Thanks for that Eion. Harbin is actually only a 3 hour G train ride (330 km an hour) from Shenyang and looks very cool for the winter festival. As to the city, having been to China before I realize it will not be like home, but there are cosmopolitan spots it appears and a modicum of western places/faces, although not to the degree of Shanghai or Beijing.

However, opportunities won't always be in the most desirable places, so you have to be determined to go where opportunities are for your own reasons, cold be damned! LOL

Well, if you have made pre-contact, whether you receive a response or not, you might find a request in your file at the fair. This means the school is interested. This can happen even if they don't respond directly to you - especially, I think, if you mentioned you are going to be in XXX (the fair city).

So, IAMBOG, did you sign up for Search? LOL

Senator, when you live in a small town some 17 hours drive from the nearest major center, with a river that shuts down traffic twice a year during freeze up and break up, and where you can be across town in minutes, you get a feel for the cold.

Students at my school didn't go outside if the temperature was below -32 F. So one year, students didn't have outdoor recess for SEVEN weeks.

And yes, the wind blows because there isn't much vegetation to stop it!

Redvaldo, it seems unless you are in a very high demand subject or know somebody who knows somebody (that personal networking), you might not know until you get to the fair and see notes in your file whether you have an interview or not.

I think it is still early days to go - no worries. I had friends who had no contacts and decided to stay at a school, only to receive emails later from schools which were at the fair they had planned to attend asking where they were. LOL

On a positive note, had my first nibble today - and the fair is a week away!

The cold doesn't daunt me. If you have lived north of 60 (close to the tree line in the far north of north america), then you can live with -35. LOL

Besides, Harbin and the ice festival are only a bullet train ride away!

Tell her to try Al Faisal University in Riyadh.

It's not just that, Gipper. SEARCH provides a service. They pre-screen candidates, ensure that suitable candidates make it to suitable fairs, and with a candidate fee, ensure that the candidates are somewhat serious about recruiting - not just exploring options (although some are lucky enough to do this).

Imagine if a school had to directly sort through 3,000 CVs (some schools get many many more than this), arrange interviews, fly to places where individual teachers are (most schools still require a face to face meeting), fly to the next city where the teacher lives, etc...

Search does a lot of the legwork for schools plus brings the candidates to central locations for them. In turn, Search is well remunerated.
The fees are a part of the cost of doing business.

Anybody?

Does anybody know anything about this school? I just saw them pop on on Search yesterday, and they have a science position open. However, I have seen no reviews yet, so am wondering about the school (I have already researched Shenyang).

Thanks!

Search tracks database access. So if you looked at the school via Search or the school looked at you via Search as opposed to TIEonline, for instance, then the school is on the hook as they used Search services. I have contacted some schools via TIE and avoided using Search for just this scenario; however, others I have contacted and examined via Search.

We are going to Bangkok and will kick a few tires. Not too sure what is out there for me (20 yrs + experience in various areas internationally and Canada) and my wife (who wants to transition into teaching by volunteering, subbing, and doing a practicum connected to her certification/masters' program).

Is it common to not hear anything by the end of day 2 of the fair? If so, we are thinking we will just go sightseeing the next two days before flying out...

I have been off and on the international circuit since 1998. A lot of what PsyGuy says is what I would write myself. Some of it is a bit out there - but I would not recommend throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

If I was to weigh PsyGuy's advice - it would be >85 in favor.

Just my 2 halalas (you can guess where I am from that!)

Morningcalm,

if you have taught in the Catholic system and you are a practicing Catholic (or can show your confirmation, baptism, etc) then you have a good crack at the Catholic schools in different places. Google international schools + catholic

You could also try someplace like Concordia in Shanghai, which has a religious bent, Ramrudee in Bangkok which has in the past had a religious bent, and others.

Good luck!

Hi Jonquil,

you have the basics, minus the experience. So...where to get that. Look for second and upper third tier schools. Have you joined TIEonline yet? They have a ton of jobs posted - and often from schools which post on SEARCH and ISS as well (they save money hiring via TIEonline and get candidates not in the SEARCH ISS databases).

So...the Gulf is nice - have you looked at Dubai American Academy? A GEMS school (for profit) but a good starting point. AS Doha also has a variety of posts going now.

You would definitely be competitive at UNI to a degree - but schools like hiring teaching couples over singles - twice the teaching for half the ancilliary costs (housing, etc).