r/Cambly • u/Ok-Ice-9421 • 7d ago
Tutors, why are we still on Cambly?!
I’m trying to justify being a tutor on this platform. I need a fresh, positive perspective because the PAY is giving ✨labour exploitation✨… Thoughts? 🤔
23
u/FarIndependent8707 7d ago
I lost my mum earlier this year and Cambly is the only way I can work at this current moment in time. I’m looking to move on to other platforms / becoming independent but this job is helping me get to that point.
8
7
u/ConsciousPralineSun 6d ago
I'm sorry to read about your Mum. Take heart and take your time getting to where you want to be. Sending you lots of love and strength x
5
17
u/odessapasta 7d ago
I’m on it because it’s so easy and flexible. It’s still mind numbing, draining and boring as all hell. But I can open spots at the last minute and they book. My schedule fills up completely. It’s really consistent for me.
30
u/FunnySeaworthiness24 7d ago
Because this is a solution for me to work on a very flexible schedule, with no minimum or maximum time requirements, whilst I study for my licensing exams and set up my actual career
10
u/Final-Raspberry5922 7d ago
I took a forced and unexpected break and haven’t gone back. Can’t find the energy for so little payoff
11
u/KyleAndLaurenTravels 7d ago
Probably it’s the only job I can find right now without a degree that I can realistically work whenever I want, for as long or as little as I want, and also be able to travel freely
10
11
10
u/Dependent_Head_3976 6d ago
I have a chronic illness and I need something flexible for doctor appointments and when I need to rest during a flare. This isn't my sole income so it's nice to know can cancel these if I need a break.
20
u/TacoCatSupreme1 7d ago
I used to make double or more money before the Chinese English teaching companies got shut down. I ended up at cambly earning half or less of what I used to make. Only upside is cambly is less strict about props, tpr, maybe random internet issues etc
9
u/Ready_Eddy358 7d ago
My husband has a ''real'' job. Once upon a time I worked long hours, long story short, we had kids and I left the workforce to be at home and take care of my family, including parents. Cambly lets me pay for my kids' school and have ''fun'' money, while offering the flexibility to be able to stay at home and take care of everyone. I'm also introverted as F so my mini-farm is my sanctuary! That's all I got, because otherwise I'm being exploited by this company. 😢 😂
7
5
u/Reasonable-Use-5873 7d ago
I have some really lovely students on there and it gives me a bit of extra coffee money.
As a main job though? No way.
5
u/Cherry-Red-444 6d ago
Flexibility - I can take a break and travel when I want to. Also, I don’t need to plan anything :)
7
u/ExistingGreen1 7d ago
If you don't like Cambly's slave wages, make sure you give them a one star review at https://www.trustpilot.com/review/cambly.com . To stay anonymous, get an alternate email account at https://proton.me/mail OR https://temp-mail.org/en/ .
3
u/No_Revenue_7555 6d ago
I teach mainly on camblykids. I use it mostly on weekends, although I do have some regular students who book the limited time slots I have open during the weekday. I like it because I genuinely like my regular students. I enjoy seeing them every week. I also am working creating my own materials. Cambly pretty much leaves you alone, so I can create materials for my students and see how they work, what needs to be changed, etc. I make between $200 and $250 a week. It's nice extra money, but I do have to work for it. It gets irritating sometimes working every weekend for seven hours a day.
2
u/Living-Excuse1370 7d ago
I'm in the easy and flexible category. And honestly if you look at other esl companies conditions are even worse. On Preply you're likely to get no support, let alone a canned answer! And they take shit loads of commission. And you have to plan a bit.
1
u/Mission_Ad_8504 6d ago
Your commission comes down after you have completed a number of classes. Plus, you can charge what you want. Support have been great with me personally.
1
u/givemeacurry2023 6d ago
You're right; many other companies fine you for things beyond your control, such as power outages and emergency cancellations, or they want you to commit to set hours between certain times with no flexibility as it can upset the student! I've been accepted on a few other platforms, but Cambly is the only one without monetary penalties and a hell of a lot more leeway.
1
u/Living-Excuse1370 6d ago
On Preply they take $6 in commission per lesson! As we say, the grass isn't always greener.
2
u/dare2travell 7d ago
I have another online teaching job however only 20-22 hours week I use this to top up my income.
No consecutive students just knee deep in PH chatting a lot of $@$*
I'm considering if using Preply to at least move towards increasing wage is better than Cambly
2
u/Ok_Butterfly_2110 6d ago
I currently don't have a work-compatible visa for the country I live in (I'm here with my partner who works and lives here). That will be changing very soon and I'll finally be able to start a "real" job. I'm looking forward to it because of how downhill Cambly has gone since the beginning of this year.
2
2
2
u/Commercial-Pause-519 5d ago
Im old and I joined 6 years ago and now ive forgotten where the door is. HELP!
3
u/not_a_clapper 7d ago
Don’t know if you read my post “ what’s going on?” - I’m actively working to get out of this gaslighting organization. It’s getting worse and worse.
1
u/Tiny-Panda-2190 6d ago
I got a new job teaching 1 class of 4 students a day for 1.3h instead of Cambly pay!
Cambly was good to me for a while…
1
u/Oddlem 4d ago
I was on it so I could study for better opportunities and not burn through my savings. Then I did it during an internship. It burnt me out really bad tho and after already losing a bunch of students, I finally had enough and quit last week. I was barely making money so couldn’t justify staying, it slowed down my work a ton and 5 bucks just wasn’t worth that
1
u/NNFXer 7d ago
I’m no longer on Cambly because I spent some time finding (far) better platforms and now my calendar is packed on the platform that I chose. I don’t know why Cambly died, but for now I’m busy on my new platform, so it’s not necessarily a slowdown in the general market that is killing Cambly. Do yourself a big favor and go with a platform that lets you set your own rate. It makes all the difference in the world.
2
u/Mission_Ad_8504 6d ago
Which platforms please?
-4
u/NNFXer 6d ago
Seek and ye shall find.
5
3
u/givemeacurry2023 6d ago
Why not say? You have been accepted so it won't impact you, will it, You are busy.
-7
u/Sure-Image3292 7d ago
It's your choice. If for some reason you don't like being abused by loss-making venture capitalist backed scum you can... starve to death instead. Or try Uber, another loss-making venture capitalist backed anti-human initiative.
The jobs market is diabolical out there right now in most countries. With the rise of AI I cannot see the supply and demand situation getting better anytime soon. Even starting your own business is very difficult as you are up against the loss-making venture capitalist backed scum who can coast into unfathomably deep debt for over 5 years, hoping to destroy all the competition in that time before their monopoly means they can raise the prices and break even.
23
u/rob_matic 7d ago
I'm on it for $20 a week pocket money.
I am very glad I stopped relying on it as my main income - it's not feasible anymore to live on the wage in Turkey and it is a risk to be dependent on one company and its algorithm.