Debate on Teaching or Career

[HangingClowns]

I wasn't quite sure where to put this, and I thought this section might be the best. I'm a double major in Computer Science and Chinese. I'm torn between either starting a career right out of college or teaching English in China for a year or two to be more marketable. I'm afraid if I stay out of the CS field that I might not look good to an employer, but if I take more time to get better at my Chinese, I might look better towards an international employer. In my spare time, I do read a lot about technology and try to stay as current as possible to what is going on and what is hot in the programming field.

Sorry about the ramble, but that is why I am confused if I should continue learning Chinese and teach English in China so that I become more engulfed and surrounded by it, or if I should get a career right out of school.

[anonymoose]

My personal opinion is that having a year or two's experience teaching in China isn't going to give you much credit in the eyes of an employer. On the contrary, for those who know what teaching English in China involves, it might have the opposite effect.

Have you considered other jobs, such as in the IT sector in China? I'm not sure how easy they are to come by, but I suspect it would be much more beneficial to your future prospects.

[gato]

Sorry about the ramble, but that is why I am confused if I should continue learning Chinese and teach English in China so that I become more engulfed and surrounded by it, or if I should get a career right out of school.

Engulfed by Chinese. I like the sound of that.

As for your question, if you want to have a career as a programmer, you should go for a programming job out of school rather than go teach English in China.

[mpallard]

I have had this debate many many times with myself.

My only reccomendation is not to teach English, total waste of time. I doubt any private sector employer will be impressed with English teaching experience.

If you want to improve your Chinese in an attempt to find an international position somewhere down the road focus on the language by studying full time for a while. If you are short of cash you can do some private tutoring in the evenings but your primary focus should be improving your Chinese language skills.

I am assuming your Chinese can still use some improvement. After a year studying in Taiwan I had a bunch of recently graduated Chinese majors from the States in my class. Their level was about the same as someone who had studied full time in Taiwan for about 8 months. There is no way that they could have used Chinese in their jobs.

[HangingClowns]

I think I might have misused some of my words. The main reason I'd be teaching English is that it'd be a job that I can get to stay in China to actually live there full time. I figured that 6 months to a year in China would help my Chinese out A LOT. I was thinking about doing some investigation when I go to China this summer. I will be there from about July to January, somewhere in there. I'm looking at doing 6 months over there, because a teacher at my school found me a job that I can work so that I have some pocket money, and that is teaching English.

[whereishunter]

If you want to be a programmer then I would go for a programmer job first. Once you get a couple of years of experience then you could move to Asia and you would be more employable.

Also as an English teacher in China, there are plenty of jobs and that could always be plan B!!

Good luck

[HangingClowns]

I think I might have misused my words. What I meant to say is, because it would be a reason to stay there and for me to be more immersed in the culture, I'd teach English. It's not that I just want to teach it or anything, it's just it'd be a way for me to definitely be there and have interaction with the locals.

So, I guess the main point is, is it worth it to be there for a year after I get out of college or should I just go start my career straight out of school?

[imron]

As someone in the CS field who has also spent time teaching English, I would recommend spending at least a year or two in the workforce before considering doing something like this. There are a couple of reasons: firstly it will help consolidate the skills that you have learnt in university and also teach you plenty of new things you didn't know before - the challenges of working in a commercial environment can be quite different from that of a university assignment. Secondly, it means that when you are finished with teaching and want to return to the CS field, you'll have a couple of years experience under your belt and therefore a wider array of positions available to you and won't need to compete directly with recent graduates. Thirdly, if you're smart about it, you should be able to save a reasonable amount in a year or two, and that will give you the option of coming to China to study Chinese if you decide that might be more desirable than teaching English.

There's also nothing to stop you looking for CS work in China. There are plenty of domestic and foreign companies in the CS space over here.

[mpallard]

If you want to be "engulfed" by Chinese teaching English, even in China, is not a good place to start.

If you want to improve your Chinese, do it right, don't screw around.

[flameproof]

My personal opinion is that having a year or two's experience teaching in China isn't going to give you much credit in the eyes of an employer. On the contrary.....

I agree 100% here. I believe you also get a wrong idea about the benefit of knowing Mandarin. In professional life it has next to zero benefit. If I want a mandarin speaker in a company I will hire a local, it's cheaper, and there is a good chance that there language skill will be better then yours.

Another issue, when I look at applications for technical professional, I won't be impressed at all by a year of teaching, or working as insurance sales or travel guide. That would give the candidate an instant poorer mark.

[roddy]

Agree with the general sentiment - there are good reasons to teach in China, furthering a career in CS isn't one of them though. Either spend a year or two just working on your Chinese, or alternatively and if you've got the Chinese, attend a university and do the first year of a Master's degree, or as a visiting scholar where you choose some classes to attend. That will do wonders for your Chinese, particularly in your field of expertise, you'll hopefully learn some useful stuff and it'll be much better for your CV than any amount of English teaching.

Edited April 21, 2009 at 07:32 AM by roddy

[HangingClowns]

Sorry about the double post, I didn't realize that my posts are always checked before they are posted. I went to China the January before last and I really loved it. I'd like to find a job in China working at an American company earning an American salary if that's at all possible. I wonder how I can find one that fits that kind of need. Do they post up where travel is on company's web sites?

[imron]

I'd like to find a job in China working at an American company earning an American salary if that's at all possible.

Unlikely (but not 100% impossible) for a recent graduate. In any event though, you should be able to find work that pays equal or better than teaching English. Your best bet is to start looking for and applying Chinese companies though, rather than American companies that might send you to China.

[roddy]

I'd like to find a job in China working at an American company earning an American salary if that's at all possible.

You and everyone else on here. Good luck!

[flameproof]

I'd like to find a job in China working at an American company earning an American salary if that's at all possible.

It is possible in some industries. But those are usually US staff that are send overseas. It's quite unlikely to be hired on full expat terms locally. Except you are an sought after expert, which I guess you are not (yet).

And remember, speaking Mandarin in China is very useful, but not that special.

If you want top $$$ aim at banking & investment. Have your read "Mr. China"? It's an interesting book from a sinophile investment banker.

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-China-Memoir-Tim-Clissold/dp/0060761393

[adrianlondon]

I'm not in your position (as I graduated many years ago) but I'm a freelance IT consultant and in 2006 spent half a year in Beijing. I studied Mandarin full time for one semester (4 months) and dossed around the other two ;)

It never crossed my mind to teach English as (a) I'm impatient and sarcastic so would make a rubbish teacher and (B) why teach just to earn pocket money when a couple of months of decent IT work back in Europe would do that much, much faster.

I'd recommend getting a job where you currently are if you can. If the economic situation is screwing you over, then go to China and either (a) study Mandarin full time, (B) study it part time while looking for ad-hoc IT work, or © teach English but realise you're just stalling and you'll need to revisit this entire situation again as soon as you decide to stop teaching.