La Mano Gaucha
- 2009-08-06
Yes indeed. I dealt with Plato very recently for a few days and although his offer did not require me to do an in-person interview, the terms were essentially the same as those posted here. After I told him a) that the probationary period was excessive (especially in view that the FT has to rent his/her own place) and b) that the number of hours was also quite excessive, he said that this are negotiable *if* and only *if* one is highly popular with the students. I am indeed quite popular with my students (as attested by several of the recommendation letters I had sent to him from various previous employers in China and the US), but clearly salary and work load negotiations must not be based on "popularity" alone, and certainly not after one is already formally employed. It's an absurd idea. What he meant was this: "If you are a good entertainer (i.e. white monkey), we might pay you a bit more, but who knows..." I unceremoniously turned him down, yet he came back with more nonsense for several days. I eventually had to tell him to %#@* off, but with kinder words. In sum, if you look carefully and do your homework with him, you will realize that this offer is bad, simply put. It's a bs school and a bs recruiter. Avoid.
HireEd
- 2009-07-19
Lordy! You're not kidding, Silverboy! My comments in BOLD blue.
A full time teaching job in a Language Training Center in Quanzhou, Fujian, China ----Plato
Dear Sir,
This is Plato from Quanzhou, Fujian, China. I am a foreign teacher recruiter. How would you like to have call someone "Plato" more than once without laughing?
A Chained language training centre, its Quanzhou branch, needs full time english teachers. Yeah, it looks like one will be "chained" alright!
The language training centre requests FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW, and the teachers shall pay for interview transportation fee themselves. Wow, that's an attractive incentive! I'll rush right over!
Contract can be signed during the interview if both parties are satisfied. The school will process Z-visa and other needed formalities for full-time foreign teachers. Those aforementioned chains, perhaps?
This is the website of this Language Training Center http://www.kingsenglish.com.cn/main.aspx
Below is the offer:
1) Contract duration: One year or more than one year. Glad that's been clearly specified! If both parties are happy with each other, the contract can be renewed. Fat chance.
2) Monthly salary: RMB8000/Month for probation period, which is three months. After probation period RMB 10000/Month for formal foreign teacher employees. What about the informal ones?
Monthly salary has included Accomadation allowance, which means the school does not provide houses for foreign teachers.
3) Work load: 40hours/week, 27 hours for teaching (yikes!), and the rest for staying at the office (chained) or for activities (unchained). 1 hour per class.
Two days off per week. Teachers work on Day and Night shift basis. Sounds like combination school and convenience store.
4) Courses: Mostly Oral english, grammar and conversation sometimes (other times conversation not allowed?). Teaching material is provided, but teachers themselves have to be prepared for the Conversation course (psychologically?).
5) Student age: children (7-13 years old ) teenager and adults ( 14 years old and above ) What can I say? Chinese mature VERY quickly!
6) Class size: No more than 10 sudents (yes, too many "sudents" is hell!)
7) Starting time: 1 Aug or 15 Aug (what, depending on their mood, come August?)
8) Flight ticket allowance: RMB3000 when completion of signed contract. The school does not pay for transportation fee that teachers coming to Quanzhou to take the job.
9) Other Awards (yes, so many awards thus far): the language training center assesses foreign teachers every three months, and if if teachers are ranked in the first three, he/she will be awarded several thousand RMB, according to his/her abilities. Yes, the foreign teacher performance "windfall" is standard in China.
10) Overtime payment: RMB 100/hour
11) Time of Paying Salary: on the fifth day of the month, if the fifth day happens to be the weekend, then the payment is postponed to the next day. Yet another attactive element of the contract!
TO APPLY FOR THE JOB:
Pls send me your detailed CV, one or two recent color photos, ID page of passport, Visa, copy of university degree and copy of Tesol or Tefl certificate, Health certificate (if you have) Thanks.
Any question about this school or this job, pls feel free to contact me anytime, either by email or phone. thanks
Plato
18905050301
My opinion of Plato and this "school" ?
IT IS CRAP, AND ANY TEACHER WOULD BE A FOOL TO WORK THERE!
PLATO IS A CRAP RECRUITER, KING'S ENGLISH IN FUJIAN PROVINCE IS A CRAP SCHOOL!
KEEP AWAY FROM RECRUITER PLATO AND KINGS ENGLISH!
I can't imagine why Silverboy would feel this way, can you???
The application pool will surely be filled with eager candidates. Plato will soon be overwhlemed by the feeding frenzy!