Allow me to cut to the chase:
Skip this company. They should be banned, at least in China!
For Teachers, if you have a degree, hire on at a Chinese University. Commercial training centers are profit making machines. You are a commodity and will be treated like one. The “high salary” promised is just an illusion once you pay your housing and other expenses. AND they will work you like a dog.
For potential students, buy Rosetta Stone. It’s a fraction of the cost and the exact same method of teaching. In fact, it appears that Wall Street English’s (WSE) “unique method” is nothing more than a copy of “Rosetta Stone’s” program. You’ll be sitting in front of a computer with a headset for most of your “training.”
In an effort to appear to have value, WSE offers a 1 hour (really, only 50 minutes) stage check lead by a “teacher” called an Encounter (four students participate). “English Corner” and “Social Club” are two “sessions” that can be achieved simply by speaking to any foreigner on the street (for FREE!). WSE simply has (fairly) good marketing. Nothing more!
My experience at Wall Street English was perhaps, the worst work experiences that I’ve ever had in China in the past 20 years. It started off poorly, and moved south very quickly settling somewhere in the vicinity of hell. Let me preface this by saying that I am a Ph.D. Candidate with extensive experience teaching English in China (top tier universities and international businesses). I took this position to relieve the boredom of downtime while working on other things and, fortunately, didn’t need the work visa or the money.
My “interview” with Alicia at the Wangfujing location was initiated via “Skype” while I was still in the US and lasted more than two hours beginning at midnight EST. I was asked to prepare a lesson plan, then teach it to her over the phone (a ridiculous situation!). She spent undue time drilling me with questions like, “how could you have said that differently?” and “what other words could you have used?” (Repeated to ad nauseam) Since I was not given the proficiency level of my imaginary student, the exercise was one of futility. I made the fatal mistake of blowing this off, thinking it an isolated case of incompetence.
Things continued downhill from there. With more than 4 months to arrange the necessary paperwork for my “Z” visa (a Chinese work visa), WSE dragged their feet waiting until last minute. When the documents were finally dispatched from China, the “expat specialist” urged me to call DHL (courier) and tell them to expedite the delivery! As though THAT would speed the deliver? Too late. I received the package seven days after my flight departure date! Needless to say, changing a ticket in the US is extremely expensive! I bore the cost of their incompetence.
While still in America and after checking with WSE, I arranged the requisite “medical exam”and other “tests” having been told that the costs would be reimbursed by WSE. They were not (about $200 US). Only costs incurred in the Chinese clinic THEY recommend are reimbursable. As for their medical insurance (as I found out upon arrival), you must pay all costs prior to treatment, and then reimbursement occurs only if you’ve been taken to a hospital on their “approved” list (maybe!) No one in the office seems to know what hospitals are “approved.” In an emergency situation, I’d say you’d rather not care about an “approved” hospital! Fortunately, I had international health insurance — coverage from the States, a more reliable option.
I received my “welcome” package via email a few days after I arrived in Beijing. This consisted of a training schedule, code of conduct, and dress code. Yep — that’s right! The dress code is presented AFTER you’ve arrive! I’m assuming most people pack clothes from home and forego the purchase of a new wardrobe upon arrival, but we’ll get back to this little faux pas.
WSE will provide paid accommodations for a week while you find an apartment. Based on their earlier incompetence, I decided to forego the free “company accommodations” and go directly to my suite at a US based hotel chain. In retrospect, it turned out to be a good decision as the others in the group told me of their woes in “Hotel Hell” (their words, not mine). In fact, one of my colleagues told me that he checked out after one night. I’ll refrain from speaking of their experiences as I did not have the pleasure (or horror) of experiencing this myself and can not attest to it, but have little reason to doubt their accounts of this nightmare.
Contrary to popular belief, China is NOT cheap! When you DO find an acceptable apartment, you must sign a one year lease and pay three months rent in advance. Many places also require a security deposit in addition to this. You will also be responsible for utilities, internet, phone (usually cell) and household items (linens, etc.). If you leave China early, you do not get your money back! Nor do you recover medical exam, visa fee, picture fees, and other extraneous expenses (not to mention your airfare, which isn’t reimbursable in any event).
The “training” period at WSE grew from 5 days (at initial inquiry) to 6 days, then from 44 hours to 47 hours. We were required to spend an additional full day at the center to work out administrative issues, unpaid. The morning of the unpaid day was reserved for those who did not get their medical exams in their home countries. In the afternoon, we were taken to ICBC Bank, and left there to open a bank account, as electronic transfer to ICBC is the only means of receiving your salary. We were left without interpreters; no one at the bank spoke English. Hence, our job was to just sign the papers placed before us and hope we could figure out how to get our money OUT of the bank. WSE only deals with one bank and will not recognize any other bank in Beijing. Period. If you have another banking relationship in China, forget it. (Can you say, “kickback?”)
The company “training” was horrific! There was absolutely no instruction on company methods or policy at all. I’ll provide one example that can be applied across the board: We were handed a “test” on the “WSE Guarantee” and asked to answer the questions. Then the “trainers” started to ask us how we responded to each question, correcting us as we went along. A bit frustrated at this cat and mouse game, I finally asked if we would have benefit of at least being able to READ the document at some point in our “training,” at which the “trainers” responded, “it’s on the internet.” It might have been nice had we at least been informed of the topic of discussion before hand and of where we might find the information. Every aspect of the training was presented in similar format: Test, review of answers, correction, find and learn the information yourself. (Sorry, we’re not going to teach you, tell you where you might find the material, or even disclose the topic of discussion. We’re only going to test you! You don’t need to be smart, only psychic). One exercise involved us logging onto the computer to review a student lesson. The computer equipment malfunctioned and the software didn’t work properly forcing us to “skip” portions of the lesson. “Classrooms” were noisy and distracting as they adjoined each other with only partial dividers, and the computer animated lesson skits were caricatures of incompetent or immoral Westerners — a bit insulting (but quite funny!).
There was an inordinate amount of time dedicated to corporate structure, driving home the message that “Foreign Teachers” were at the bottom of the food chain. Our “trainer” emphasized the “importance” of knowing who the executives were (yes, she used this EXACT word!), something that most teachers couldn’t care less about! But alas, we went over this more than a few times, even being tested on the names of each person in an executive role and building an organizational chart out of cut-outs!
On the last day (before a “monitored” class where we are assessed as “teachers”), we finally got to see one of the “binders” that contained the lesson plans, vocabulary, and exercises for each “lesson” in the program. Seeing this up front could have eased the training process, turning six days of boredom into two. No one on staff was bright enough to have figured this out. They just “follow company policy” like mindless drones.
About this same time, I received my “part-time” (25 hours weekly) work schedule, surprised to see that after having specifically requested a 3 day work week, four days maximum, I was scheduled for a 5-day work week, three weeks out. (From morning to evening Saturday and Sunday and late evenings three more days of the week). My two days off were not back to back, but randomly placed within the calendar week. When I questioned this, I was told to discuss it with the NEW service manager in a month. Effectively, they told me to “suck it up” for three weeks, then make it the new guy’s problem.
Moving back to the “dress code” (as promised), on my third day of “training,” one of the “trainers” informed me that my shoes were a problem. The fashion police didn’t like them. I wore flat black suede tie-up walkers (brand new, $100 US), an appropriate shoe for navigating the rough terrain in Beijing. For those who have never been here, the sidewalks are treacherous, filled with rubbish, missing tile stones, holes of all sizes, missing manhole covers, and other impediments to a safe commute, not to mention that simply crossing the street is a bit like playing “frogger.” (Think back to the insurance!) Being in training for 8.5 hours per day with an hour commute each way, I had no time to shop to buy “smart shoes” had I possessed the inclination to do so (the shoes I wore were not specifically prohibited in the dress code, but were covered under the “or anything else we don’t like” clause). Consequently, I was approached again on the 5th day of training as to the purchase of “smart shoes!” It appears that there was a fixation on my shoes, of all things! Having been made to feel extremely uncomfortable, I asked the trainer if he was suggesting that I leave training at 7:00 pm, then go to shop for shoes into the wee hours of the night. He admitted that he was only taking direction from the center director, a woman named “Cherry” who lacked the decency to introduce herself, instead sending two underlings on separate occasions unduly escalating the issue.
While endeavoring to remain as positive as possible and speak only good things inside the company (even though the tenured “Foreign Trainers” based at Wangfujing had little nice to say about their own company!) in the end, I decided that I no longer wanted to play a role in this company — it was clear that we operated on different intellectual levels and I had no intention of “dumbing it down.” I did not bother going back on the final day of “training” (a monitored “encounter” session where teachers are “evaluated”). Effectively, I quit. And not a minute too soon. However, let all potential applicants be forewarned of the following:
WSE’s response was to email me two days later to tell me that they were terminating my contract (the ONLY competent thing they did, albeit a bit late. I quit two days prior!) They said that I had to leave the country unless I secured another visa (I happened to have a valid Business Visa in my passport, a bit uncommon for your average English Teacher, but as I said earlier, WSE was a time filler for me). They offered me no assistance in making arrangement to return home (not that I needed help, but YOU might!) while detaining me in Beijing for a FULL SEVEN DAYS while awaiting my salary (I’ll expound on this fiasco later)! Since I was paid in cash, there was no reason to delay me another week. Again, I was fortunate to have had other business to attend to, so it was no problem for me, but it might be a problem for YOU adding another SEVEN DAYS hotel stay to your expenses. Prepare a plan “B” as WSE will NOT assist you in any way, shape or form should you decide that you do not want to spend a year in hell with this company.
When I arrived SEVEN DAYS LATER for my appointment to collect my salary for the days worked, I was presented with a document stating that I was being terminated for “poor performance.” I modified the document to read that “I resigned” but was immediately informed that if I wanted to be paid, then I’d better sign it (can you say, “coercion?” or maybe “extortion” is a better word?) I told the “expat specialist” that the document was completely untrue, and then asked her if it was company policy that all employees should act in a truthful manner. She insisted that I didn’t complete the probationary period and it was company policy to have all employees who did not complete the probationary period sign a letter of incompetence prior to receiving their pay! No longer wishing to argue with her, I signed the document, albeit with someone else’s name! So, in the end they have a document that does not contain my signature.
Additionally, they retained my “Foreign Expert’s Certificate,” a document that belongs to the Foreign Expert, NOT the company. When I asked her for it, she said it was “company policy” to keep the certificate. Reputable companies will give you this document. Companies like WSE will use it for coercive purposes. What they were trying to do was to ensure that I would not be able to move to another company in China. They acted in a very spiteful and vicious manner.
In Summary, WSE is more concerned with IMAGE than QUALITY. They sell “bling” (shiny stuff!) Teachers are a commodity and there is absolute no regard, at all, for their expertise or welfare. As a commercial enterprise engaged in revenue generation, their motive is profit and every “educational” function is just another opportunity to extend a contract or sign a new student to generate more revenue (bonuses are tied to throughput, even on an instructional level!) If you are desperate (or foolish) enough to take a position with WSE, get your own international health insurance and hotel until you can find an apartment and be prepared to have plenty of cash on hand in case you decide to move on to a new company. Further, be prepared to pay all of your expenses out of your own pocket (about $3,000 USD).
WSE makes lots of promises to their foreign teachers and delivers on almost none of them. IF YOU HAVE A DEGREE, TEACH AT A UNIVERSITY. You will be treated well, given decent accommodations, and a salary that will surpass that which is offered by WSE once you factor in all of the out of pocket expenses and hidden costs associated with your employment including airfare, housing, utilities, food, travel, internet, laundry and a HUGH chunk taken in “taxes” which includes “social insurance” for “retirement.” Additionally, should you decide that the job is not for you, a UNIVERSITY will act responsibly and assist you in making arrangements for your return home, pay you for the work that you completed on the spot, and refrain from engaging in illegal activities such as coercion and extortion as is the “policy” of Wall Street English.
- Wall Street English, China -- Anonymous -- 2010-04-25
- Re Wall Street English, China -- Sam -- 2015-02-15
- Re Wall Street English, China -- ShanghaiED -- 2015-02-20
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Lowly Laowai -- 2013-09-16
- Wall Street English, China -- Experienced Instructor -- 2012-08-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- PONY TONY -- 2012-09-20
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Muncher -- 2012-11-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2014-03-11
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2015-08-21
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Wall Street Crash -- 2015-12-23
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Alexander -- 2016-09-25
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Edmund Trebus -- 2016-09-25
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Eric bearded hermit Freedman -- 2016-07-05
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Eric bearded hermit Freedman -- 2016-07-05
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Eric bearded hermit Freedman -- 2016-07-05
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- amused -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- San Miguel -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- I'm not giving my name ;) -- 2016-04-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Wall Street Crash -- 2016-01-06
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Alexander -- 2016-09-25
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- San Migs -- 2015-08-23
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Dragonized -- 2015-08-23
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2015-08-21
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-11
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Wall Street Yuppie -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Wall Street Basher -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Get A Life -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Get A Life -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-05-11
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Buzz -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Get A Life -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Buzz -- 2014-05-11
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Really a great place to work for! -- Wall Street Chinglish Insider -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Get A Life -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-05-11
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Get A Life -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Get A Life -- 2014-05-10
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Inclusionist -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- countycircus -- 2014-03-15
- Wall Street Fake English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-03-15
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Banana Hooligan -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Wall Street Basher -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Jake -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2016-07-01
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Nikki -- 2013-01-02
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- happy days -- 2013-01-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Nikki -- 2013-01-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- pONY tONY -- 2012-11-20
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Ex WSE FT -- 2012-11-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China is Shonky -- foxy -- 2012-11-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China is Shonky -- Insider -- 2012-11-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China is Shonky -- foxy -- 2012-11-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China is Shonky -- needed a giggle -- 2012-11-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China is Shonky -- foxy -- 2012-11-13
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- John O'Shei -- 2014-03-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- WSE SM -- 2014-03-11
- Re: Thank you! -- Dragonized -- 2012-08-14
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Muncher -- 2012-11-12
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Joe -- 2012-03-31
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Mr Motivator -- 2012-04-29
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Mr Motivator -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Darren -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Dragonized -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Darren -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Maxi -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Dragonized -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- San Migs -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- foxy -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Anderson -- 2012-07-20
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- San Migs -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-19
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Mr Motivator -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English, China -- Adam -- 2012-07-17
- Re: Wall Street English -- Nick Pellatt -- 2010-09-09
- Re: Wall Street English -- englishgibson -- 2010-09-11
- Re: Wall Street English -- Sanguine -- 2010-09-20
- Re: Wall Street English -- John -- 2011-11-25
- Re: Wall Street English -- Nick Pellatt -- 2010-09-12
- Re: Wall Street English -- John -- 2011-11-25
- Re: Wall Street English -- englishgibson -- 2010-09-10
- Re: Wall Street English -- Sanguine -- 2010-09-20
- Re: Wall Street English -- baggins -- 2010-09-07
- Re: Wall Street English -- englishgibson -- 2010-09-08
- Re: Wall Street English -- Dragonized -- 2010-04-25
- Re: Wall Street English -- Brooke -- 2012-08-17
- Re: Wall Street English -- Dragonized -- 2012-08-19
- Re: Wall Street English -- Crap School Spotter -- 2011-06-07
- Re Wall Street English, China -- Sam -- 2015-02-15