This study investigates the employment motivation, job satisfaction, and dissatisfaction of university English instructors in Chinese public institutions, a relatively under-researched area. Through in-depth interviews with two successful doctorate-level educators, the study reveals diverse extrinsic motives driving their career choices. While largely satisfied with their jobs (appreciating teaching loads and social respect), they also reported dissatisfaction concerning long-term professional development. The study highlights differences in experiences and concerns between Chinese national and expatriate teachers, with implications for teacher well-being, training, career management, leadership practices, and institutional human resource governance.

Gareth Morris, Junhua Mo