Is it a waste of time to look for teaching jobs in Taiwan if you're not living there?

[Multiracial Man]

I've been searching for teaching positions in Taiwan for about two months now and its proven mostly fruitless. Anyone that has been interested in me has been put off by me not being in Taiwan yet (I'm currently in NY, USA). I'm wondering, how easy is it to find a job in Taiwan if you're there to interview in person? I would really like to work in Taiwan, but I don't have $1400 to blow on a ticket to visit there if it means that I won't get a job there before I have to return to NY.

These are my qualifications, I'm 25 years old and a recent master's level graduate with strong academic credentials and diverse internship experience. Based on most of the criteria that I see on sites like Tealit.com for new teachers, I meet or exceed most of their requirements. Could it really just be that I'm being disqualified because I'm not in the country to interview or that I need an ARC? I really need some suggestions because from what I understand, the teacher hiring window for August/September is for the next couple of months and it will be more difficult to find work after that. I'm looking for anything in or around Taipei (about a 1 hour commute tops). Any suggestions would be highly appreciated, thanks guys!

[bigduke6]

If you want to get a job before arriving, your only real bet are the chain schools that hire from overseas. Schools like Hess, Joy and a few others. Check their websites.

[Feiren]

In general, yes. The chain schools do hire from overseas though.

You can probably find a (slightly) better job if you come here first.

It's also important to go to the right places. Taoyuan and Hsinchu counties are probably the easiest places to find work in Taiwan because this is where Taiwan's high tech industry is. These are also cheap places to live although the weather isn't great and they are pretty drab cities with little to do by all accounts.

[Multiracial Man]

Thanks guys.
I am open to working in Taoyuan, as a NYer, a commute over 1 hour doesn't bother me but I'm pretty adamant about living in Taipei so it cannot be a commute more than 1.5 hrs. What do you think about the prospects in the areas surrounding Taipei, like New Taipei, etc?

[tomthorne]

Thanks guys.
I am open to working in Taoyuan, as a NYer, a commute over 1 hour doesn't bother me but I'm pretty adamant about living in Taipei so it cannot be a commute more than 1.5 hrs. What do you think about the prospects in the areas surrounding Taipei, like New Taipei, etc?

Living in Taipei and working in Taoyuan kind of defeats the point - money saving wise.

Why are you so adamant about living in Taipei? It's better than a lot of places in Taiwan, but believe me it ain't that great.

[tommy525]

Taipei has swallowed Taipei County (now called New Taipei) and soon will swallow Taoyuan . Transport between Taoyuan and Taipei is readily available , easy and cheap. Except for the highspeed rail (which goes to the boonies anyway) that is like 150nt each way or so. Many buses go back and forth , but the trains only take 30 mins from downtown Taoyuan to taipei main station and you can use your MRT easy card to ride (no assigned seating) . Costs 27nt each way (so im told) . But the easy card cant be used only on the Taroko Train (but many do anyway). You can buy a ticket on the Taroko if you see the conductor, it may cost double the usual 65nt or so one way. Most people ride the commuter trains with the easy card.

so live in Taoyuan and visit taipei. Quite workable.

Or better yet, live in Banqiao, which is half way between Taoyuan and Taipei main station. Theres a great station there where you can ride HSR to taipei main station , or regular trains either to Taoyuan central or Taipei main. Or the MRT to taipei .

Banqiao is where I would look, cheaper rents then taipei city and close to Taoyuan.

[Multiracial Man]

Thanks guys.
I am open to working in Taoyuan, as a NYer, a commute over 1 hour doesn't bother me but I'm pretty adamant about living in Taipei so it cannot be a commute more than 1.5 hrs. What do you think about the prospects in the areas surrounding Taipei, like New Taipei, etc?

Living in Taipei and working in Taoyuan kind of defeats the point - money saving wise.

Why are you so adamant about living in Taipei? It's better than a lot of places in Taiwan, but believe me it ain't that great.

I'm adamant about it because I lived in a rural part of Hong Kong and also had a commute 1 hr to do anything fun. I just found it really time consuming and annoying, especially because the trains shut down at 12 and the minibus drivers only spoke Chinese. I'd rather commute for work, especially if it ends before 7pm because when I want to do something fun, I don't need to worry about leaving bars/clubs/whatever early. Taxis not withstanding of course. Where do you think is better than Taipei?

[Multiracial Man]

Thanks guys.
I am open to working in Taoyuan, as a NYer, a commute over 1 hour doesn't bother me but I'm pretty adamant about living in Taipei so it cannot be a commute more than 1.5 hrs. What do you think about the prospects in the areas surrounding Taipei, like New Taipei, etc?

Living in Taipei and working in Taoyuan kind of defeats the point - money saving wise.

Why are you so adamant about living in Taipei? It's better than a lot of places in Taiwan, but believe me it ain't that great.

I'm adamant about it because I lived in a rural part of Hong Kong and also had a commute 1 hr to do anything fun. I just found it really time consuming and annoying, especially because the trains shut down at 12 and the minibus drivers only spoke Chinese. I'd rather commute for work, especially if it ends before 7pm because when I want to do something fun, I don't need to worry about leaving bars/clubs/whatever early. Taxis not withstanding of course. Where do you think is better than Taipei?

[Multiracial Man]

Taipei has swallowed Taipei County (now called New Taipei) and soon will swallow Taoyuan . Transport between Taoyuan and Taipei is readily available , easy and cheap. Except for the highspeed rail (which goes to the boonies anyway) that is like 150nt each way or so. Many buses go back and forth , but the trains only take 30 mins from downtown Taoyuan to taipei main station and you can use your MRT easy card to ride (no assigned seating) . Costs 27nt each way (so im told) . But the easy card cant be used only on the Taroko Train (but many do anyway). You can buy a ticket on the Taroko if you see the conductor, it may cost double the usual 65nt or so one way. Most people ride the commuter trains with the easy card.

so live in Taoyuan and visit taipei. Quite workable.

Or better yet, live in Banqiao, which is half way between Taoyuan and Taipei main station. Theres a great station there where you can ride HSR to taipei main station , or regular trains either to Taoyuan central or Taipei main. Or the MRT to taipei .

Banqiao is where I would look, cheaper rents then taipei city and close to Taoyuan.

Thanks for your info. At the moment, I'd really like to live in a urban place with a lot of fun things to do, like Da'an or Xiyin. I'm not 100% beholden to living in those places, I just don't want to have to commute really far away to do anything fun or live in a place where its hard to find people that understand English.

What is Banqiao like?

[tomthorne]

Where do you think is better than Taipei?

I suppose it depends what you are looking for. I don't know much about the nightlife here, but I assume that Taipei is the best for that. Living there is very expensive.