Finding Your First Job Teaching English

Finding Your First EFL Teaching Job

The demand for EFL teachers worldwide is so great that you will find it surprisingly easy to land your first job offer. But take your time, find the right position and make sure you will be happy.

If you are interested in teaching English in China, head over to our friends at TEFL Jobs China

If you’d like to teach on a tropical island in SE Asia
(are you crazy – who wouldn’t!?) visit:
Teach English Phuket

If the lure of an exotic big city is your thing, take a look at Teach English Bangkok too.

If you are interested trying your hand at teaching English overseas, but don’t yet want to commit to a one-year contract, go over to TEFL Temp where information about short-term TEFL positions is posted. Some are as short four months and even include airfare and training. Hard to beat that!

Just about everything you could ever want to know about finding your first position Teaching English Overseas and just about everything else about living and working in another country – can be found at our companion website: TEFL Daddy.

Whether thinking about a two-year “lark” teaching overseas – or if you would like TEFL to offer you a long-term career – give the website a good read. No, it doesn’t really have all the answers, because the answers are as individual as each person thinking of entering the field.

Your needs, interests, skills, and goals are unique. But, TEFL Daddy can at least help you address each issue and get on the road to finding exactly what might fit you best.

TEFL Daddy is the original NON-Blog version of TEFL Newbie. Entries on the blog are often based on the pages of TEFL Daddy – but updated with more recent comments.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Do your research. Find out as much as you can before making a final decision. Heading overseas was the best thing I ever did – but it is not for everyone.

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

An Effective EFL Job Search #1

I have mentioned before that I sometimes help place people in English teaching jobs in China. Today’s blog will be the first of many that talk about how to improve your job search.

We have to start first with people who want to go and teach English abroad just for a year and sometimes even a shorter period of time. Let me correct that, they don’t really want to teach English, they want to go abroad and teaching English is the way they hope will provide that experience.

Because these people don’t take the idea of teaching English seriously, they often fail in their job search.

Why?

Because their job search clearly indicates their lack of sincere interest in helping students learn English. How do I know that? Because their email often begins with “Yo!” I wanna go teach english somewhere – can I? You can do for me?”

Does that indicate a sincere interest in providing some quality instruction for students on the other side of the world, who often have paid a lot of money to sit in your classroom? Sadly, no.

When asked for a photograph – the very photograph that will introduce you to your new employer – they send photos of them dancing drunk with friends in a bar. And recently a very nice guy, with some quite special skills, sent me a photo of him with his family, his beer belly was sticking out and his shirt had stains on it.

What can I say to that?

Take your job search seriously

Your future employer does. They want a responsible professional who will help give their students an advantage in the hard tough ultra-competitive world of developing countries (where most TEFL jobs are). If you present yourself asking for a two-week contract, send photos of you drinking and dancing – what are they to think?

Education in most of the developing world is SERIOUS business. Education is seen as the only way out of a grinding cycle of poverty or difficult jobs with long hours and poor pay. Schools and students are looking to YOU to help them escape to a better world. Help them escape!

Take your job search seriously

Present yourself professionally. Send a professional resume/CV. Send a professional photograph with you in professional dress. Yes, guys in a tie. Ideally seek some training even if only a short online TEFL certification course – to show that you are interested in doing a good job.

While wages can seem very modest abroad, you will often be earning as much or more than someone with a Ph.D teaching at the same school! They take it seriously. So should you. That modest wage, often combined with free accommodation, reimbursed airfares, sometimes even subsidized utilities often means you can save more than you are saving right now.

Come on, get with and treat teaching English abroad – the occupation, the job – with the respect it deserves. No other occupation can provide you with so many options, so many possibilities for seeing and traveling the world and actually saving a few bucks while doing it.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Approach your overseas job search with the same diligence you would a promotion and/or better job in your home country. This is a job that will allow you to travel, work fewer hours, see the world and possibly even save more money than you are saving right now. THAT is worth some diligence!

TED’s Tips™ #2: Get some professional passport type photos taken. They will be worth their weight in gold. Dress professionally, put on a friendly smile (practice if you need to) and look like the sharp skilled person you really are.

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 or Taiwan.

How to Teach English Overseas and Secrets to Success Abroad
TEFL eBooks is offering a free download of their new publication Seven Secrets of Success Abroad - and along with it comes a bi-weekly installment and revision of their eBook called How to Teach English Overseas.

Great reviews for the Secrets of Success eBook – in spite of the hokey name – and the How to Teach English eBook is being updated and rewritten and sent out in installments as it is ready.

Here they are – click on the eBooks to get your FREE copies! Great information and the price is right, from our friends at TEFLeBooks.

Too Old, No Degree, Want To Teach English?

One of the best things about this blog is that I get great questions from people who want to teach English abroad, but wonder about their circumstances and if they can make it happen or not.

Here is a recent email:

I have been considering teaching English in a Spanish speaking country, preferably Spain. If not there then Central or South America. I am 62 yrs old and in excellent health. I have been with [a major international bank] for 11 plus years. I am semi-bilingual, since my wife is Colombian. What do you think of my age? Am I too old? How do I find out if I would be eligible to teach in Peru for instance? I have an Associates degree only (a two-year vocational type degree). I have taught a little in a voluntary setting. Can you share your thoughts with me?

My response follows – and I want every person reading this blog and thinking about working abroad to apply such thinking to their job search.

Hi Bill,

You wrote:

What do you think of my age? Am I too old?

You are only a couple years older than me – not too old – you have a lot to share.

And . . .

How do I find out if I would be eligible to teach in Peru for instance? I have an associates degree only. I have taught a little in a voluntary setting.

For Peru specifically contact Sharon – she is a bit of a Peru specialist – but she also knows Latin America well: naturegirl321 @ yahoo.com

You can tell her Ted Tucker sent you.

BUT – I would say that you can create your eligibility – you have eleven years with [a major international bank]? Teach Business English, teach Banking English, create a few courses, sell yourself to corporations, banks, etc as someone who knows business and Business English – see this page:
http://tefldaddy.com/Your_Special_Skills.htm

Yes, you are going to be limited by your two-year degree if you just go and search for any old regular English job, so focus on your Special Skills.

Start here: www.BusinessEnglishEbook.com — get that ebook and start to create a few courses for the specialties you already know. Go to a new country offering something (specialized knowledge and training) rather than going asking for something (a job).

Good luck! Go get what you want.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Most people have some sort of work history. You can CREATE a demand for your specific skills if you focus your job search in that area. Again see: Special Skills.

TED’s Tips™ #2: Search for a job OFFERING something: special skills, special knowledge or if nothing else flexibility and a willingness to adapt – rather than searching for a job just asking for a job.

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 or Taiwan.

How to Teach English Overseas and Secrets to Success Abroad
TEFL eBooks is offering a free download of their new publication Seven Secrets of Success Abroad - and along with it comes a bi-weekly installment and revision of their eBook called How to Teach English Overseas.

Great reviews for the Secrets of Success eBook – in spite of the hokey name – and the How to Teach English eBook is being updated and rewritten and sent out in installments as it is ready.

Here they are – click on the eBooks to get your FREE copies! Great information and the price is right, from our friends at TEFLeBooks.

Finding a Job Teaching English Abroad #1

The Job Search in TEFL

I hope you already read the previous post about finding a TEFL position that fits well with the skills and experience you may already have. That approach is simple and moves you in front of the pack of people just looking for “any old job” teaching English.

The point I want to make today about the job search, and it was mentioned in the previous post too, is to not apply only to schools that are advertising. In fact, your best strategy is to apply to schools that are not advertising. I landed three of my last four college/university teaching positions at schools that were not advertising at the time

There are many reasons why this is the best strategy, but I will highlight the two most important ones.

Schools often don’t like to advertise and interview candidates.

Schools don’t usually have human resources staff who take this time-consuming task for them. The person responsible for fielding applications, questions and sorting out interviews and hiring is already busy with their full-time job teaching. Other teachers are not usually too excited about being asked to “sit in” on interviews either.

So . . . interviewing and looking for new people is not a favorite task among teachers – at any school. The department head would be very happy to have a qualified candidate walk in the door and present themselves for the opening that may be coming up soon or that already exists. Or have your resume/CV and smiling photo arrive in the mail.

The Numbers Game

I had a friend once who was looking for a job in a language school in a city that had about ten major schools. Most of those schools had about four to eight teachers. Those schools rarely advertised as they were looking for a native-speaking foreigner and most of the schools had no idea how to get one without using a recruiter.

Yet my friend was hesitant to knock on a couple unadvertised doors.

Let’s look at the numbers though. Ten schools with an average of about six teachers each. That means sixty teachers all rotating in and out. That means – on average – one opening every week.

Most people will give a month’s notice for that kind of job and so we have at least four openings that schools know about at any one time. So about a 40% opportunity that any school you go to will have an opening coming up or an opening right now that they need to fill.

And won’t they be relieved that they don’t have to do a load of interviews?

Ted’s Tips™ #1: Don’t wait for a job to be advertised. Beat the crowd and just go get it.

Ted’s Tips™ #2: Schools and especially colleges and universities often know when other schools have openings. If you are polite and conduct your search in a way that reflects well on your – they will often tell you about another school that has an opening if they don’t.

Why fight the competition? Just out think them.

Using Current Skills to Teach English

Find your Special TEFL Skills

Most people just grab the first TEFL job that comes their way – I certainly did. No big deal.

But, the really smart people (I said I didn’t do it, remember?) analyze their previous job experience and try to find a TEFL job related to that.

This is assuming, of course, that you enjoyed something you did in the past.

What you Already Know is Powerful Stuff

Believe it or not, I have taught with, and taught (as a teacher-trainer) petroleum engineers, accountants, lawyers, nurses, ship’s pilots, factory managers, artists, designers, social workers, journalists, travel agents, and many other people from very diverse backgrounds.

All these people had very specialized skills that are needed in the TEFL world. They had in-depth knowledge of specialized vocabulary, processes and procedures that schools and businesses value. You too, probably have such skills.

The Best Way to Market Yourself in TEFL

One very nice way to upgrade where you might teach, is to go and find a college, technical school or university that teaches that special skill your work history has given you.

Wouldn’t an engineering school prefer an engineer to someone with no knowledge of their field? I know nothing of design and mathematics!

Wouldn’t a nursing school prefer a nurse or medical assistant who knows the specialized vocabulary of the field?

Wouldn’t a large international accounting firm prefer an experienced accountant?

Wouldn’t a college or university prefer someone who knows exactly the stresses and challenges their students are facing? Of course they would.

Other Benefits of this Job Search Method

Other than the fact that teaching ESP (English for Special Purposes) almost always pays better than teaching General English, you will also find people with whom you share similar interests and knowledge.

And where better to find friends in your new country?

If you can’t find such a job at first, don’t forget to keep looking. They are out there, usually pay better – and you will enjoy yourself more.

My Good Luck

I’ve had the good fortune to teach ESP classes in every country in which I have worked. They always paid more and they were always more interesting.

Ted’s Tips™ #1: Search the Internet for Colleges and Universities in your target country that specialize in what you already know. Approach them first and be sure you have highlighted your related skill in your resume/CV.

The students are always more motivated because you are literally there to help them do a better job with their English speaking customers and sometimes even their English speaking boss(es).

Ted’s Tips™ #2: Just because a school isn’t advertising doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for a teacher and/or don’t need you.

Smart people approach schools when they aren’t advertising – and avoid the flood of applicants. It is a way to lessen the competition for that ESP job you want.