if you are going through an
unsympathetic or uncaring recruiter then going through a school directly might be
beneficial, but it is extremely careless and in fact can be quite precarious if you
don't know what you are doing or if you are stubborn enough to not admit otherwise. In
any case, if you do go through a good, caring recruiter then they can get you a safe and
secure job and make sure you live happily after.

I suggest that new NES FTs in China risk accepting a position at a prominent university in a tier one or tier two city with a detailed English website explaining the recruitment process and details of the position rather than accepting a position from an 'unknown' recruiter who is professionally practiced at appearing sympathetic and whose financial incentives are to, year after year, earn fees from schools that, for substantial reasons, are unable to directly attract or keep employees.