Being accepted onto our China program is a real milestone. It means we believe you’ve got what it takes, and that is not something we say lightly. You’ve been through our interview process, you’ve committed to the program, and you’ve paid your fee or holding deposit.
But the work doesn’t stop there. Before you can set foot in a Chinese classroom, there is another process to navigate: securing a position at a school. It is a step that catches some teachers off guard, particularly because the market in China has shifted considerably in recent years and the bar is higher than it used to be.
Understanding what that process looks like, and how to approach it well, will make a significant difference to how smoothly things go from here.
- Why the process has become more challenging
The teaching market in China isn’t what it was a few years ago, and it’s worth being honest about that rather than letting it catch you off guard.
The most significant change is that the Chinese government has largely pulled back its funding for English language teachers in state schools. Where state school positions were once a meaningful part of the landscape for international teachers, very few of those roles remain today. At the same time, China’s economy has slowed over recent years, and a persistently low birth rate means there are simply fewer younger children coming through the system. Fewer children means fewer classrooms to staff, and fewer classrooms means fewer opportunities.
The result is a market that’s noticeably more competitive than it was, with a smaller pool of available roles and a larger number of qualified candidates pursuing them. That doesn’t mean opportunities have dried up. It means the process of securing one is more involved than it used to be, and the schools doing the hiring have more choice than they once did.
- Where the jobs are, and what that means for you
The roles that are available are concentrated in the private sector: private kindergartens, private high schools, and private training centres. This distinction matters more than it might first appear.
Private schools in China operate in a commercial environment. They answer to parents who are paying significant fees for their children’s education, and those parents have clear expectations about the quality and professionalism of the teachers they’re entrusting with that education. The recruitment process at these schools is shaped by those expectations. It moves quickly, it can feel demanding, and it’s designed to identify teachers who are genuinely ready to perform, not just teachers who look good on paper.
If you go into the process understanding that, it becomes considerably easier to navigate.
- The three stages of securing your position
Getting placed at a school in China typically involves three steps: submitting a one-minute video and your CV, having a video call with the school, and completing a teaching demo. Here is what to know about each one.
Your video and CV
Your one-minute video is often the first real impression a school gets of you, and it needs to do a specific job. Schools aren’t looking for a polished production. They’re looking for energy, warmth, clear communication, and a sense of who you are in front of people. Keep it natural, speak clearly, and let your personality come through. Your CV should be clean and straightforward, and make sure both are ready to send at short notice.
One practical point that’s easy to overlook: once you’re in this process, check your email several times a day. Schools move quickly, and a slow response can cost you. Also make sure you’re checking your junk and spam folders regularly. Important communications have a habit of ending up there, and missing one at a critical moment in the process is frustrating and entirely avoidable.
Your video call with the school
When you’re invited to a video call with a school, treat the scheduling of it with the same seriousness as the call itself. Only agree to a date and time that you’re completely certain you can commit to, and then make absolutely sure you show up. Schools in China can interpret a postponed call as a sign of low interest or poor reliability, and they’re under no obligation to offer you a second chance. In a competitive market with plenty of other candidates, many simply won’t.
When the call does happen, bring the same energy and engagement you would to any important interview. Ask questions, show genuine curiosity about the school, and demonstrate that you’ve thought seriously about what working there would look like.
Your teaching demo
The teaching demo is where many teachers feel the pressure most acutely, and it’s also where the advice to be adaptable becomes most important.
Chinese schools are fast-moving, commercially driven environments, and the recruitment process tends to reflect that. It’s not unusual to have a video call with a school one day and be asked to do a teaching demo the next. You might be given a specific task with very little lead time: preparing a lesson around a set of flashcards, for example, with less than twenty-four hours to get ready.
In a situation like that, ordering materials from Amazon isn’t an option. Explaining that you need more time is unlikely to go in your favour. What schools are looking for in those moments is exactly what they’ll need from you every day once you’re working for them: the ability to stay calm, think on your feet, and make something work with what you have. Improvising well and giving it your full effort will always serve you better than asking for an extension.
It can feel like a lot to ask at short notice, and that’s entirely understandable. But it’s worth remembering that the process isn’t arbitrary. It’s a genuine reflection of the environment you’re stepping into, and schools are deliberately using it to identify teachers who are ready for that environment rather than those who find it difficult.
- Once you’re there
The intensity of the recruitment process can make China feel daunting before you’ve even arrived. It’s worth holding onto the bigger picture.
The schools that put you through a demanding process to get there are the same schools that’ll value and appreciate you enormously once you’re working hard for them. And the day-to-day reality of life in China isn’t the pace of a recruitment drive. There’ll be plenty of days that are relaxed, rewarding, and genuinely enjoyable. The relationships you build with students and colleagues, the experiences you have outside the classroom, and the sense of living somewhere that constantly surprises you, that is what teachers who’ve done this remember most.
The process is the entry point. What comes after it is the experience of a lifetime.
Ready to take the next step?
If you’ve got questions about what to expect at any stage of the process, we’re always happy to talk it through. Get in touch at info@impact-teaching.com, or take a look at our China program page to find out more.
