My school is doing the same. They are trying to save money so they have opted out of the fairs this year and instead are hiring from their school website inquiries.

Cheery Littlebottom wrote:
> Further to my previous petulant outburst, you may want to have a look at
> this.
>
> http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/ ... l-table-en
>
> It is 3 years out of date but it gives you a handle on things.


Cheery, that website is completely incorrect. The salary listed for Australia is twice that, and the salaries listed for the US and England are quite low as well. I've no idea where the website is getting its information, but it's wrong.

Freezing cold in Shenyang. -35 C in the winters and the locals don't really bother to clean the sidewalks so you've got black ice everywhere for 5 months out of the year.

Bring an ice pick.

Changchun
Changchun American International School
German International School of Changchun

^30 in one room is nothing. Most Chinese public schools have over 100 students in one room.

Look for 3rd tiers that are IB in not so desirable locations. Lots of places in China hire first year teachers. Try Changchun American. It's freezing cold in the winter but they do IB and have awesome students (I used to work there). Or try the Middle East, or any country ending in -stan.

Do you have dependents?

Yes, I would answer honestly, and I have done so in the past. Only the most shady admins would try and catch their teachers that way.

You might want to go to the social and network a bit. I know people who didn't get interviews at the sign-up but went to the social and were able to acquire interviews. Doesn't always happen, but you could get lucky.

The BKK January fair mostly targets singles without dependents and teaching couples. If you have kids, then you are probably going to have to wait unless you are in a high-demand area or the school is small and growing and needs students.

Go the presentations too - talk to the recruiters afterwards and you might be able to get an interview that way. You never know.

2 interviews? That's rough. I've been to the BKK January fair 3 times.

First year, I had zero IB experience and no IB training. I didn't get any interviews.

Second year, I had IB training but still no experience. I got 2 interviews but no offers.

Third year, I had 2 years of IB experience (MYP & DP) and 2 course of IB training. I got 8 interviews and was offered (and accepted) a job at a great school.


So, Choirguy, what is your experience? Do you have any IB?

It always surprises me how underdressed some people are at these fairs. There are always a few people in jeans and T-shirts. I mean, don't they know that this is a professional affair?

Good luck to everyone. I was there last year and found a great job. This year I am very happy to be relaxing at the beach instead of stressing out about the fair. It's 3-day adrenaline rush - good luck and please post a few diaries!

Absolutely go to the social. Recruiters will be there and you can sit and talk with them in a less formal setting. Many interviews, second interviews, and even job offers have been acquired through the social. Just be sure to nab a recruiter to talk with them before someone else does!

It completely depends upon the school and whether or not they are jerks. My previous school let me go to a recruiting fair but I had to use up my sick days in order to do so. My current school gives us 3 days for recruiting at the end of our contract. There are other schools who will simply tell you "no" and you have to decide whether or not to accept the consequences of going anyway.

Senator, I'm not sure how forthcoming posters are going to be about this topic, as many of us desire anonymity when posting here and are hesitant about posting about specific schools. However I'll post my 2 cents, without naming any names.

During my 2 year stint in China at a 3rd tier, the health care sucked. I only had very basic coverage and my non-teaching spouse was offered no coverage at all. Plus, the hospitals in China were a nightmare. When interviewing for my next job I made sure to ask about health care - it was one of my dealbreakers. The school I'm at in Thailand offers fantastic healthcare - the best I've had in 10 years in Asia. My wife and daughter both get full coverage even though I'm the only one teaching. So far we have used the plan to cover hospital visits, medicine, minor local surgery, and a birth. It's for this reason (and a few others) that I doubt we will ever leave.

Hope this helps.