared to walk!
I got fired once when my boss discovered that I looking for another job. On the other hand, if you have convinced your boss that you’re an asset, they may contemplate throwing you a bone. I wouldn’t bet on it though.
I think making the move elsewhere is the best way to get more. You’re good at your job, an asset to your employer, you’re leaving your job because your underpaid, so the next boss is going to have to pay you better if they want you. I tried that approach and it worked.
My only regret is that I didn’t collect all MY student’s contact details first.
I’m thinking now that 20% is ridiculous. I guess the Jew in me was surfacing.
So, I’ll ask for 60NT more an hour and stand firm on 50NT.
I’ll let you know what happens. Wont be until after Chinese New Year.
Right. Because Jews are greedy, money-hungry Shylocks. 
Good God, man, what a stupid thing to say. :no-no:
[quote=“stevieboy”]I’m thinking now that 20% is ridiculous. I guess the Jew in me was surfacing.
So, I’ll ask for 60NT more an hour and stand firm on 50NT.
I’ll let you know what happens. Wont be until after Chinese New Year.[/quote]
What an offensive comment. What swamp did you crawl out of in Canada? Go back home and get your momma to make you a mayonnaise sandwich. You definitely don’t belong in the urbane, sophisticated, and erudite forum that is Forumosa. 
[quote=“Maoman”]
Right. Because Jews are greedy, money-hungry Shylocks. Good God, man, what a stupid thing to say. :no-no:[/quote]
Aren’t we all, Taiwanese, Arabs, Westerners etc included?
Please give me my Jewish flag 
[quote=“stevieboy”]I’m thinking now that 20% is ridiculous. I guess the Jew in me was surfacing.
So, I’ll ask for 60NT more an hour and stand firm on 50NT.
I’ll let you know what happens. Wont be until after Chinese New Year.[/quote]
Actually, I don’t think 20% is ridiculous; it depends on the circumstances. If you’re making 500/hr, then asking to be bumped up to 600/hr is perfectly understandable.
If you’re making 600/hr, then it may be a bit much. Again, this all depends on whether or not you are worth it. Have you proven to them that you are? If so, then why haven’t they paid attention to your contribution and could it be that, perhaps, you are putting a higher value on your services than they are? 600/hr up to over 700/hr isn’t something schools normally do, at least not all at once. Ask yourself again, and think it over: are you really worth it? And is it really worth it to stay there if they aren’t paying you what you (according to your estimation) are worth?
[quote=“TNT”][quote=“Maoman”]
Right. Because Jews are greedy, money-hungry Shylocks. Good God, man, what a stupid thing to say. :no-no:[/quote]
Aren’t we all, Taiwanese, Arabs, Westerners etc included?[/quote]
yes, EVERYBODY in this world is greedy, no doubt!!! If you said you are not, then you are LYING!!
Got it (all)!
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What happened? Details, details, details.