What are good non english teaching jobs in China/

[jmike]

I'm wanting to know if there are good non teacher jobs in Guangzhou for a non chinese person. My mandarin is limited and I have not gone to college.

What are my options?

[pancake]

Well, do you have any special skills? Otherwise your English is your only leverage, so I would try to look for import/export type of businesses.

Be warned, though, that the wages probably won't be great. I know a Pakistani guy in Harbin that makes 4000 yuan a month in such a place, maybe the wages in Guangzhou are higher on account if it being more developed, but that's just speculation on my part. Also, if you're hoping to improve your mandarin, Guangzhou probably isn't the best place to be. Would be cool to learn a bit of cantonese, though.

[liuzhou]

Highly limited. Joint venture companies are the likeliest source of non-teaching jobs, but usually recruit in their home countries and will be looking for qualifications.

With few qualifications, you are unlikely to find anything. Like most countries, China only issues 'work permits' to people who can supply a need which they cannot provide from their own people. There are literally millions of people in China who may not have formal qualifications (although many do), but at least speak Chinese. You will be way down the line for jobs.

Sorry. But that's the way it works.Think of an unqualified Chinese person coming to your country with no or little English. Same situation.

[Brian US]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you need a college degree to formally work or get a work visa? I know you aren't "suppose" to teach English on a student visa, but have never heard of anyone having a problem.

[johndones]

^Of course it is possible, maybe not according to the rules.

OP: Yes, there are many good jobs in Guangzhou as in every big city, the question is which of them you are able to do.

If you mean you have no skills and want a good job, then I would tell you to stop dreaming.. and get some (I'm not telling anyone to go to college or university, but just to do a little bit self-education). If you don't want to do that then I can't think of anything easier than English teaching.

Some will suggest becoming a model or some performer of other kind, but that actually requires much much more effort, especially if you want to start making some money rather than pocket change.

[jmike]

In the states I teach Martial arts.

When I was in china, people wanted me to teach them, but I had no time.

A friend in china thinks I should open my own gym.

But I need a sponsor, I don't have the money to do it on my own.

I used to train MMA fighters, but I have a traditional background.

I even helped create a hand to hand combatives course for armed security guards in my hometown.

I can learn languages really fast. In 2 months, I learned how to converse and get around town speaking Mandarin without lessons. Just a listen and learn kind of thing.

I have many personal skills, I just don't have a degree.

How could I do anything but teach english.

I don't hate teaching english. I just prefer other jobs.

What can I do?

[simonlaing]

I think you could teach english,

If you're really lucky you might be able to teach PE in an international school in China. Those have big salaries.

Perhaps teach some kung fu classes for tourists at traditional tourist places like Shao lin si though this is a major reach.

However without a degree you will be very limited.

Good luck,

Simon:)

[Lu]

Well then I'd go and teach martial arts. It's not even necessary to open your own gym I think, you need a place to teach but you can rent that. Apparently there is a demand for your teaching, so that's good. Teaching martial arts in English might be a very good niche to be in, there must be plenty of people who come to China and would like to learn some martial arts, but don't really have much Chinese.

Good luck!

[johndones]

Well it seems like opening a business of your own would be the best way to go.

As Lu said martial arts （especially Chinese martial arts) taught in English are in demand right now and it still doesn't look that great on the supply side.

It might be a little troublesome to set up a company here and will require some starting capital (don't take my word but probably more than 200-300 thousand RMB), but it's definitely worth it.

If you don't have the money than maybe consider staying for a while in the states and saving up a little, you don't need that much after all.

If you don't have any degrees than doing business will always be one of the best ways to go, especially if you're a smart person, rather than someone that didn't go to college because they weren't smart enough.

[jbradfor]

In the states I teach Martial arts.

When I was in china, people wanted me to teach them, but I had no time.

A friend in china thinks I should open my own gym.

But I need a sponsor, I don't have the money to do it on my own.

I used to train MMA fighters, but I have a traditional background.

I even helped create a hand to hand combatives course for armed security guards in my hometown.

Then, frankly, I'm not sure why you even posted. The answer is obvious, teach martial arts. It seems to be a skill you have that is not common, you have a background in it, and I presume you enjoy it.

I can learn languages really fast. In 2 months, I learned how to converse and get around town speaking Mandarin without lessons. Just a listen and learn kind of thing.

That is good, but that won't get you a job in China. It may help you get a job based on other skills, but there are still hundreds of millions of Chinese that can speak Chinese better than you.

@simonlaing

Perhaps teach some kung fu classes for tourists at traditional tourist places like Shao lin si though this is a major reach.

I fear I will need to disagree here. I assume you are Caucasian? For me, if I'm a tourist in China, if I want to take martial arts classes, I want to take it from a Chinese person. Call me names if you want, but it seems more authentic that way. I want to be taught by a Chinese person who went to a martial arts school that is hundreds of years old and speaks bad English.

So then what is your target customers? Maybe you can say you teach Western-style street fighting or something like that, and target local Chinese? If you can teach in good-enough Mandarin, that might work.

@johndones

If you don't have any degrees than doing business will always be one of the best ways to go, especially if you're a smart person, rather than someone that didn't go to college because they weren't smart enough.

I know plenty of people that are smart that didn't go to college, and I met some total idiots in college. Unfortunately, at least in America, going to college seems as much a function of opportunity and upbringing than it is ability.

[Lu]

For me, if I'm a tourist in China, if I want to take martial arts classes, I want to take it from a Chinese person. Call me names if you want, but it seems more authentic that way. I want to be taught by a Chinese person who went to a martial arts school that is hundreds of years old and speaks bad English.

There'll be many people who feel that way, but I believe there'll also be a lot of foreigners who would feel more comfortable with a teacher who looks like them, teaches in a familiar way, and speaks their language.

Of course, once you have enough Mandarin, you can also teach Chinese people Western martial arts.

[cui ruide]

You might try talking to one of the bigger gyms about teaching classes, to start out at least. Also MMA seems like it's getting pretty popular, that might be a hook--especially for foreigners. I know folks here in Beijing look for those classes.

[jbradfor]

@Lu, you're right, I should clarify.

I was responding as a tourist (i.e. there for a week or two), if I want to take a martial arts course as a cultural thing. If I'm living in China, and want to train seriously, then I agree that the quality of the teacher, and good communication, is more important than the nationality.

[SirDude]

jmike,

I think jbradfor hit on a lot of good points, (not to take away from anyone else) but as an owner of two business I understand enough about the "perceived value" of an item or service.

This is why I agree that westerners who come to China to learn MA will at first seek out a native Chinese teacher. How many Chinese Food restaurants are there in the US run by a Caucasian? Everyone wants the "real thing."

BUT! I do feel you have a good niche with the MMA and knowing MA. Do a Google search for article about Americans working in China. The article is always on the first page and I think it's from CNN. But they talk about how this Lady who knew very little Mandarin got a job with a dance studio not because she was able to speak the language, but because she knew how to dance western / urban style. She now runs the show when they go on tour or something like that.

My thought would be to find a locally owned MA teacher / training center / school and first get a job to teach MMA AND to assist teaching westerners MA who are having a hard time understanding. In a sense you would be a translator who knows MA. Does that make any sense?

You would have the best of both worlds and very little cost out of your pocket to start up. Your value would be you can bring in a new market the current school can't AND be a good addiction to the school's current clients.

In the meantime, I would think it would be wise to start learning as much of the Mandarin (standard or Classical) words or terms they would use. I think you there's a good chance you know this, since my Niece here in the US has been taking classes for years and they only teach her in Chinese. She's been at it for about five or six years, since a very little girl, but I don't think she realizes that she knows a lot of words. This is why I think you would be a good value in China.

On a general note about the college / no college, I'm in the same boat as jmike, I didn't NEED to get a college degree to work or even own three business over the last twenty plus years, but because of the bad US economy and the fact that I too would love to find a non-teaching job in China, I am looking at returning to college.

I think the whole world puts too much prestige on a college degree. If college is SO important to do anything meaningful in life, then how did all the early computer guys get to where they are today? Or how did the human race make it this far? As you can see by me returning to college, I am not against schooling, but some people have it in their mind that a person is not "smart" if they do not have a degree.

[driftman]

I guess you need to decide what you WANT to do. You can work as a trainer (especially the international schools pay very well for that, alternatively gyms or free lance), a trader, a manager, start your own business, sales, marketing etc.

A lot of options. What is your interest?

[volga_volga]

I am curious when the OP said "I have a traditional background", did you mean that you trained in traditional Chinese martial arts? Or what exactly did you mean?

If you trained in Traditional CMA, then you'd better find a sifu/association/wuguan that you can start with, ideally, who teach your style(s). I am a bit famiiar with GZ MA community, as in any Chinese professional community, you'd be much better off if you start with establishing guanxi and building up a reputation. Any potential students will ask you first who was your sifu/kung fu family/who you know etc etc.

If you trained in non-Chinese MA, then you can approach fitness clubs or martial art gyms (if they exist in GZ... I am not sure). A good place to start would be Guangzhou Sports Association http://www.gdpopsports.com/index.asp or simply going to Tian He Sports Centre to shmooze around. I know it's a popular place for training, including MArtists. Again, you'd need to start talking to people 'in the trade' in order to figure out how to proceed...

Given that the OP was created in January, I am curious what the author has done in the meantime..