Finding a Teaching Job

@chris s,

As before, the problem is that some people have no problem with a school, while others say they complete opposite. The big schools are generally safe, just expect to do a little more grading/work outside of the classroom and be paid less than what the smaller schools may offer.

@Mark,
Thanks for the suggestion. You can find answers to your questions on this site, but this post here about the Cost of Living in Taiwan covers things like rent and food, which will help you out. Best of luck!

@William,
Thanks for the comments. People can also hit the like or share buttons at the top of the page if they wish

If you want to live near the beach then honestly any city will do. I say this because Taiwan is small, so even if you aren’t next to the beach, it will only take an hour or so to reach it. Some cities I can recommend for surf life are Kaohsiung, Taidong and Hualien. The problem, however, is that cities that are close to beaches usually don’t have that many jobs. Kaohsiung is OK, but Taidong and Hualien will be very difficult to find work in. The other option is to just pick Taipei and then head north to the coastal cities on your weekend. At least this way you will be almost guaranteed a job with more than enough hours. Good luck with whatever you decide.

@AJ,
No problem. Just like or share this site with your friends Onto your questions…

Yup, don’t touch recruitment agencies with a ten foot pole. They are terrible. Is it discrimination? AJ, this is Taiwan, not South Africa. This may come as a little harsh, but get used to it. You will be judged by the color of your skin and by how much facial hair you have. Honesty will get you nowhere in Taiwan. Does mean you should lie? Not, but it means you should not tell anyone anything unless they ask you directly, and even then you need to find some way of twisting your words so you omit anything that may place you in a difficult spot.

Not sure about the visa issue. People normally come here and then find a job, or you can find one online before coming here. I’ve never heard of this one or two month rule. There’s not much else information I can provide beyond what is on this site. If you have enough money to live on, then simply come here THEN look for a job. This way you can avoid recruitment agencies and look for a job locally.

If you have specific questions, just contact your local TECO in South Africa. They will happily help you with any questions regarding visas etc. Hint, don’t tell them anything that may incriminate yourself Good luck!

@Sean,
I do not recommend people use agents. There are cram schools that will hire people who are outside of Taiwan. Agents use a lot of “tricks” to make your life difficult, especially when it comes to leaving them and working for someone else. It is not uncommon for an agent to have a clause in their contract that states you cannot work for any other school in a specific area or location for up to six months after leaving them. Feel free to take a job offered by an agent, but you have been warned.

@Sarah,
You will definitely face difficulty finding work, especially in the smaller schools. It won’t be impossible, but I would strongly recommend you stick to the big schools, because they are less inclined to discriminate, at least openly, when hiring. It just means you might need to knock on a few more doors or make a few more phone calls to find a job than other people. Good luck!

@Simon,
Thanks. I think you’ll find the video on the
English teaching jobs page useful. I will update it over the winter break when I get time.

@Natalie,
You can find teaching jobs anytime of the year in Taiwan. However, schools do most of their hiring before CNY (Jan/Feb) and then around June/July. I hope this helps.

@Izak,
Hi, I am definitely NOT a Taiwan guru I just started this blog to help people get a better idea of what it is like teaching English in Taiwan.

You have definitely missed the main job train for the year. You are also correct by saying that many schools do hire throughout the year, so I wouldn’t worry about not being able to find a job unless you had your heart set on one specific city/area and didn’t want to move beyond that.

Which rural cities are the best to teach in? Honestly, once you leave Taipei it is all “rural” (some Taiwanese believe that anything outside of Taipei is rural), so I would definitely look at Chiayi, areas near Taichung, Jilong, Pingtung as you said and any other areas around near Kaohsiung. Basically check a map and look for cities that are in the middle and southern parts of Taiwan and you’ll be able to find plenty of cities. Will they all have jobs there? Yeah, but many schools won’t advertise them. Also, you “may” have to take a position via a recruiter, because schools in rural areas are typically have very little experience hiring foreigners and don’t know how to find teachers. I would definitely start with Pingtung, because it is close to Kaohsiung and civilization, but it is definitely very rural. I hope that helps and best of luck!

Mike
You will face the same kind of discrimination in Taiwan, albeit it won’t be as blatantly obvious and it won’t be as widespread. You could definitely find work teaching English here, but still be prepared for the “sorry, you’re not white” rejections. If money isn’t a problem, then by all means come to Taiwan first and then look for a job. This is a good way to make sure you find somewhere to work that you like or suits you best. If money is a problem, then find work before you come and then keep your eyes and ears open once you are here just in case you find a better place to work. I hope that helps. Good luck!