Do I Need a Degree to Teach English Overseas?

Is a Degree Needed to Land a Good Job Teaching English?

No, you don’t always need a degree to land a good job.

There are excellent job markets in much of Latin America. In Southeast Asia, both Cambodia and Indonesia are good markets for people without degrees.

Without a degree you’ll not be saving large amounts of money, but you can still land a good job and live well on the local economy. You can expect the very best jobs to go to people with degrees and lots of experience, but lots of opportunity still exists and there just aren’t enough teachers to meet the demand.

Focus your Job Search

If you don’t have the advantage of a degree, try to use your work history to your advantage instead. If you have work experience in a hotel or restaurant for example, seek out those kinds of settings. Large resorts overseas often hire teachers of English to help their staff deal with their guests. If you have experience in the industry, exploit it. You are needed!

The same thing applies if you have a good work history in business. Look for jobs teaching Business English where you will have an advantage. Large corporations often hire teachers and many language schools devote a good part of their business to servicing international corporations. They are looking for YOU.

For both these specialties consider getting ESP Certifications. Or at least study teaching material related to those industries, so you will have lots of good ideas when you interview and you will create an advantage over your competitors.

Great Resources: ESP Certification in Resort and Hotel English and
ESP Certification in Business English

Check these eBooks as well: Hotel and Resort English and Business English Lessons

TED’s Tips™ #1: If you don’t have a degree, grab every advantage you can. There are good jobs out there, make sure you are in the hunt!

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