hey man! i was gonna say exactly the same thing! unreal, get real.
i swear.

Interesting thread - however from what I can tell - seems as though DD Dragon is a legit school playing the supply and demand market - it is a "for profit" business after all.

China's a great place to live (or not, depending on one's perspective) as is Kunming. DD Dragon is free to advertise for English teachers at what it believes is market demand - and others are free to WTF criticize their ads for a multitude of legitimate but useless reasons.

Whining publicly about DD Dragon's publicly advertised and I might add, rather well documented benefits, is akin to complaining about the price of pork at the wet market - or the USA lodging trade imbalance rhetoric against China (it's their own citizens buying Chinese products, causing the trade imbalance - but it's so much easier to point the finger outside than towards one's self).

Kudos to DD Dragon for being transparent in the hiring process - now all Kunming English teachers of all spectrums have a baseline salary and benefits negotiation point to start from.

We see this rhetoric about Kunming salaries and credentials etc bounce up and down in GOKM on a regular basis - more regularly lately as the economy is tight for all. My suggestions is for all those critical of DD Dragon et al to band together and compete. When you can stand in their shoes and see what they see - successfully - then I'll look forward to your ads for significantly higher salaries commensurate with teaching qualifications and credentials!

Once again - thanks much to DD Dragon for being transparent in your compensation policies. Fantastic negotiation point for prospective newbie english teachers.

Also consider the OP is 2 years old. The advert it relates to is also at least 2 years old.
Employment policies, benefits packages, and the market have all evolved since then. We are not in a highly regulated, or unionised, labor market.

Oh poppycock!
The adverts are as new as last week, and their website gets updated on a regular basis.
When did westerners become so submissive? Taking lies lying down?

The fact of the matter is that they lie on their adverts and possibly lie about the res. Are we now just suppose to assume that you can only believe 70% of what DD Dragon tells you, and if so, which 70% is it?

If you can not trust them 100%, how do you trust them at all? And claiming that the OP is 2 years old, does not solve the problem, it only claims admittance that for 2 years, nobody has done jack squat! Not changing something for 2 years does not make you less liable, it only makes you less credible.

that is complete horse-relish.

I don't see the ad as misleading - they just lowered the salary CNY 1k from a previous ad - essentially discounting the salaries - which they will probably NOT have problem filling. Companies such as DD provide and excellent livable base salary for single folk - from which they can then moonlight, launch their own taobao store etc.

Again - I don't see bashing DD for their upfront published ads as particularly productive and actually, bordering on slanderous.

IF DD were to advertise various financial incentives and then renege on them during the interviews - THAT's a justifiable blog - but that issue has not been raised on this blog - so by benefit of absence - I still don't see the issue - just a group of people disenchanted with the offered / proffered salary and related benefits - all clearly stated on the ad.

to me - this is akin to disliking the price of a MacDonalds hamburger and then proceeding to lambaste MacDonalds over some self-perceived injury. I'm probably severely missing the point of this thread - but it truly just looks like people who want to get paid more, respected more, etc and using DD as the whipping post. Much ado about nada, although I understand the desire by professional, certified, experienced, and referenced teachers to increase their salaries - but differentiation in an unregulated, unlicensed, and generally vague industry (english teaching?) - seems challenging to the un-initiated (poor marketing or just a non-existent market?).

so - can we please stop bashing DD (no affiliation to me)? Again - I don't see anything wrong with advertising lower benefits if they can fill the post at those specs - whining about a potential employer's posted benefits and perqs with a WTF sounds more like the post is a WTF to me. Naturally, I'd be displeased if this affected my income - but public criticism about DD's posted salaries - and then accusing them of fraud - that's seriously borderline slander as opposed to genuine complaints about the continuously low salaries for English teachers - caused NOT by the schools themselves - but by all the alleged teachers who'll work for peanuts, although CNY 6k a month plus benefits and perqs is pretty good for Kunming (living costs aside).

No Affiliation to you, sure... Ok, why don't you advertise that on DD's website, might add to their credibility...
You keep replying, then adding salary salary salary in your replies. I re-read the previous posts, seems you are the only one talking about the salary issue, by yourself.
The fact of the matter is that the advertise misleading and false information. Not talking about the salary, needs to be said. the rest of the add is complete hogwash!
I am simply stating, that anyone who wishes to join this company should not expect promises to be adhered to. That does not exist in their forte.

what false information? that they mediate between sick teachers and hospitals and tuck you into bed at night? that kunming is culturally diverse?

@ abcdadcd,
That is just belittling and uncalled for, now really.

The fact that they claim to supply accreditation to any teacher joining their team.
So I have contacted them, holding them to their word, but then it was claimed the site has not been updated in 3 years. False, as the salary was increased by 1000 RMB from last year to this one, it clearly states it on their website, as well as adverts on numerous websites, such as elscafe.com. So the advert is a lie (in regards to the TESOL certificate). As recent as 14 March 2013.

On further quarry I was given the typical Chinese run around, dodging me like a skilled boxer. Finally I was given feedback, stating that I actually DO have the TESOL certificate, but the school is holding on to it, until the last month of my contract.

Upon this information, I have requested that they supply me with the credentials and institute which they are associated with. Still waiting for the next fib.

First this was not on the table, then it was old, then is actually existed, now what the hell is going on?

It is lies upon lies upon lies. The salary is in fact not the responsibility of the Head Office, but the owner of the school. My beef is not with the school, nor each individual school, but with the Head Office.

Your contract protects your rights and the rights of your manager/s.

The offer and invitation is handled by the head office, they are the ones that should adhere to their own marketing offers.
It needs to be said that they are fond of not telling whole truths.

Nowhere have I mentioned anything about the salary, medical, housing, etc. That is the responsibility of my school, and as such between me and my school. Should I have any problems with that, I will sort it out with my school, or bring the Head office in as mediator.
Now the problem herein lies as follows, since the head office can not be trusted, who are then to stand to help?

The Head Office, however is an entirely useless option, as they are skilled in the art of deceiving.

I am not aware of any mistreatment by schools towards their teachers, that is not what I am discussing here. I am bringing to light that coming into China, you expect to be able to trust not only your employer, but also your company. And to all of you who are considering signing up with DD Dragon, just be aware that they can not and do not deliver.

Simply put. Do it only for the money. There are no extras.

Murdock, you say, "I am simply stating, that anyone who wishes to join this company should not expect promises to be adhered to. That does not exist in their forte".
I think that is true for this whole employment market, with very rare exceptions. That IS a generalisation on my part, but not grounds to demonize one employer.

We all live and learn. It sounds like you got caught with your pants down. Live and learn.

@Tigertiger,

I am not demonizing the company. Sure it is true for the whole of the employment market, no argues there. It just needs to be made aware.

Regardless to where my pants where, are or is going to be. That is not the point. I merely wish to make it known.

I just do not tolerate being lied to, by anyone. I was not raise to be a brat, nor to be a fibber.
I simply asked to be given what was promised, that is all. And not doing it makes it very difficult (if not impossible) to say: " whooo, this company is great"