How to get a start teaching in China? Part 4

[Hypiereon]

Getting your foot in the GREAT WALL
PART FOUR

Whatever happens, do not burn any bridges, and don’t get into a shouting match with anyone. Be nice and polite, suck up your emotions, and get on with your life. When you do get a contract with a school, get a firm schedule – write it into the contract if you have to – that “these hours and times will not change.” Once you sign with a school for the minimum hours they will let you by with (usually 14-16, but I’ve gotten them down to as low as 12), then you can approach the other schools with a counter-option of hiring you per hour – your per hour rate is 200RMB per hour, but be flexible with this. If it’s your first time and you only have a TEFL Certificate, then you should more probably start at around 150RMB per hour. In all cases, never go less than 125RMB per hour for part-time work, and only agree to work for schools for about 4 hours per week.

If you do this, remember you are going to have to do some traveling between schools, so take into account the travel time. If you can get into three schools, that would be best – this accomplishes several things for you. If you hate the school / people / work conditions at one school, you’ve kept the door open and a working relationship going with the other schools. If, by some chance, the other schools REALLY like you, they may ask you to teach full-time and up their original offer. You can then resign from the first school and switch at your leisure. The effect is compounding. Eventually, the schools will get wise to each other and someone will make an offer no one else can top – you take it, and work part-time for the others at a higher per hour rate than when you originally started.