Job Discussion Forums

[M.]

what is the teaching situation there?

Kent,

When were you in that little villiage.......M.

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Greetings "M":

Your best bet is to post that question on the Turkey forum, since I was there a long time ago ('94-95). Lovely, hospitable people, great climate, the freshest, most delicious food in the WORLD, unbelievable sightseeing, the list goes on and on ...

The single biggest problem is the inflation rate and currency devaluation. They still haven't recovered completely from the IMF-induced economic "crash" of a few years ago.

Compounding that problem is this: most language schools pay in Turk Lira and WILL NOT adjust your salary monthly as they should.

If you have the right credentials, you could try the international K-12 schools and/or universities. They tend to offer better deals all the way around.

fyi: I went back to Istanbul last year on a visa-run for a few days and enjoyed myself immensely. Istanbul is a truly stunning city in so many respects. When they finally get their financial house in order, I would DEFINITELY consider returning for a year or 2. Just my 2 cents for ya!

Regards,
keNt

[scot47]

Kent is right. Turkey is definitely interesting and Istanbul or Konstantiniye or Constantinopolis or Byzantium is THAT PEARL OF CITIES ALL.

[Mike_2003]

There are still jobs to be found. In the last month I have had two job offers and I�m not even looking. One of these was at an establishment in Kadikoy. Their offer was 1�500�000�000 TL (just under $1000 currently) for a �typical� (usually around 24-26 hours) working week. I can�t say for sure whether there is a general need for teachers at the moment or whether for some particular reason this school is having trouble keeping staff but I�ve also had another offer (again unsolicited) from a recently-established school near my home willing to pay 13�000�000 an hour (around $8 ) for part-time work.

I think the trick with Turkey is to get over here and scout out your options. I hear many stories of people coming over with an offer in hand only to find that the school they have committed themselves to is unreliable and unprofessional. This leaves them with a serious dilemma. However, once you have learnt the lay of the land, you�ll find it easier to ascertain which schools are worth pursuing and which are to be avoided.

It is also a huge advantage to be independent (have your own accommodation) and not keep all your eggs in the same basket. Come with a little cash in your pocket, be prepared to change schools if they are not honest or take a couple of part-time contracts and boost your earnings with private lessons. If you invest everything in one school, you may be burnt and end up leaving with a very sour experience.

Private lessons pay very well. If you are willing to travel to businesses to teach small management groups or the managers, you can easily earn $25 an hour. Students are more than willing to travel to your home for private lessons for a cheaper rate.