Another Older Teacher – Teaching English Abroad

Overcoming Obstacles for Older Teachers

A good topic was proposed by a teacher already working teaching English abroad:

I have been heartened by your comments on age. I’m a very young looking 60-year-old American with a degree in English Ed. After teaching for two years in Thailand I’m contemplating a move to Korea, for better teaching conditions and salaries. I plan to retire at 70. HOWEVER, what I’m finding repeated online makes my age look like a immovable roadblock; such as this I copied-and-pasted here:
“Employment by Age Preference: The Korean state government presently has a capped age limit of 45yrs for employment in the present English Program in Korea government state school scheme. Because the retirement age is 60 years any person over 60 will not qualify for a work visa.
Most employers are somewhat reluctant to employ any candidate over 45 years of age, even with good teaching qualifications.”
So… what say you?!

I’d say don’t apply for a job in the “English Program in Korea government state school scheme”.

But there are plenty of good Business English jobs in Korea where a bit of gray hair is an advantage. A few schools in Seoul specialize in Business English or in teaching adults – Pagoda is one of them – apply there.

Know also though that it might require you to go in PERSON and to do a face-to-face interview. Primarily so that they can see that you are full of energy, eager for and capable of teaching. And some employers also want to know if you are flexible and can handle feedback or criticism or if you are a defensive cranky old fart. Yeah, some of us older guys are! Not me and you though . . .

Just as a fairly standard rule – I would think that after about age 52 or so, you need to expect to do in-person interviews on the scene. Being hired from abroad does become quite difficult from that point.

BUT – by age 60 – you already know that life throws some crap at you from time to time and you only need to learn to work around it.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Older people need to look for jobs teaching English in areas related to their previous experience. That extra bit of value helps overcome ageist prejudices.

TED’s Tips™ #2: Realize as you get older you will probably need to do more face-to-face interviews to overcome ideas many people have about older teachers.

What’s up in China? Learn what kind of jobs are on offer if you would like to Teach English in China

Business schools like University of Phoenix California are accepting students regardless of their age. This is such a good opportunity.

Negotiating Your First TEFL Job

I am taking a little vacation so the posts for the next few weeks will be responses to questions and topics suggested the readers of the blog.

What Do YOU have to Offer?

Following are some comments from an email sent to me by someone seeking a job in Korea and my responses to their requests (demands!) of a potential employer.

A reality test here . . .

I was wondering would you know of any reputable recruiters for South Korea? I want to secure a position with the least amount of BS as possible!!

Some BS is inevitable as it would be when seeking a job even in the States, no? Don’t expect it to be too different overseas. Most recruiters are reputable, Footprints is well known and good.

You also wrote:

I hope to land a position in a public school teaching ages 5-8, Monday-Friday, 8-4 or 9-5. No night shifts, no Saturdays (unless paid overtime) single accommodations (in a somewhat quieter location that central Seoul), internet and water service available BEFORE my arrival, round trip ticket paid by the school, salary of 2.3 mil KRW or more, at least 10-14 paid vacation days, and I do not want a commute of more than 30 minutes by transportation or 15 by walking.

Wow! It is good that you know what you want, but I don’t hear anything about what you have to offer for all the things you want. Have you taken a TEFL Course so that you know how to teach? Do you have any ideas about how to structure a class? What do you have to offer other than a degree in an unrelated field? What if a potential employer wants you to teach 10-12 year olds? Perhaps a Saturday morning class? Would you accept that job?

Do you have enough to offer that you can demand all the things you “want”?

Become more realistic for just a moment and pretend you are an employer reading what you have written. How do you think they would respond? In your note/email would they have heard anything about how you enjoy teaching? About how you would like to help their students improve their skills? About what you have done to learn to teach English?

I’ve read only “me” “me” “me” – nothing about what you can provide.

Come on, get real. Who would hire a teacher who sends a note only of their demands? I wouldn’t. Would you?

At the very least get a fast TEFL Certification at somewhere reputable like TEFL Boot Camp to back up your demands for all the things you want.

I hope my comments help you see the world from a slightly different perspective and help you market yourself better than you have to this point.

TED’s Tips™ #1: You never know who is going to read your email, job application or resume. Be careful how you word what you want and what you have to exchange for what you want.

TED’s Tips™ #2: Take time FIRST to say what you have to OFFER – rather than just want you want.

For people looking for an inexpensive Online TEFL Course, TEFL Boot Camp has a lowest-price guarantee. There is no need to spend a huge amount of money on a fairly simple learning process. A good part of the website is FREE for self study.

What’s up in China? Learn what kind of jobs are on offer if would like to Teach English in China. I help place people in China – it is great fun – and you can start your career often at a higher level in China than you would in Korea, Japan, Taiwan or even Thailand.

Is Teaching English Overseas Appropriate for Me?

Will I be happy and successful working abroad?

This is one question that only you can answer, but I will provide some guidelines and questions here that will help you take a solid look at yourself and come to a good answer.

Life overseas is not for everyone. It is a life full of wonder and new experiences, but along with all that also come some new challenges and difficulties. Sometimes even simple problems easily solved “back home” can br quite difficult to sort out abroad. Just getting a driver’s license in some countries is probably equal to getting a bachelor’s degree.

What are the things to consider?

Do you have a family that you are responsible for? How would they feel about moving overseas and living in a foreign land? Things often don’t work well unless everyone is on the same team.

Do you have a spouse or partner? How would s/he feel about giving up their job? Will she be able to find work overseas? Is she interested in teaching English also?

Do you have children? How will you educate them while overseas? How might they feel about giving up their friends? Educating children while abroad can be a very expensive proposition. International schools charge huge fees for their (usually) corporate-sponsored families. School fees can easily exceed what the ordinary English teacher earns each month.

Do you have debts that must be paid while you are overseas? If so, choose your country carefully. In some counties it is easy to save US$1000 a month, in others you can live well on the local economy, but it will be difficult to save more than for a ticket “home” once a year.

Are there special medical issues for you or your family that must be considered? This is sometimes an easier issue to deal with abroad. Medicines and medical care in some countries can easily be only ten percent of what you might pay in a Western country. But, some countries won’t have the latest in cutting edge medical care and drugs. If you have chronic or complex medical issues, check with your physician first and double check what is available where you intend to go.

Do you have the financial reserves to return to your home country and re-establish yourself if things don’t work out? It is good to have a little emergency cushion, just in case.

Have you ever taught before – do you have any reason to believe that you might enjoy teaching English? Teaching is a “helping” profession, do you enjoy working with people?

Have you ever traveled or lived overseas before? Did you enjoy it? This isn’t a “have to” but it does help you know. I went to Africa at age 37 only having been across the border to Mexico for a few days. Wow! What a transition. But it worked out okay – for me. It might not for everyone.

Would you find the daily problems of living and working overseas frustrating – or a refreshing challenge? Life’s daily frustrations don’t go away just because you are living in another country.

This list is only a beginning – as individual as each person is – so are the questions that need to be answered in making this decision.

What qualities are needed to succeed?

My observation has been that people who succeed in TEFL overseas have the following characteristics and knowledge:

They have reasonable expectations about their new occupation and what it can and cannot provide for them.

They understand that their new country is not like their home country. Solutions to problems that work at home often don’t work overseas.

They realize that problems they had at home will probably also exist overseas.

They know they will have good days and bad days, just like back home.

They know they may experience good bosses, bad bosses, good jobs and bad jobs, just like back home.

They are flexible people who can roll with surprises and “punches” and can bounce back from a bad situation.

They are willing to work under different cultural expectations, willing to follow different cultural work rules.

They are not generally moody or depressed people.

They view their success as a personal challenge.

They spent a considerable amount of time researching their move, before they moved.

TED’s Tips™ #1: While it is useful to seek other’s opinions on these issues, listen to your heart. Is this something you really want to do? I had dreamed of living abroad for years and years before I finally made the move. It was in my heart to do it. If it had not been, I would not have survived those two years in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

TED’s Tips™ #2: This doesn’t have to be a decision forever. If you find you hate it, you are still free to return home. Few things in life are totally irreversible.