From good, to bad, to the worst. - Anonymous employee First Leap Employee Review

- Condescending and useless training, that takes precedent over class preparation, costs time and achieves about as much as re-taking first grade math would. - Teachers are compelled to offer their opinions and advice in order to maximise their salary, then ignored when they do. - Racist HQ and management, that will not offer employment to anybody who is not white, outside of large cities wherein they have no choice. - First Leap make cringeworthy decisions regarding the handling of foreign teachers, and cannot accept criticism. - Zero communication skills, demanding extra work be completed with 10 minutes notice if you're lucky. - Incapable of properly organising visas, leaving teachers in compromised positions such as being detained by police and/or deported. (ahem) - Often demand that extra work be completed outside of the contact hours, and failing to pay wages for extra hours worked. - Offer high salaries, then do everything in their imagination to dock that salary to as low as possible. To the point, may I add, that if they are questioned about the missing money, they'll return it without much of a fight. They seem to be hoping that foreigners won't notice. Which brings me to: - the fact that they seem to think foreign teachers are the dumbest creatures ever to walk the earth. Mocking us in Chinese when they think we do not understand, lying to us about things we already knew to be true, and generally being as misleading and dishonest as possible. This has of course lead to many foreign teachers packing up and leaving, making life for those who stay even more miserable. - Provide substandard accommodation, often small and lacking in basic living facilities like hot water, mattresses and proper ventilation. In the case that rodents or any other infestation is found, First Leap suggest that the foreign teacher use sprays and traps for the next year. I could go on... What I will say, is that there are better companies out there, and life in China is a real experience that is not to be missed. Here's hoping you find any one of the awesome places out there, and give them a try.