Working as an online teacher can be a great way to earn some extra money from home but a lot of teachers struggle with the uncertainty that comes with working with overseas companies on unfixed schedules.
If you’re looking for a job that can offer you a stable schedule and good pay then VIPX could be the right company for you. VIPX is a lesser-known online ESL company that prides itself on having high booking rates and professional and reliable teachers.
In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about getting a job with VIPX including the hiring requirements, schedule details, and what it’s like actually being a teacher.
About VIPX
VIPX is an online teaching company based in China. The company focuses on English education for Chinese children and teaches based on a curriculum derived from the British education system.
What are the requirements to teach for VIPX?
VIPX teacher requirements are very similar to most Chinese ESL companies – this means that if you don’t have a degree or a TEFL certificate you might find it hard to get hired.
VIPX currently requires:
- Be a native English speaker or IELTS Band 9.0
- Hold a bachelor’s degree
- Hold a TEFL/TESOL certificate or a teaching certificate from your home state
- Be a good communicator with excellent interpersonal skills
- Be well organized and committed to the role
- Be creative and energetic
- Be compassionate
- Have strong moral values and self-discipline
- Be Flexible and patient
Although the list seems quite long, most of the requirements center around the teacher’s attitude to work. Even if you have a bachelor’s degree but no teaching certificate, you can easily complete a TEFL qualification online in a couple of weeks and apply after that.
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Aside from the official list of requirements the company also has some ‘preferred’ criteria:
- Have a degree in teaching or in a specialized subject with a certificate in education
- Have a good knowledge of best teaching practices and educational guidelines
- Have a willingness to follow the company’s policies and procedures
If you meet all of the requirements on both lists, you may find it easier to get hired, fill your schedule, or even be offered a higher rate of pay.
What does VIPX pay?
VIPX don’t disclose its official pay rates on its website but other job advertisements that I’ve found state that the company pays between $15 and $22 an hour. I also found one person that said that they were paid $12 per 40-minute lesson so this would put the pay at around $18/hour.
The specific rate that you get paid will usually depend on your qualifications and your demo class performance. If you meet all of the criteria and you perform well in your demo, you may be offered a rate at the higher end of the range.
If you do get offered a rate that is on the lower side, I wouldn’t worry too much. When it comes to contract renewal time, you can always try to negotiate a pay rise based on your performance.
What is the interview process for VIPX?
The interview process for VIPX is fairly simple and you should be able to complete it in a week or two. Below are the steps you must complete before you get hired.
Step 1: Apply online
The first stage in the process is to complete an online application form and upload your resume. Once you’ve done this, hit submit and it will be sent to the company staff for review
Step 2: Complete the Interview
If your resume and application meet the requirements then you will be asked to take part in an online interview. During the interview, you may also be asked to give a short teaching demonstration. This demo may be delivered to your interviewer or you may be asked to complete the demo with a student. It’s a good idea to have some props and preparations to hand so that you can make the best impression during this step.
Step 3: Complete training and set your schedule
Once you’ve passed the interview and demo, you’ll then be asked to take part in some training and set your schedule. You’ll get to choose the hours you want to work on an ongoing basis from the VIPX schedule. You can learn more about the schedule below.
Step 4: Complete a final teaching demo
After all your training is completed you’ll be asked to demonstrate what you have learned in a final demo class. If all goes well you should hear back from one of the teaching staff shortly after.
Step 5: Start working
Once your demo and training are complete you will be asked to start working. The teaching staff at VIPX will start assigning classes after your agreed start date but it could take a few weeks to fully fill your schedule.
What is working for VIPX like?
Working for VIPX comes with a lot of perks such as good pay, a solid work-life balance and the ability to work from pretty much anywhere in the world. However, as far online ESL companies go, VIPX has a reputation for being quite strict, especially when it comes to schedules and teacher attendance.
VIPX tries their best to ensure that the students get a stable education and work with the same teachers on an ongoing basis. For this reason, it’s not that easy to change your schedule once it has been set.
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However, this can also be a bonus for teachers, especially if you are looking for a stable and long term gig. Unlike some teaching companies, VIPX doesn’t overhire so committed teachers usually get their schedules filled pretty quickly and they usually stay that way.
When working for VIPX you’ll be able to select your schedule from the following times:
- 6:30 pm to 9:20 pm Beijing time on weekdays
- 8:50 am to 12:10 pm and 6:30 pm to 9:20 pm on weekends
These times are all given in Beijing time (BJT) or (GMT+8). Most ESL companies also operate within these times and it can be quite difficult to find companies that allow you to work during different hours.
What is the VIPX teaching platform like?
VIPX has a great interactive platform that allows teachers to deliver engaging and fun lessons for their students. The curriculums were developed by National Geographic and Hello English and the lessons plans are fun and immersive for kids.
The platform is easy to use and teachers can use it to do everything from checking into class to sending feedback after the lesson. For new teachers, finding a company with a good interactive platform is always helpful as it can make it much easier to interact with students and keep them engaged.
VIPX Reviews
On Glassdoor, VIPX gets some mixed reviews and they get an overall score of 3.3. Some teachers praise the company for their easy interview process and others have some pretty terrible things to say about their experience.
The same is true on Facebook groups like Hired Online ESL Teachers with Job Reviews. Some people really loved their time working with VIPX but others found it to be too strict and didn’t enjoy working with the staff. Below are some comments that I felt summed up the general good and bad points raised in most of the reviews online.
Bad
“They will reprimand you for things that the group has done even when you haven’t. And then there are mandatory check-in times and group chats”
Good
“I work for VIPX and enjoy the work, like with any job there are downfalls or things that I would like to see changed, but I have great bookings.”
Resources & FAQs
If you want to know more about working with VIPX their teacher application website has more information about things like pay, scheduling and the curriculum they use. You can also find some more reviews and information on Facebook groups like Hired Online ESL Teachers with Job Reviews.
Can you teach without a degree?
No. Unfortunately, VIPX only hires teachers with a bachelor’s degree.
Do you have to be a native speaker?
Not necessarily but you if you aren’t you need to have passed IELTS 9.0 at a minimum
Do you need a TEFL?
Yes. Most online teaching companies in China now require teachers to have a TEFL due to a new law that has been passed recently.
One Response
VIPX hired too many teachers at one time right before the pandemic hit. As a new teacher we were struggling to get our schedules filled and I don’t think any of the newest teacher made $20 an hour. For the lower level students the program on line is boring.