Private Tutoring

While I was trying to lock down a full time teaching job in an internet cafe a few months ago, an American teacher from California, overheard my phone conversation, and began giving me advice. The most important thing he said was this: "There will always want and need english teachers here. If you pass on one job, there will be tens if not hundreds that will employ you, or go vacant". Truer words have never been spoken here.

The trick that most schools play is to rush you into it, or make it seem like they have what you need, but the exact opposite is true. During the Olympics (including paralympic), there was bargaining power for schools, now, if you speak english and have a college degree you will find work.

After posting an add in a local online forum thebeijing.com, my inbox was flooded with requests for tutoring. While most weren't ideal, or were Chinese language agents (or private english schools) asking for my availability, I did get an email from a couple that is studying to go abroad after the IELTS exam. Now I meet with them twice a week for 2 hours a time, 2 minutes from where I work, when I am free, and I get paid over 22 dollars and hour. Pretty sweet.

I keep getting more offers, and I may take on more tutoring in the future. I keep getting calls for edit jobs, although most conflict with my teaching hours. Had I known it would have been like this, I probably would have done only private tutoring and part time work. If only jobs in the US were as easy to come by.