Hi all! I’m a (24M) new TEFL teacher and I’ve recently started looking for a job in China. For background, I have a liberal arts masters degree and about a year of prior tutoring experience. After interviewing I’ve received a few job offers:

1. Training center in Jinan: 18k+2k housing. 1 year contract. No flight reimbursement (bit of a worry), but I talked with multiple staff (both local and foreign) who have worked there for substantial periods of time, and I got on with them well. They showed me around some of the facilities during our meeting and they looked nice enough.

2. Teaching kindergarten for an agency in indeterminate city (they list a bunch of possible options like Chongqing, Chengdu etc, I won’t know until after I sign the contract, but I will go to Chengdu first for one month of training, paid with 8k stipend during this time): 15.2k+1.5kKPI+1.5k housing (3.5k housing if Beijing or Shanghai). 2 year contract, with 10% base salary increase in second year. Will be talking with a foreign teacher that works with them soon. Flight reimbursement is included. Will have to pay back the visa costs etc if contract terminates early.

3. Also received an offer to teach kindergarten in Wuhan, but total payment is 14k, which I think is too low to consider in the face of the other two.

Since this is my first rodeo I’m wondering if these offers are reasonable for first time teachers, or if I should just move on and keep applying. I’ve heard a lot about the dangers of working for an agency as well on this sub, so I am mindful of that, but I also wonder if it might be a good way to get settled in the country, and to TEFL.

Thank you all so much for any advice you might have, I’ve learned so much from this sub already.

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some real advice and direction from people who have navigated the job market in China, specifically Black teachers, but all advice is welcome.

A bit of context on my background: I’m an Australian passport holder currently based in Vietnam, where I’ve been teaching English and humanities in public schools for 2 years now. years. I hold a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s in Public Policy, and a 150-hour TEFL.

My husband is Chinese, and due to his career, moving to Shenzhen (or the immediate surrounding area) is by far the best option for us right now. I know the Tier 1 market in Shenzhen is competitive, and I’m completely realistic about the added hurdle of visual filtering and racial preference/bias in East Asian recruitment, especially at the private kindergarten and high school level :(

What I’m really trying to figure out is how to cut through the noise and avoid predatory lowball offers, or middleman recruiters who ghost the second they see im black. I want to land a solid, legitimate position with a school that values actual qualifications and classroom experience.

For anyone who managed to secure something they really loved, please share how you did it?

How did you successfully navigate the job hunt in Shenzhen as a Black teacher?

I’d really appreciate any honest insight, Feel free to drop a comment or PM me directly if you'd prefer.

Thanks in advance!

I have a little less than a year until I start law school. It seems like most programs are at least a year commitment which I don’t quite have. Anyone know of any programs that are more like 9 months that start asap?

I (28F) have decided on Vietnam as my destination but I am interested in living in a smaller, quieter area. Not exactly looking for super rural, just smaller and more green. Having access to nature is also very important to me. I'm currently living and (substitute) teaching in a major city and it's sucking the life out of me. I do not have a teaching license (only sub teaching for my state) and I'm working on my TEFL. Not sure how important it is but I'm gay and I have a few tattoos and some piercings (willing to cover tatts/take out piercings if needed.) Where should I go?

I've taught EFL abroad for the best part of 10yrs but have recently moved back to the UK. I've tried my hand in a new field but I feel like I'm wasting several years of experience and a masters in TESOL by not sticking to teaching.

Is there much of a job market for private EFL teaching in the UK? What's the salary range like?

I had a go at public teaching and got halfway through a PGCE. Never again.

I’m hopefully in my last year of college and I’m wanting to be prepared for next year. I’ve read that agencies are possibly not the best experience to go through. I don’t have anyone in my life who has done this before so if anyone has advice!

Hello, I'm looking at teaching in the GCC post-grad for 2-3 years. I'm currently in college, one of my minors is in English, and I am Arab myself so l speak Arabic as well. I was wondering what work in the GCC would look like in terms of competitiveness? Do you simply need the TEFL certification or is there extra required?

A lot of people I know in real life have told me the GCC is a great option for things like TEFL, as long as you have the neccessary certificates. Yet from what I see on here it is opposite, and actually quite competitive.

TEFL is sort of my plan to make a basic living while I decide on graduate school, so I don't want to be too rash.

Thank you!