Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin

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Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« on: July 12, 2008, 02:14:02 AM »
Hey guys,

Looking for any info on working for the Shangri-La in Harbin. I'm guessing noone has actually worked for the Harbin hotel (because only mental cases such as myself choose to go that far up  bibibibibi), but has anyone worked for the chain at all?

If there's nothing on that has anyone worked for a hotel at all? Can you give me some pointers on salary expectations, work conditions etc.

The position offered is 10hrs face to face with 10 students a week plus 30hrs office time. Totally 40hrs a week. A suite is provided for accommodation. Z visa provided.

Any input would be really appreciated.


Thanks a bunch LT.  akakakakak
Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2008, 03:28:02 AM »
Are you teaching English at the hotel or actually working there?

Ive worked in hotels before. Long hours for a shit wage.

Good luck.

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Shroomy

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Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2008, 06:49:52 AM »
Last year I applied for that job.  Got an email setting up the phone interview.  They never called and never replied to another email.  It seems like a good set-up on paper, but I don't know about that 30 office hours and having you living on-site, though I'm sure you can take care of yourself.

It would be good to have you back in Harbin so I can bop up for a visit now and then.  agagagagag
Back home and still confused about what the locals are saying.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2008, 10:18:14 PM »
It's 10hrs of teaching. And from what I understand there will some proof reading and editing included in the office hours.

And Shroomy - I think they found a local guy who stepped in straight away last year. Started the day after he'd spoken to them (if it's the same job).
Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2008, 10:19:55 PM »
Are you teaching English at the hotel or actually working there?

Ive worked in hotels before. Long hours for a shit wage.

Good luck.

Is that hotels in China you've worked in? If so, what was the average wage?
Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2008, 10:25:11 PM »
I worked in hotels in France and the UK and applied to do some hotel work in Singapore. All three places have long hours and bad wages. I guess it wont be any different in China.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2008, 10:27:46 PM »
Ok. Was that teaching English or just doing other hotel work?
Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2008, 10:28:38 PM »
Just general hotel work anything from Bell boy to housekeeping.

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2008, 03:08:48 PM »
Hotel work (non-teaching) can become pretty good...but one does start out at the stinky bottom and work oneself half nuts to get there.

English teaching gigs like the one you describe can be pretty sweet, though, with a little luck. A hotel suite isn't a room...it can be pretty comfortable, and you shouldn't have the privacy/intrusion problems one can encounter at a uni or public school. The "office hours" likely entail being around to coach/proof/etc. plus some freedom to walk around the hotel and interact with the staff. (I've taught a lot of hotels, and I tend to like hotel workers. They seem to be a bit more fun than managers/engineers/businesspeople. agagagagag ) You may be able to negotiate meals- but they'll be in the staff cafeteria, not the buffet. asasasasas
A great hotel is a wonderful thing...working conditions can be primo. 'Course, it helps if the Training Manager is sane...and many are not...

I think a good working figure for Harbin in this scenario might be 5500-7000 per month.

Usually, the worst things about hotels are not the conditions or pay or anything like that. The big challenges include:

- It's almost impossible to find hotel-specific textbooks that don't totally suck. I gave up and wrote my own.

- Hotels are chronically short-staffed, and it may be difficult for your students to find much time and energy for English. Also, although hotels shell out a lot of money for luxury touches for guests, they are incredibly cheap MoFos when it comes to everything else. Many hotel workers have hard, dirty jobs that they regard as short term (ie non-career-related), for which they get paid very little and endure poor living and working conditions...which means that while they may like you and your class, they can find it very hard to get motivated to study English.

- Hotels often expect (and really need) insanely fast results from English training, regardless of initial level of the students. Many hotels in China routinely send recruiting expeditions out to poor hinterland provinces, literally driving to the cabbage fields to recruit young people with little education and few other prospects, willing to work cheap in exchange for a ticket out to almost anywhere except where they are now. These people are too often expected to be working effectively as waiters and waitresses in 5-star Western restaurants within a few weeks or months. Many of the people under the greatest pressure to learn English (foodservice is a nightmare for this!) are also those least equipped to have a real shot at it.

- Hotels are very challenging communications environments, even among native speakers. They provide vast numbers of services and amenities, and are notorious for weird questions/requests and fussy, demanding, volatile guests. Some of the vocabulary, such as in foodservice, is quite difficult and specialized. Many of the things done and seen and sold in hotels are to the students utterly foreign in concept...much less the language.

I really like working in hotels. But it can be very challenging and not a little frustrating.
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2008, 07:10:06 PM »
The Shagri-La is the swankiest 5 star in Harbin - it could be a good gig. I know there's quite a contingent of expat business people who live there, so it may be an entertaining place as well. Good location close to downtown and all the bars. It definitely sounds like it's worth a look. 5000 in Harbin (with 5 star digs) is pretty good - not great - but definitely above the poverty line. Do they also provide meals?
You have to care for it to matter.
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Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2008, 09:17:15 PM »
Ok here's a little more info...

Meals are provided in the staff canteen and they've offered a salary of Y8000 a month.

Plane ticket is not included.

Accommodation is a suite at the hotel. (I'm not sure about living on site...could be interesting living in a hotel)

Use of the pool and gym is free and other hotel services are at 25% discount.

Y800 allowance for laundry and dry cleaning (this service isn't discounted though, so I'd be paying the published hotel price)
« Last Edit: July 14, 2008, 09:26:12 PM by Lone Traveller »
Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2008, 09:22:36 PM »
Boss how many students do you have per class? They've told me I'd have only 10.
Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2008, 03:35:28 AM »
I never take more than 20 in a 2-hour class. It usually quickly dwindles to about 3 in hotel classes due to schedule problems.

LT, leap at this. Take your laundry to a much cheaper outside launderer, and leap at this offer...if you feel comfortable taking it.
I don't know if they want "Hotel English", which is kinda specialized sometimes, or just plain "English"...and I don't know your background...
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

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Ruth

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Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #13 on: July 16, 2008, 03:06:17 PM »
I was thinking the same thing.  Sounds like a sweet deal. You can have your room cleaned by the cleaning staff, don't have to worry about meal prep or clean up, on-site gym and swimming pool (you will be so svelte!) for free.  Take your laundry out to a cheaper place than the hotel.  Do your undies in the sink, if you have to.  The atmosphere of a 5-star hotel for a work-site. 8000/month.

(When we come visit can we have the employee discount for a room?  afafafafaf)
If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.

Re: Shangri-La Hotel - Harbin
« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2008, 10:56:40 PM »
 ahahahahah I'll see what I can do Ruth.

I'm just finalising all the details before I jump head-long into it. But I'm 99% sure I'll be back China-side inside of a couple of months. Very exciting.  bfbfbfbfbf

Thanks so much for the info - it really helped me navigate this one.  agagagagag
Courage is not the absense of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.