How to Find a Job Teaching English Abroad in Beijing

You may be a seasoned teacher looking for a new challenge, or you may be a first-time teacher looking for a fresh start. Why not take a risk and fly halfway across the globe, because you'll be doing something you enjoy? Learn from the people who are teaching you, and then teach them back!

Most instructors in Beijing will need a bachelor's degree in order to teach English. It is desirable that candidates have a native command of the English language and at least two years of classroom experience. Teachers in Beijing may expect to make between $1,450 and $2,900 per month on average.

The sooner you start searching for job in China, the better, although even that is a bit of a risk. If you want a contract and to begin teaching in September, you should begin exploring for jobs in June or July. It is possible to get the same benefits, though, for a position starting in March for just half of the school year. Part-time instructors don't have to sign any kind of formal contract when working in China, which means that you may accept/receive students at any time of the year. Schools and parents, on the other hand, favor students who want to remain for the long haul.

You may use classified websites, Google, or even chat to friends to find what you're looking for. Everyone in China appears to have or know someone who teaches or has taught English at some time, and they may serve as your entrance to the country. Publish a classified ad and hand out fliers around schools if you want to get rid of your pals from the image completely. The classifieds area of The Beijinger or E China Cities for employment in China is a good place to start if you'd rather find people who could be seeking for you. Make friends with your instructor if you're at school, and you may get a job for the next year! If you're looking for work in China, you never know where it will come from!

An English citizen is the only person eligible for employment; everyone else must be a native speaker of the language they want to teach, such as someone from Spain or Latin America, or someone from another Portuguese-speaking country. Because China is still under the spell of the "American Dream" and because they watch a lot of movies and TV series, Americans are the first option for schools when they begin selecting students. Because of the variations in pronunciation and writing between American and British English, British people tend to be the last to be selected. You won't have any problems if you try to tone down your accent and speak in accordance with the so-called Standard American English.

A TESOL or TEFL degree isn't necessary, and neither is a degree in any other field. There are certain schools where teaching English as a foreign language requires a master's degree (in any area), even though it's a completely optional requirement.