Looking for Teaching Jobs in China? Reasons to Not Pick a Megacity

 

Large cities like Shanghai have a certain allure to first time English teachers in China. Cities such as this are mind blowling huge, and the ability to find western style comforts are is much easier. The expat communities tend to be much larger, and so the challenge of going out and finding likeminded western friends can be simpler. It’s a simple numbers game, after all; more people mean more social opportunities. However, there are downsides to really big Chinese megacities, and it’s not just restricted to Shanghai. Here are some reasons why smaller places deserve consideration while hunting for a job.   

A more competitive labor market. 

Finding a good job in a megacity might actually be much harder. All the luxury a city like Shanghai affords ultimately attracts more job applicants, and this means you will actually be competing with more people for a teaching slot. For example, some of the better universities sometimes require a foreign English teacher to have two years of experience within China. The demand for teachers is much higher in Tier 2 or 3 urban centers. Smaller places will often offer higher salary. If the city is unknown to a foreigner, some greater incentive is often used to get that foreigner’s attention. Some first time teachers with long term ambitions in the Middle Kingdom opt for smaller destinations first, build their resume, and then start looking for work in the more cosmopolitan places. 

More opportunities for private tutoring. 

In smaller cities, it feels like Chinese people might literally lob job prospects while merely walking down the street. I know, because it has happened to me. Of course, choosing your side jobs in China requires the utmost care. Usually, as you build a network of Chinese friends, referrals come easy from people you trust. Private tutors are often seen, by Chinese people, as a better investment than a for-profit language center. Somebody gets dedicated, one-on-one attention for their specific needs, and not the abstract curriculum dreamed up by a corporate business. As a result, your per hour rate is larger as a private tutor. Plus, smaller cities have less foreigners, and so the need, like with official visa-related jobs, is greater. If you are going to seek extra work, private, under-the-table deals are actually more preferable for the following reason. 

Stricter enforcement by Chinese officials. 

Sometimes, schools get raided in larger cities, and this is to make sure that the people in the classrooms have the proper work visas. If the school is not the entity that helped you get your residency permit and foreign expert certificate, you could get deported. While this primarily aimed at backpack travelers on tourist visas, sometimes legal employees get caught up in this. The school may be a part time job where somebody is earning extra money; in the eyes of the government, it doesn’t matter – you are still doing a job without the proper paperwork to back it up. Once deported, you could end up on a blacklist that will keep you from reentering China. Enforcement of these rules tends to be more lax in smaller municipalities. The need there is that great, and unqualified teachers do not seem as much of a pressing concern. 

Lower cost of living. 

Simply put, your rent will be higher in places like Shanghai. This may not be a big deal if you work at a college or university, where an apartment is provided to you. Usually, a good language center employer will provide a foreign employee with a housing allowance to defray living costs. In theory, rent issues should not be as much of problem. But, renting usually comes with hidden expenses as well. Other issues include day to day prices of goods and services. Going out for a meal can easily cost more, as can trips to the supermarket. 

Slower pace of life. 

Megacities are crowded. Rush hour on the Shanghai’s subway system can become extremely crowded with people pushing unto and off of trains. Depending on the traffic, taking a taxi can result in longer trip than the subway itself. This might be especially true in a place like Beijing. This also means lesser crowds in shopping centers and other places.  

Less pollution. 

Air quality is an ongoing issue in China. Typically, the larger cities have larger smog problems. But, the issue is not only confined to bigger cities. A smaller city may have less industry, but its larger neighbor will do all the polluting for them. Wind will then carry that pollution over. This is more of a region-by-region issue. For example, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, and Wuxi are smaller than both Nanjing and Shanghai. But, collectively, the southern Jiangsu region does have its collective issues.   

Conclusion

Ultimately, searching for a job in China is not a one-size-fits-all matter. Some people enjoy smaller municipalities, and others really want the comforts that only an international city like Shanghai or Beijing can provide. It comes down to what a person’s exacts needs are. Before even looking for employment – large city or small – it pays to do some general research into provinces or regions first. For example, why is southern Jiangsu better than northern Jiangsu Province? How bad is the pollution in Hebei? How expensive is international airfare if you live in Hainan? From there, a prospective job hunter can start whittling down specific destinations. However, even then a person might be in for a surprise. Typically, those who recruit English teachers often respond with a list of potential job openings, and some of those may be in places you didn’t specify at first. No matter what choice is made, a teacher should always exhaustively research everything before signing their name to a contract.   

(All images are my own)