Let me share some of my experiences being an HBT for 2 years and 8 months. I have experienced two companies namely, 51Talk and Native Camp. I will talk about the hiring process and salary rates of these two companies.
51Talk English Limited
51Talk is read as five-one talk not fifty-one talk. It is read in that way since it means I (five) want (one) to talk. You can teach mostly Chinese students from kids to adults. They are usually having kids.
Hiring Process
Go to their website and click sign up. Complete the application form, schedule your interview, and wait for the call from the 51Talk Recruitment Team. You may use the link below.
https://51talk.ph/referrals?channel=1&source=3&referrer_id=4927520
After you pass the phone call interview, you will be scheduled to technical check. This will assess if your equipment will pass with their teaching platform. They will check your computer device, headset with noise cancelling microphone, camera and internet speed for less than an hour. (Comment if you want to know their specifications and other equipment needed.)
PSO (Pre-Service Orientation) 2-3 hours
After you pass the tech check, you will be scheduled for PSO. Remember the following things needed in this orientation:
-web camera and noise cancelling mic
-proper attire, plain white background, quiet area and well lighted
-teacher's data sheet (The trainer will give it to you on your scheduled PSO.)
-If you have work experience, prepare and send your COE (Certificate of Employment) or Service Record as teaching proof ASAP.
You will be given the skype id and schedule of your trainer of NTT. Remember to keep it.
NTT (New Teacher's Training)
-1 day training (6-7 hours)
-Remember you will have group video call. It will be a discussion. You will be asked to read some lines in the orientation. Thus, read it properly. You will also have a mock demo. If you pass the mock demo, you will proceed to Teaching Demo.
-You will be given materials you will teach for your final demo and schedule.
Teaching Demo
-Remember what are discussed in NTT and apply in your demo.
-Prepare some rewards like stars or flowers.
-Use hand gestures and TPR.
-If you have higher rating in your demo, you will have higher fee rate per class.
Onboarding
As you pass your demo, congratulations! You are a 51talk Teacher. You will have onboarding to get to know more about 51talk business and policies such as absences, penalties and other stuffs.
Rating:
There are levels of being a 51Talk Teacher. This is according to Philippine money. This rating is for 1v1 class or for individual class. Each class has 25 minute-duration.
Level 1: Starting Teacher 50Php
Level 2: Newly Qualified Teacher 54Php
Level 3: Junior Teacher 58Php
Level 4: Senior Teacher A 62Php
Level 5: Senior Teacher B 66Php
Level 6: Master Teacher A 70Php or higher.
In my case, I directly went to Level 2 teacher after I passed the demo. You can go higher levels by attending training in their platform and passing all the necessary requirements like demo or activities during the training. There are two kinds of training onsite and online training.
Native Camp
Native Camp has mostly Japanese students. We can teach kids to adults. In my experience, I have mostly taught adult students.
Hiring Process
Go to this website: https://nativecamp.net/tutors/ Make an account by clicking sign up. Fill out the necessary information.
EPT or English Proficiency Test
You will be given set of multiple choice test for a given amount of time. If you pass this level, you may proceed to the next step.
System Check
Wear proper attire and have a plain white back ground. This is also an interview about yourself. Also, they are going to check your web camera, how fast your internet speed, your headphones with mic and your video quality.
Remember to watch the video before taking the system check.
Demonstration
Take of the demonstration schedule in the website. They usually have schedules from 9 am to 11 am Manila Time. Note that there are many applicants trying to have their demo. This will really test your patience. There are applicants that haven't had their demo on the day they wanted. In my case, the evaluator went to the classroom at somewhere 10:45 am Manila Time.
Remember to always read their instructions and the style of their teaching. This is a key point in passing the demo.
Creating your profile or account
As you pass the demo, congratulations! Welcome to Native Camp!
You will be required to create your nickname that can be seen by the students. Also, self-introduction notes and your achievements. You are required to upload your profile picture.
After your account is finally approved, you can now navigate native camp's website and open classes.
Rating:
All the hired teachers will go B2 level.
This is NCC points. 1NCC = 1Php Read the following requirements needed in each level. This rating is for 1v1 class or for individual class. Each class has 26 minute-duration.
B2: 80 Php Starting level
B3: 84 Php
-It requires you to have 5 booked classes to be able to have this rating.
B4: 88 Php
-It requires you to have 10 booked classes to be able to have this rating.
B5: 92 Php
-It requires you to have 15 booked classes to be able to have this rating.
B6: 96 Php
-It requires you to have 20 booked classes to be able to have this rating.
B7: 100Php
-It requires you to have 25 booked classes to be able to have this rating.
B8: 104 Php
-It requires you to have 30 booked classes to be able to have this rating.
Note that they are also looking at your number of cancellation classes you had. No need for training to increase salary rate.
These rates are for booked or reserved classes. There is what we called sudden class wherein within the time you open slots, students can have sudden classes with you as long as you have no reservations within those slots. Sudden classes are paid by every minute you conducted the lesson. Full 26-minute sudden class is 55 Php or 57.20 Php.
Reviews:
Native Camp has smoother and faster hiring process than 51talk.
In terms of rating,you can only have increase in 51talk if you pass the certain demo or activities needed in that level. After you pass, your rating will stay to that level unless you wanted to increase again. It will not go down anymore.
In Native Camp, you can increase your ratings by having more booked classes. More booked classes equal more earnings and higher salary rates. No need for training. However, if your number of booked classes decrease or did not meet the standards of that level, your rating will decrease one level below than your current rating.
If you want to know more about these two companies, comment down on what information you want to know. In my next articles are bookings systems, how to get more students, what schedule you may open for sure earnings, benefits of being a 51talk teacher or native camp teacher and many more. You may click this link for the requirements of both companies: https://read.cash/@Althea26/home-based-teacher-hbt-requirements-ae8db3f1 Let me know your thoughts about this article. Thanks.
...and you will also help the author collect more tips.
Great opportunity especially during this time of pandemic.