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kootenay
Joined: 24 Oct 2012
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:31 pm Post subject: Recruiters, Latin Am etc |
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Hi everyone,
I learned alot reading your post & replies. Thanks to the 'old-timers' for their generosity.
This industry appears to be fraught with fraud. (Is this an exaggeration?). I've been warned to never pay for recruitment, yet can see some value to a broker having some responsibility to you.
However, I've had a recruiter virtually guarantee me a job in the Middle East, when I understand now no BA is a deal breaker.
Does anyone have any experience with trustworthy recruiters? Any comments or suggestions?
I'm a newbie ESL teacher with a TESOL CERT., Instructor's Diploma, 5 courses short of a BA & 6 months experience teaching in VietNam. I'm looking for a paid job in Latin Am., preferably Nicaragua, hopefully in Jan or Feb.
Beginning to understand I probably need to just go with C.V. in hand, but a little leery. Anybody teaching in Nica right now? Any suggestions re school/institutions? How much of a barrier is no BA?
Whats average pay/classroom hours?
Any suggestions/info is much appreciated. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Recruiters, Latin Am etc |
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| kootenay wrote: |
However, I've had a recruiter virtually guarantee me a job in the Middle East, when I understand now no BA is a deal breaker.
Does anyone have any experience with trustworthy recruiters? Any comments or suggestions?
I'm a newbie ESL teacher with a TESOL CERT., Instructor's Diploma, 5 courses short of a BA & 6 months experience teaching in VietNam. I'm looking for a paid job in Latin Am., preferably Nicaragua, hopefully in Jan or Feb.
Beginning to understand I probably need to just go with C.V. in hand, but a little leery. Anybody teaching in Nica right now? Any suggestions re school/institutions? How much of a barrier is no BA? |
I have no knowledge about TEFL in Nicaragua (try the Latin Am. forums); however, I suggest you finish your BA before applying for positions abroad. It will increase your chance of getting a legit TEFL job while avoiding sketchy recruiters. |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:51 pm Post subject: Re: Recruiters, Latin Am etc |
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| kootenay wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I learned alot reading your post & replies. Thanks to the 'old-timers' for their generosity.
This industry appears to be fraught with fraud. (Is this an exaggeration?). I've been warned to never pay for recruitment, yet can see some value to a broker having some responsibility to you.
<edited for brevity> |
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pay for a job.
Recruiters are paid for by the school. Understand the roll of the recruiter or agency.
They are head hunters paid for by the school to find a suitable candidate to fill a position.
They are all good.
They are all the best.
They are all bad.
They are all the worst.
The good one is the one who gets you a "DECENT" job.
They are all good and they are all bad. They all have some proponents and they all have some complaints.
Search yourself and you have access to perhaps 20-50 potential employers who may be able to actually READ your resume and perhaps can get you through the visa confirmation process (not always easy for 1st time applicants).
Use 20 recruiters and that number jumps up into the many hundreds or potentially over 1000 jobs, even if the employer himself doesn't speak English (lots of academy jobs, MOST private placement PS jobs and virtually ALL private K-12 jobs fall into this category).
The problem lies in the fact that most people do NOT understand the role of the recruiter.
They are an introduction to a potential employer that you yourself would not otherwise be able to find. Then, if they are any good at their job, they guide you through the placement and assist with the paperwork necessary to get you as far as the employer.
They are NOT your friend.
They do NOT work for you (they are paid for and work for the employer).
They are like a used car salesman.
You walk onto their car-lot (website), peruse the cars (available jobs), if you see one you like you inquire about it.
After you listen to the sales pitch you let YOUR mechanic have a look at it (due diligence checking out the school).
If it is all good then you make the offer (accept the contract) and complete the sale (begin the paperwork for your visa application).
A good salesman will ensure that the paperwork is in order to make the sale and allow you to register the car. (A good recruiter will make sure your paperwork is in order and help get you through the paperwork to get your visa.)
I have no problem with using a recruiter or telling anyone else to use one (or more the case, many). They are often your best option for finding the BEST fit when it comes to a job in abroad.
For someone who is abroad, had no connections and no ability to communicate in the local language then recruiters are a necessary evil.
That doesn't mean it is a crap shoot.
Please allow a quote from the "other board".
| ttompatz wrote: |
Really, when it comes to a recruiter, who cares where they are from or where they are based?
A recruiter is nothing more than an introduction to an employer.
Unless you have an extensive network of friends and/or colleagues in your target country OR can read/write and speak the local language and can apply directly they are a necessary evil.
REPEAT: A recruiter is nothing more than an introduction to an employer.
Hello Mr. English speaker this is Mr Hakwon owner.
Mr. hakwon owner, this is Mr. English speaker.
Mr. English speaker, here is the contract. Please read and sign.
School, here is the signed contract. Pay me.
Good bye.
-You are not paying them anything (or you shouldn't be).
-THEY DO NOT WORK FOR YOU! - They work for the school.
-They owe you nothing once you get here.
-They are not your friend.
-They are not your baby sitter.
-They cannot help you if things go to *beep* after you get here.
Beyond that it is YOUR responsibility to check the school out.
Do NOT trust ANY recruiter. They are like used car salesmen. They will lie and sell their soul to get the signature on the contract.
Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE in regards to the school or get burned.
Use the recruiters for what they are. Use more than one and keep going until you get what you want. There is no rush and there is certainly no shortage of jobs.
When it comes to the school - again - repeat - Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE.
1st - READ the contract over very carefully. If that doesn't scare you away then...
The best you can do is minimize the risk by talking to MORE THAN ONE of the foreign staff and ask POINTED AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS (*when the boss is NOT listening over their shoulder). Don't accept non-specific answers and broad generalizations.
No foreign staff references to talk (directly and via e-mail) to = walk away now.
Accept NO EXCUSES for any reason.
ONE CAVEAT: if it is a public school there may not be a Native English Speaker to talk to but there is a chain of command OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL (your POE liaison) if you have problems and they are more strict in following the terms of the contract.
7777 |
..................................
And to answer your BA question...
NOT having a degree means being stuck at the entry level wherever you go (usually subsistence wages).
Spend the time to complete the degree (EFL jobs aren't going away any time soon) and a LARGE part of the globe opens up to you (for LEGAL work).
Higher level and better paying jobs become an option (an average EFL wage in Asia as an example pays $1500-2000 and may also include airfare and housing).
The days when a high school completion and a 30-day TEFL cert would get you a decent job with the ability to travel and earn as you go to fund your way around the world on a few gap years before returning to home and a career are largely going the way of the Dodo Bird and will soon be just as extinct.
As to hours and conditions:
I can't speak to central America specifically but, as an example, k-12 teachers should be spending about 20 hours in front of the class and language academy teachers about 30 hours per week is pretty standard for full time jobs.
In addition to those classroom hours you can expect just about equal time being needed for classroom prep if you are doing a good job although, in far too many language academy settings, prep is often as poor as 5 minutes at the copy machine prior to class and a printout of a work sheet from bogglesworld.
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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 11:41 pm Post subject: |
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I would contact the university/college that you studied at. Tell them who you are, how long it's been since you dropped out or withdrew, ask them to check how many credits you need (it might be different than what you remembered) and in what areas you need those credits then ask them what your options are.
Most univerisities have some sort of "finish up later" program that they don't necessarily advertise because they want all their students to finish the normal way. But a graduate is a graduate, so there are often options you didn't know about (a correspondence couse), or that didn't exsit when you were a student (online classes), or some sort of evening course with mostly working professionals in it. If you are that close to finishing the BA, it's probably worth it. |
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