IQBar

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• I'll say what I said on Glassdoor. However, I will try to make it seem cordial and detail my exposure and what I witnessed taking place.

  I loved working for IQBar at first. This was probably due to my reasoning that it was best to stay as far away as humanly possible from the managing director, which eased my trouble compared to others.
  But over time, you begin to understand how a promising company can end up one falling so far off a cliff. Everyday being interesting and fun becomes dreary and frankly I'm quite tired of working here.

  Pros:
  - Freedom of Working Hours
  - Not much else anymore.

  Cons:

  - Nepotism across senior management, which allows for baffling decision making in working environment.
  - Senior positions are given to a favoured few. Certain high senior roles given their title in the space of a few months after joining as a teacher, despite there being better alternatives. Even if they were the best alternative, being promoted from new to management in 5 months is ridiculous and an insult to the longer serving members of staff. These new members then continued to engage with more nepotism. Promotions are generally given to the select few, irrespective of their suitability for the role. This excludes the "niceties" that are involved with some getting their position. I'm putting it nicely. Some of us in life have never been panderers to get anywhere. We did it through hard work and sacrifice, never playing to people's egos. But I won't say too much on this, as it seems a norm these days.
  - A disastrous balance among lesson distribution for tutors. Some teachers get 10, some get 1 or none. This is due to students being allowed to choose, which allows for bias amongst race, gender and other factors. IQbar also clearly markets the same teachers over and over, contributing to the unfair distribution of lessons. A situation made worse by Covid, which has yet to be resolved, despite China's position becoming majorly Covid-free.
  - Staff of colour generally either leave or get fired. This is down to the lack of opportunity provided to them by the company, which proceeds to be an incredibly white-dominated environment, despite its teachers being from worldwide locations.
  - Quality and Assessor positions are given to members of staff with less experience, and shorter spans of time at the company, once again promoting the idea that demographics and certain "factors" matter more than those who are suitable for the role.
  - The failure of management to follow through with new ideas being implemented. It doesn't seem there's much structure to how these ideas are implemented, so they end up falling away over time.
  - An inability to combat student discrimination against teachers. Students are moneymakers for IQBar, and so they allow them to do as they please, which means they can choose to make derogatory comments and actions towards teachers without repercussions. Teachers are simply told to let it go.
  - Some teachers earn more than others, based on who IQbar decides should earn certain amounts. There is no criteria to this. It's just who they "felt" was more deserving after the Covid crisis, based on a performance criteria that doesn't exist. There was definitely a feeling amongst many teachers(especially of colour) that they'd been forced out.
  - I have to reiterate. The sheer incompetence of management is just ridiculous.

  This company had wonderful potential when I joined, but now I see it as a company on a downward trend and lacking sustainability, due to improper management practices and lack of structure.
  It started as a good experience, but became a rather poor one in time.
  The sheer arrogance of senior management means anything would be unlikely to be taken aboard. In the end, they'll just type up some random generic message stating why this is not true, and why your opinion is garbage. Naturally.

  Note: I don't recommend any of you engage directly with the opposing comments. They're indirectly making you out to be liars. Fact is, people will see the majority of negative opinions and make their own conclusions. Leave it at that.

• I can't believe IQBar is still in business! I really thought that the British authorities would have shut them down by now. It doesn't help to warn teachers against this company, as many South Africans are so desperate they do not mind being treated horribly and paid nothing. All I can say is, if you are so desperate and you really can't find work even to sweep the streets or clean toilets, first read this review page very carefully. Also realise that any good review on here is paid for by IQBar and that the teachers who warn you, are people who went through hell while working for IQBar. It is a terrible place full of terrible people.

• Dear Kulsoom and Adriana,

  I too am South African and had the very unfortunate experience to work for IQbar. They seem to want us to work for them so they can pay very little. It is not a very nice experience. I suggest you read the whole thread carefully and see what people have to say. There are far better, honest and reliable places to find work, where you will be treated properly and with respect.

  • Hi Georgie!
    Thanks for your honest review (and to everyone else in this thread). I have been wanting to sign up with a company but I have been hesitant as I am yet to find a company with decent reviews. Do you (or does anyone else in this thread) have any suggestions?

• Hi, what are your minimum teaching hours? If you, for example, want to work two days per week is this possible? Can you switch off from your messages, meetings and your online communication and socialising the other 5 days of the week? Do you have group classes of say 4 adults preparing for Cambridge exams? Does your platform have breakout rooms like in Zoom? Is it possible to teach only adult classes? Do you have UK based students preparing for the Functional Skills exams? If not, do you know of any other UK company that does this?

  • Hey Adriana! Minimum teaching hours is 5 hours per week, you could do for two days out of a week if you wanted. We've changed our system now so there aren't constant messages and if you only worked 2 days a week, you'd only really need to look at messages for those days. Socialising is not a must as our engagement group is opt-in :) We would suggest just double-checking for announcements the odd day though, in case any changes occurred to practices or courses in that time. We have a weekly seminar, but if it fell on a day that didn't work for you there is the option to watch it back later. Whilst the seminars are important they're not compulsory.

    We don't offer any group classes, only one-to-one. Many of these are for the Cambridge exams. We don't have break-out rooms no, we have meeting rooms on Teams for internal meetings but all classes are in our online classroom.

    Currently we don't have enough adults for only teaching adults, but in the next month or so we'll be starting an adult course so keep an eye out and you will be able to teach solely adults :)

    All our students are based in China. We don't know of any UK companies that do that unfortunately.

    I hope this answers all your questions! Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

• Does anyone have any new reviews about this place? I was thinking of giving them a chance but I'm getting worried from these statements.

  • Oh goodness, I hope you didn't ignore the warnings on here. If you did, I'm sure you have a lot to tell us about how terrible it was.

  • Hey there Francesco! I've worked at IQBar for almost two years and I've been pretty happy with it. They always pay on time, their comments and feedback for me has always been reasonable and I've been offered additional roles which I think is a nice touch for an online school. I don't think a lot of the bitterness on here is warranted, and a lot of the responses are quite childish. My advice would be go for an interview and you'll get a good sense of what the company is like to decide whether you'd want to go forward or not :)

• I started working for IQbar since May and so far I love it. I have had other teaching experiences before and the truth is: if you are hardworking and patient, teaching is always rewarding! Of course, much depends on one's qualification and character. Unless you grow to love this profession, you won't succeed, because it requires you to give a lot from your energy, enthusiasm and patience!

  • Esmeralda, what do you love? Being screamed at, interfered with all of the hours of the day, working on not, the continues messages that never, ever stop, the meetings you do not get paid for or the fact that you have to crawl up every managers arse? I don't believe for a second that your review is honest. Did Sarah ask you to write this drivel? Probably. What did she promise you? More money or more students? Shame on you.

  • Sounds 100% fake sorry. There is no clear incentive for you to write this at this early stage in your career - therefore most people will assume it must be either incentivised or fake.

    • * no clear reason

      • Hi. While I respect your views on this matter, please consider that honest people in the world still exist, and not everybody would be necessarily paid to write down a simple but true comment, such us mine and others up here. Anyway, it's your right to choose what to believe 🙂.

• My experience with this company was atrocious. The on-boarding was full of condescending interviews with people who obviously did not know what they were doing.
  Eventually, we made a start, and what a start it was- New to We Chat I was struggling, but the crunch came when they scheduled me 4 classes back to back, advising me on We Chat, while I was teaching another lesson. Being dedicated, I had my phone turned off so as not to be disturbed while teaching. When the lesson was over I checked that I had missed the start of the next lesson (because I was already teaching one of their classes).
  I was then penalized and some of the money I had earned was taken away from me for being so naughty. This happened more than once and I ended up teaching for FREE because they kept finding excuses to penalize me.
  A real amateurish outfit that has no real concern for real teaching- just wanting bobble head yes people.
  AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE- Won't look positive on your resume.

  • Hi there Raymond,

    We stopped using Wechat in May and have switched to Microsoft Teams which is much more user-friendly, particularly during sessions as small notifications pop up without affecting your classroom so you can see if any last-minute sessions have been booked. You can find out more information on our blog here:http://blog.iqbar.co.uk/index.php/2019/05/01/tip-for-tuesday-using-teams/ . We try not to arrange last-minute sessions, particularly back to back, for new teachers so if this is the case, we are sorry this happened and will review.

    We hope you find a workplace that better suits your needs!

• Hi do you employ South Africans?

  • Hi Ellen,

    Yes, we do!

• I've been working with IQBar for about eight months now. Before I start this review proper, I should note that I am what's called a "Flexi Buddy": this means I more or less set my own schedule, giving me time to work on other projects alongside teaching a handful of sessions per day. This option was ideal for me because what I needed more than anything after graduating was some sort of practical experience in something. I am privileged enough to say that the money is not so big a concern for me at present. If I were a "Contracted Buddy", which I believe most commenting here are, then I dare say I would be burned out for a number of reasons. Flexi Buddies can monitor how many bookings they want and when they can work, and are also not obliged to contribute to the development of the company unless they want to. Bookings are generally less frequent, but for me this has given me the chance to work more closely with a few selected students (called "Breadies" in IQBarese). This, I think, has been the best for all of us.

  I'm not sure if I agree with the idea that IQBar cultivates a cult-like work environment, because I can understand a number of the criticisms posted here. It's true that we were all recently directed towards this page to offer our thoughts. On the other hand, I find some of the posts somewhat bizarre (I can confirm that Frank Arriaga, like Pepe Silvia, does indeed exist), and there are others I can't reasonably comment on, like those about the South African workers. So I'll start off with the bad as a change of pace.

  - I can understand how some feel about the emphasis on gestures/props in lessons and how this might impact on your observations. I share the opinion that, for an older student, it's probably not entirely suitable to be using toys and slow speech punctuated by body language - it's possible that some studies disagree with me, but in terms of maintaining engagement and productivity in a lesson with an older student I've generally found during my time here that it often doesn't fit. I don't like the idea of teachers feeling as though they might be punished for this attitude, should such a lesson be observed. I think the main problem here is that some observers might not be entirely sure how to grade a teacher (they are generally other "Buddies" just like you), or perhaps the management side of things is overemphasising all of this in its criteria, but I have a mind to believe it's the former. I've had recent observations of lessons with older Breadies, and these have been very understanding of me not using props and gestures.

  - The security concerns with regards to WeChat are well-documented, and while I've never had to use TeamViewer during my time at IQBar I can understand some of the concerns people might have with it. The company is apparently working on switching its communication in-house, on a new website that (last I heard) was being designed by a British firm, but this may still be some way off yet. I would advise those worried about their online security to exercise extra vigilance, and not confirm things without checking them first, especially when it comes to sketcky tools like the online video converters you might use whilst working here. Make sure you close WeChat and TeamViewer when you're not using them (the scare I read above about someone's webcam activating covertly seems like it might be an issue with their computer's webcam software doing something but I suppose I can't be certain). You might find some solace in that, were you actually teaching in China, you'd find that WeChat is ubiquitous, or that there are no perfect applications out there wherever you teach, but on the other hand you might not.

  - On the WeChat topic, I can also agree that there are probably a few too many WeChat protocols to remember as a teacher, such as which room to post in and who exactly to tag. I know I've had to clarify things a few times over before. This is another issue that will supposedly be alleviated by the new website and communication tools.

  - I dislike the number of errors found in the "Picaro" material, aimed at younger students. There has been an effort to combat this (with another WeChat group, some of you will not be surprised to hear), but there is still some way to go. That said, the materials used are generally very easy to apply, and while a good deal of preparation is ideal for each and every lesson, I don't think you need to plan your own lesson per se, as some here have perhaps implied.

  Maybe I can add more to this, but I'll move on to the positives.

  - In contrast to most comments here, I actually find the "workplace" to be very friendly and supportive. This includes the management, who have been patient with my many questions and occasional errors. I like to think that I get along with them, and I feel as though I am at least respected by them whenever we interact. They might sometimes come across as blunt in text chats, but I don't necessarily think this is intended as rudeness, and I think it is unfortunately a common misunderstanding in many of today's workplaces. A friend of mine works in retail here in the UK, and has to engage every day with praises and scoldings via WhatsApp groups. Countless miscommunications have occurred because of this, so I can understand why some might feel the management at IQBar to be unfriendly. For me though, I've felt accepted throughout my time here. Perhaps that will change after this review if they are as "mean" as some here claim, but I wouldn't have thought so. I believe they would appreciate my honesty.

  - Trust me, I'm not a sausage brain: I understand that my online TEFL certificate probably won't be applicable in most places, and the consensus in TEFL blogs seems to be that they may not even be applicable at a company like IQBar for very long depending on how the Chinese legislation continues to change. However, I am eternally grateful to IQBar for giving me the opportunity to do something when no one else would. They have let me learn, express myself, and find some meaning in my life again after a miserable time post-graduation. It's no secret that I've had problems with depression and applying myself, but IQBar were able to look past that and let me enjoy myself doing what feels like good work. I don't think it's necessarily "ass-kissing" to be open about this, it's just how my life has panned out at this point. They've given experience to someone who is still not necessarily sure what they want to do in life, with a manageable schedule and a smiling face (and pay that always come on time). I know I could do much worse.

  - I like chatting with other teachers and the managers on WeChat. I know this isn't for everyone, and I know it must be a little bit aggravating to constantly monitor your muted rooms for something you actually consider to be important. I like interacting with people, but I don't necessarily think that the company has an aggressively insular nature. If you feel as though I've been "kissing ass" at any point, or you think I have done something else wrong, then I would invite you to add me on WeChat and we can talk about it. I'm always trying to improve professionally, as I believe the company as a whole is.

  - The students are amazing, which might go without saying but I'll say it anyway. I've taught some incredible kids here, as well as some very promising teenagers and friendly, inquisitive young adults. I've certainly had some bad lessons too, we all do, but they've been vastly outweighed by the good. As I said above, I don't think some of the common teaching "principles" sometimes established by the company are always applicable, but they've never stopped me from having what I feel to be a good lesson with an older Bready. It might be true that we are sometimes regarded more as entertainers than teachers, as someone above said, but I think we should look at the context most of these students come from: some of them, especially the older ones, will likely come to you after literally hours of lessons, where they've been drilled with multiple topics and possibly even entire subjects beyond the school setting. I might be treading on a few toes by saying this, but at IQBar you're probably going to be somewhere towards the bottom of the list as far as the Bready is concerned, at least before they get to know you properly. To me, it's a great opportunity for them to interact with a native English speaker, but it also might be the first time that day that they've been treated as a human being with feelings and interests. The dangers of being the "nice teacher" are all too apparent to anyone who's taught or done their research, but I think here it is more relevant than it is in other circles. The company pushes a more fun agenda overall, which I think fits.

  Again, maybe I will add more here in the future.

  I hope this has been worth reading. Again, if you have anything you wish to say to me personally I should be available via WeChat.

  • You're full of it! Also paid to write a review. Not an uncommon thing!

    • You'll have to take my word for it, but rest assured that I was not paid to write this. It's true that I was directed towards this page in order to share my thoughts by one of the IQBar team, but I wasn't paid to do so, and I didn't run them by anyone either. I just had some free time and thought it would be fun/useful to get them out there.

      However, should anyone want to pay me, I do accept both money and white chocolate.

      • I Don't believe you sorry. I believe the majority that it is terrible at treating its teachers properly.

• ...And there you have it . . . the hatred and the lies. The teachers that ran like hell from the mad cult and the mad cult trying their best to make the entire crazy show seem like a happy place. Just this, these insane comments and fights and sarcasm should warn you: STAY AWAY. And if you don't: IQBar is probably the worst experience you will ever have. Good luck. I'll send you some Prozac in the mail. You'll need it.

  • Best comment ever!!

    • They are absolutely the most disorganized, condescending bunch of nit-wits with whom I have ever had the displeasure to try to work. Impossible.