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Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:50 pm
by Old Republic
Greetings,

After many years of thinking about this, I have finally decided to get my feet wet this winter.

I have lived in Asia for the last 5 years, working in the ESL industry. A few years ago I completed the TeacherReady program for middle school maths. As for myself, I am an early 30's single male with no children.

Goal:

Gain employment for the Fall 18' school year someplace I can save 2,000 USD or more a month. I am open to any location that is remotely safe.

Right now I am living and working in Saigon. My life is real cushy (18 hours a week & can save 1,000 USD with basically no prep required and minimal work to take home). So unless the savings is considerably better, I would just assume to stay put and try again next hiring season.

As of now I do not plan to attend any job fair and will seek employment through job boards, agencies, direct applications etc.

So my question is, how likely is it that I find what I am looking for? I realize I am at a disadvantage due to having no experience, unrelated major etc. However, I am hoping me being open to going most anywhere will help offset some of those disadvantages.

Also, what would be your plan of attack if you where in my shoes?

1) Sign up for all the job boards and agencies

ISS - Not available to me I presume
Search - Maybe available to me?
Schrole -
TIE -
COIS -
Daves's -
Footprints -
Compass -
Teach Away -
TES -
Teacher Horizons -
Wish List Jobs -
Seek Teachers -
eTeachInternational -


Missing any?

2) Google schools in various countries and apply directly

3) ?

I know China and the Middle East are usual places that newbie teachers start out in. I would prefer China obviously over Middle East assuming savings potential was the same. Any other countries or region to target more specifically given I am a newbie and wanting to save a decent amount?

Also, PsyGuy or anyone else that is good at CV hacking, would like get some feedback and pointers. Could you email me at LiamGrey23@yandex.com

Mods if emails are forbidden I will remove or feel free to remove it for me.

Thanks

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:26 am
by mamava
I worked in both China and Saudi. The base pay was similar, although Saudi's was higher. Our annual flight allowance was almost double what it cost to fly home, so essentially we were given $$ for 2 home flights, so we could choose to bank that. Also, there is a lot more to do in China, and very little to do socially in Saudi, so we spent a lot less. If you were in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, you definitely have more things to spend on. We loved living in China, hated living in Saudi, but we were able to save more in Saudi.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 10:57 am
by Rob
I have a few random suggestions. I'm at the opposite end of the teaching experience and just returned to the States 3 years ago from SE Asia. I'm 71. Been gone for 40+ years.

One of the places I taught in was Vietnam. If you like Vietnam, then maybe you should do some sub work at the international schools there, particularly SSIS, which I really loved a few years ago. I got the job at SSIS from TIE. Schools in Asia love that you are already there, and so it's easy to make the transition.

I think the idea of emailing individual schools is a waste of time unless you know there is a vacancy. I got my last three teaching assignments from TIE- in Egypt, Jordan and Vietnam. I've always been a fan of that website.

One last tidbit of advice is make sure you start saving for retirement now. I'm glad to see a lot of people here talk about that. My generation overseas did not, and so we had teachers living a very good existence overseas, but not being able to retire. Procrastination seemed to be the norm. I think that has changed now.

Enjoy Saigon. I loved it there, both as a teacher is 1975 upon being evacuated, and just a few years ago. However, if you can take the pollution and traffic, all the power to you.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:08 am
by Old Republic
@Rob

Thanks for insight.

Yea when I mentioned directly, I was talking about ones that had vacancies on their website.

I love Saigon. I am young and easy going so the pollution is not a problem. Traffic is actually not that bad. Especially compared to places like Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta. Been here 9 months and have only been caught in standstill traffic once.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 12:28 pm
by buffalofan
I would say your chances of scoring an international school job for 2018 with a savings potential of $24k a year are low. You will need to be willing to get some experience first (you have zero experience as far as international schools are concerned, if I am reading your post right) and then go on to a better/higher paying school.

You say you are willing to stay put teaching ESL in Saigon - I would advise against this. Teaching ESL in SE Asia is a dead end gig with no future (I have been there & done that). The sooner you jump into international schools, the longer you have to build up a career. There is a certain point where teaching ESL for too long will harm your prospects for something better.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 12:37 pm
by Old Republic
@Buffalo

What do tier 2 and 3 schools in China and Middle East pay for new teachers?

I would think one could clear 2,500 a month no? Or at the very least 2,000? At 2,000 with a free apartment, one could save 1,500 a month, which is near 20k for the year.

If I stayed in Saigon it would only be for another year. As i said, I only work 18 hours a week zero prep and save 800 - 1,000 a month with an active dating/social life. Super cushy and enjoyable.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 4:51 pm
by Overhere
I think you would be hard pressed to live on $500 a month in China, even in a small Chinese city and certainly not in Shanghai. If you were going to attempt that then you are not traveling and are buying everything at the wet market.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:41 pm
by Old Republic
Overhere wrote:
> I think you would be hard pressed to live on $500 a month in China, even in
> a small Chinese city and certainly not in Shanghai. If you were going to
> attempt that then you are not traveling and are buying everything at the
> wet market.

Unless China is considerably more than Vietnam I can easily live on 500.

Hell I can almost live on 500 here in Saigon whilst paying for my apartment.

Rent - 300 (nice new but small studio) (could easily live in a 200 dollar room if I needed to)
Food - 150 (typical meal for me is 20-50k vnd which is 1-2 dollars)
Fun - 100 (this is with dating and going drinking some, if my main priority is saving money id have no problem staying in and playing PS4 or watching movies online vs cinema. beer can be had at a bar for 1-2 dollars. typical date would cost me 5-15 dollars)
Misc - 100

Take away the apartment expense and I can easily live on 500 here while having an active social life and doing what I want.

Ive been traveling the world and having fun for the last 8-10 years. Time to slow down, put my head down and focus on saving money and working.

Response

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 9:03 am
by PsyGuy
The average global IT salary is around USD$30K, but your not average. You could find that level of coin but your either going to have to go to a hardship region like the ME where there isnt as much to spend on and far fewer distractions or your going to have to put in a lot more work for maybe doubling your savings and getting to that USD$2K savings. I dont think your going to find it at this level of utility in your resume, you can get to it once your mid career, but thats several years up the career path.

I doubt ISs would accept you and if they did you would be frustrated with the level of attention you got.
SA would accept you as a intern which would get you into the BOS fair and the same access to the jobs database as any other candidate.
Schrole is an application management portal, you can apply to any of their vacancies directly from their job board or from their registered ISs employment portal. There would be nothing stopping you from paying their fee and getting direct access.
Your missing Joy Jobs but I wouldnt worry about it.
Cold applications without a vacancy are generally a waste of time.
You essentially dont have the minimum two years experience to enter IE, there arent going to be a lot of opportunities for you, and the ones that are are going to involve some compromises.

So very sorry you listed your email address, this site is indexed and it wont be long before your junk and spam mail exponentially increases.

I agree with @Overhere that living on USD$500/month is very very difficult to do. I know an IT that saved a very high percentage of their salary but they were a scrapper and lived like a hermit.

You would want and likely have a housing allowance or provided housing. Internet would be about $50, and mobile with decent data would be about another $50. If your IS gave you free lunch you would cut some food expenses down and while its possible to find bowls on the street for a couple RMB food isnt expensive, eating out can be. What i find ludicrous is dating and a social life on $100/month. You cant date flossy girls in Shanghai on $15. Id think more like $100/week minimum. If all your going to do though is watch movies and play video games at home then you could do it on $100/month.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 9:18 am
by Old Republic
@PsyGuy

I am prepared to go anywhere (includes ME) to maximize savings potential.

What is the starting salary (net) for a random 2nd or 3rd tier IS in China on average a month?

That isn't my real email. It is one I made specifically for someone willing to look over my resume here and give me some pointers.

Right now in Saigon I probably average about 25 - 35 dollars a week on dating. Usually meet 2 or more girls a week. My typical spots.

Coffee date = 5 dollars
Movie date = 15 dollars
Street Oc (snail) = 10 dollars
Cheap bar date = 15-20 dollars
Street / Mom & Pop Noodle Spots = 5 dollars (Pho, Bun Bo, etc)

After meeting a few times I just prefer to invite them to my place to cook or watch movies.

I do not do anything fancy usually. Although on occasion I will go to a nice restaurant and or club. However, when I go to the club, I usually go solo and milk a beer or two.

Saigon dating scene is awesome for a young single foreign male. Never dated so many young attractive women in my life. 1,000 times better than when I lived in Seoul and the US. So any guys looking to enjoy the dating scene and potentially find Mrs. Right come to Saigon.

As I mentioned though, once I move my focus will be entirely on work and saving money. So I have no problem sacrificing my social life. If anything so long as I am not in the ME I just invite girls straight to my place for some "netflix" to keep myself somewhat socially active.

Free apartment and I can easily live off 500 a month in a cheap to normal city. Would it be fun and enjoyable, no. But for the next for years "fun" is not my priority. So long as I got my Macbook, smartphone and PS4 I am all good.

Reply

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 9:41 am
by PsyGuy
@Old Republic

About USD$20K/yr, this includes an OSH package but you see mixed contract lengths of 10 months to 12 months as a "year".

That was a good call on the email address. In the future you can modify your profile to insert and remove your contact email address at will.

Not going to happen in Shanghai, Beijing or Guangzhou, and definitely not in HK. The smaller towns and cities, maybe but then your teaching at a Chinese DS with an international academy at best. Not for flossy girls, you can find western girls with those budget constraints.
Well the hot clubs in SHA for example have USD$20 covers to start, and drafts are around USD$10, they generally dont stock the domestic cheap stuff so thats all imports.
Thats the same for a lot of Asia minus JP/SK/SG/HK, it really is a guys market and guys do a LOT better in Asia than they do in the west where you need a 6 figure salary, etc.
Your costs would be about twice as much in major cities in China.

You could try that, but a lot of girls in China just dont date that way. They start with the "shy girl" response, then you have to meet them for something casual first which can be pretty inexpensive, coffee, etc. Then you have to take them out, more expensive, before your getting her home to netflix and chill.

You want to look in the ME (Kingdom) its going to meet the most of your priorities as well as savings potential.

Re: Prospective New Teacher. Expectations & Advice

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:10 am
by Old Republic
Wow, only 20k as a full time teacher in China in most these 2nd and 3rd tier. Not sure how they manage to get people to work as one can work ESL and make similar with 80-90% less prep and stress. Korea pays that or more to it's ESL teachers and Vietnam is way better than Korea ie 20+ dollars an hour here. I clear 23 dollars an hour pretty much babysitting. lol

What salary net a month would I expect in Saudi Arabia?

Reply

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:34 am
by PsyGuy
@Old Republic

Thats at the bottom step of the salary scale at lower third tier ISs in China. This would also include an OSH package. IE has higher potential though, salaries top out at about USD$50K with an OSH package. There was a position on Tutors a couple years ago that offered GBP£85,000/yr as a full time IT for a major . member.

In the Kingdom salaries can hit 6 figures, a lower third tier at the bottom of the scale is around USD$40K/yr with OSH.

Re: Reply

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:39 am
by Old Republic
PsyGuy wrote:
> @Old Republic
>
> Thats at the bottom step of the salary scale at lower third tier ISs in
> China. This would also include an OSH package. IE has higher potential
> though, salaries top out at about USD$50K with an OSH package. There was a
> position on Tutors a couple years ago that offered GBP£85,000/yr as a full
> time IT for a major . member.
>
> In the Kingdom salaries can hit 6 figures, a lower third tier at the bottom
> of the scale is around USD$40K/yr with OSH.

Looks like the Kingdom should be my target as a newbie. 40k a year i assume tax free. Hopefully with some flight allowance.

Which sites that have the most job postings there? I want to cast out a big net and hopefully get an offer for 2018.

Or is there a job fair I should try to attend also? Would prefer not to have to do this though.

Reply

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:49 am
by PsyGuy
@Old Republic

OSH packages include a relocation benefit (typically including flights at the start and end of contract) and a housing benefit.

TIE, If you are going to do a fair the SA BOS fair is the most competitive for you, but the SF fair wouldnt be bad either, there is also a Dubai fair.