I work for Whales (formerly Sprout). I can't talk about teaching adults or working free-lance. I have some lesson prep to do so trying to answer and anticipate any questions that might come up. Hence the epic post!
Chinese parents like online teachers to be high energy, polished and warm. For the younger children, they like lots of props (stolen from my kids' toy box!) sound effects, body language (called TPR) and positive feedback. Think children's TV presenter. Teachers are encouraged to develop students' critical thinking skills with lots of open-ended questions.
The best chance of being hired is to fulfill all the requirements of that company and knock the demo lesson out of the park. There are YouTube videos which give great advice on how to do that. It also helps to go through a current teacher who can advise during salary negotiations and check the status of your application. It isn't essential to have a recuiter though - I've done both ways.
Some companies ask for a degree, ESL certificate and a certain amount of experience. Others insist you're a native speaker, or a US resident. The Chinese government has recently changed its regulations around online teaching. This squeezes out some current teachers, leaving a gap for those who happen to meet the criteria.
You need to have great internet connection and be fully prepared to commit a certain number of hours for the best part of a year. You can teach from anywhere but to keep the job, it's essential to show up no matter what. Blizzards, flu, etc cut no ice. There's little job security and no room for unreliability. However if a lesson is booked and a student doesn't show up, we're still paid.
I don't find students. I have an intro video and a profile. Chinese parents are provided with a selection of teachers. They choose the best fit for their child. Teachers are marketed by support staff who act as a go-between between teachers and parents.
I don't work for less than $20 dollars an hour. There are incentives on top of that. (I'm in the UK but still paid in dollars.) If I was willing to work for less, I'd have the option of working for many more companies.
Every company has good and bad reviews. Whales is one of the best IMO. You do need to be patient starting out - it takes time to pick up classes.
Lessons are provided but teachers are also expected to add to the given materials and make the lessons their own. The students are so adorable and diligent that this is well worth the effort!
Peak hours work out mid-morning to early afternoon, 7 days a week - with extra hours at the weekend if you're open to doing nights (Chinese am). Little children are available to teach a little earlier during the week-9/10am UK time. It's against the law to teach children past 9pm (BJT) but some teachers switch to teaching adults then.
It works really well for parents who aren't the breadwinner but have a few hours available during school hours/weekend mornings. I honestly don't know why more people don't do it. An online TESOL certificate is easy to get.
Chinese children work so hard and are under a great deal of pressure. Ideally, online English lessons are uplifting and provide a warm relational context for their experience of learning English. And it works both ways. I find it a fascinating and enriching experience to parachute into homes and families I would otherwise never encounter.
The online teaching community is a very supportive place and I've received lots of helpful advice along the way. Happy to pay it forward if I can.