Types of TEFL Jobs

What kinds of TEFL jobs are out there?

What TEFL jobs exist? What might I look for?

More types of jobs exist than you or I can imagine.

Almost every area of international business and industry, when operating overseas, needs some level of EFL instruction. Most non-English speaking countries have large EFL industries teaching English to children and/or adults. Universities in non-English speaking countries around the world have EFL programs for their students. Major international hospitals need EFL training for their doctors, nurses, receptionists, call centers.

International airlines often need EFL training for their staff, as do travel agencies, resorts and hotels, tour guides, scuba instructors, as just about everything that has to do with the hospitality, travel, and tour industries.

Even the armies, navies, and air forces of the world need EFL instruction, as do police forces in countries and cities where English speaking tourists and/or residents are common.

What this means

This is all good for the “newbies” in the TEFL world – as it means that there may well be a teaching job out there that is related to your previous employment and for which you would be a “natural” and the preferred hire – having knowledge of the special vocabulary and needs of that type of job.

Keep your mind open

So many possibilities exist that you need to be creative in looking for them. Not all of them will be traditionally advertised and many are not regularly advertised as they have difficulty finding the specialists they need. Not all of them will be familiar to the typical poster on the Internet’s TEFL discussion boards, so be careful when you ask there. All these options exist in addition to all the traditional school-based TEFL jobs – that are, in fact, very easy to find and land.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Search for and find the job that best fits your skills and experiences.
Almost everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences. Exploit them for all they are worth, and they are often worth a lot. If you have special skills and talent, why not use them?

TED’s Tips™ #2: Don’t expect the BEST job for you to be traditionally advertised.
And certainly don’t expect the right job for you to be consistently advertised. One of the best examples is the resort and hospitality industry.

Many major five and six star resorts do not bother to advertise their openings as when they do they are usually swamped with applicants wanting to work in such an idealized setting. If you have resort/hospitality experience (waiter/waitress, hostess and many other roles) don’t hesitate to personally call on (even cold call) major resorts.

An example: LeMeridien Resort on Phuket Island a several years ago advertised for an English teacher. Sixty people applied, but only twenty were willing to go to Phuket to interview. Only THREE showed up! Can you get the job if you have experience and know what to teach? You bet!

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I want you to succeed.

EnjoY!

Ted