There’s never been a better time than now to live and work in China’s Tier 2 cities. There’s a huge shortage of eligible teachers, which means that for the right person there exists awesome opportunities to have an unforgettable experience, learn the language AND save some serious cash.

Who are we?

Giraffe Englishstarted in Taiwan 30 years ago and now has over 700 locations. We have been on the mainland for the past seven years. There are 35 schools in total and more on the way. I started working here, fresh from Canada, as a part-time teacher in 2009 at our Shanghai school in downtown Xujiahui.

At the time we had about 200 students and a handful of part-time foreign teachers. Today we have over 2000 students and 17 full-time foreign teachers and managers. We have also opened a second school in Shanghai a couple years ago that now has over 1100 students.

How do I fit in?

For the past two years I have been the recruitment manager for our schools in Shanghai. I’ve had many learning experiences over the past couple years and have refined my approach and understanding of this industry. We have a great team and we’re always looking to add to it!

In short, we have what other schools here desperately need… stability.

I haven’t done this alone, some of the people I’ve hired have become managers and trainers and have made us even better. All I’ve done is consistently recognized great people when I meet them and put them together.

Consequently, I have a reputation for finding awesome people. I have three immediate positions that need to be filled in other cities outside Shanghai. And two positions within Shanghai.

The challenge:

The challenge is two-fold. First, nobody wants to go to these cities that are associated with low pay and not as convenient as the biggest centers.

Everyone wants to come to Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. These cities are great but they’re approaching saturation levels for foreign teachers – schools can afford to be more picky – and living costs have risen steadily while starting salaries have remained the same. This situation is unlikely to change, if anything, it’s likely to get worse, as more westerners arrive daily.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority it’s time to pause and reflect. –Mark Twain

The change in my thinking:

After a month of not finding anyone for our sister schools I realized thiswould never work if I continued to fulfill the role of recruiter. I’m flipping everything on its head and although I’m helping schools find great people, I’m now acting as an agent for great teachers.


What am I offering?

For the right person (experience not necessary, but helpful) I can offer Shanghai wages in tier 2 cities plus additional perks such as language lessons and flight reimbursement at the end of the contract.

The living costs in the center of China are incredibly low yet these are the very cities that are developing most rapidly. The starting salaries for new teachers in Shanghai have been more or less frozen for the past 7 years (roughly 15,000 rmb a month). Meanwhile inflation has gone up 5% per year.

Many job postings in tier 2 cities are still at 6,000-12,000/month, the latter salary for experienced teachers. I’m offering 14,000-15,000/month for the right person.

Are you the right person?

This is a three-part answer.

First, you need to be able to fulfill the visa requirements:

- A notarized university degreefrom an accredited university.
- A 120-hour Tefl certificate.(I can point you in the right direction)
- Be anative speaker of English with a passport from one of:
Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.

*Sorry but with the new visa laws in China, these schools are not in a position to hire other nationalities legally. Which means I’m not in a position to negotiate a premium wage for you.

Second, these are the personal qualities you need to possessso I can represent you:

- Passionate and energetic.
- Excited about adventure.
- Resilient and in good health. You got to be mentally tougher than the average person coming here.
- An easy to understand accent – clarity is key.
- Friendly and humorous.
- YOU MUST LOVE KIDS AND I NEED TO BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN WOULD LOVE BEING YOURSTUDENTS.

Third, you must be trainable and open-minded.

The Chinese don’t always much care for how things are done in the west. They have their own way. This is China. I’ve lived here since 2009 and have been a teacher or a recruiter the entire time and love it. I know what they want.

Let me help you, help you.

What’s it cost?

Nothing to any teacher I represent. The schools are happy to pay me a recruitment fee for outstanding people.

If any of this has made you feel that this might be right for you please send your cv, with a skype contact, and nationality to Chris.