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Ulyanov
Joined: 18 Jan 2004
Posts: 25
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
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 Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject: Can I find work with no experience? |
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Hey all,
I'm going to be looking for work after christmas, and I'll have a BA in economics, and a TEFL certificate, but no experience. Is it possible to find work? My other question is, will I be able to break even? I've read in some countries where you have to support yourself with some of your own money, and I'd rather not do that, although paying for a plane ticket and settling in for a month or two wouldn't be too bad. I just don't want to come home in debt or worse, not be able to afford a ticket back.
Anyway, my reasons for going are I want to learn Spanish, experience Latin American culture, see some of the world, and get out of Dartmouth (any Dartmouth folk here?). Do I stand a chance? |
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Ulyanov
Joined: 18 Jan 2004
Posts: 25
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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MELEE
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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If your main goals are to learn Spanish and experience Latin American culture--than I would suggest that you do that. And not worry about trying to work. Take the money you'd spend on the TEFL certificate and use it to travel. You can live cheaply in Latin America. If you get a job in the US and start putting away money and save $5000 dollars, you can buy a six month return ticket to a country like Ecuador and live off your savings, taking Spanish classes and expieriencing life. Sounds like you've just graduated so there is a good chance you can get a student airfare (contact Council Travel) At the end of six months you go back to the US with loads of great experiences under your belt. You will not have made any money, but you won't be in debt either.
Or check out the opportunity posted on the jobs right now in Mexico--word has it it's not really a job--(you don't get paid  ) but you get training in their "method" and room and board. Far from ideal, but for someone who's just out of school and really just looking to experience life in Latin America, it might be okay (just be sure to check out the hours that you have to teach so that you have time and energy left for the experienceing life part of it).
Last edited by MELEE on Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: Can I find work with no experience? |
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| Ulyanov wrote: |
| I'm going to be looking for work after christmas, and I'll have a BA in economics, and a TEFL certificate, but no experience. Is it possible to find work? |
Yes, it is possible to find EFL jobs without having prior teaching experience, although most employers consider experience a huge plus, and many require it.
| Ulyanov wrote: |
| My other question is, will I be able to break even? I've read in some countries where you have to support yourself with some of your own money, and I'd rather not do that, although paying for a plane ticket and settling in for a month or two wouldn't be too bad. I just don't want to come home in debt or worse, not be able to afford a ticket back. |
I think there are too many variables for anyone to give you a solid answer to this question. Which countries do you have in mind? How long do you plan to stay? How conservatively are you willing to live? How many hours per week are you willing to work?
A rule of thumb: Don't come to Latin America to teach without having the resources available to get you back home again. |
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Ulyanov
Joined: 18 Jan 2004
Posts: 25
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: Can I find work with no experience? |
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I think there are too many variables for anyone to give you a solid answer to this question. Which countries do you have in mind? How long do you plan to stay? How conservatively are you willing to live? How many hours per week are you willing to work?
A rule of thumb: Don't come to Latin America to teach without having the resources available to get you back home again. |
I think most countries would interest me, except for the poorest and most crime ridden of them. Chile sounds pretty cool, and so does Ecuador, or Mexico or Panama. I'd want to stay probably at least 6 months, maybe a year or so. I can probably live pretty conservatively, since I hardly drink or go clubbing, and I'd work full time, since I'd feel kinda lazy if I didn't. I think I might just be best off saving up a lot of money and getting a plane ticket somewhere. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:36 am Post subject: Re: Can I find work with no experience? |
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| Ulyanov wrote: |
| I'd want to stay probably at least 6 months, maybe a year or so. I can probably live pretty conservatively, since I hardly drink or go clubbing, and I'd work full time, since I'd feel kinda lazy if I didn't. I think I might just be best off saving up a lot of money and getting a plane ticket somewhere. |
In the city where I live, it would be pretty hard to recuperate your upfront investments (plane tickets, work visa, settling-in expenses, etc.) in only 6 months. If things went well, you could probably do so in a year, however.
As for working full time, keep in mind that in some Latin American locations -- again, at least in the city where I teach -- full time can mean working 5 and a half days a week and up to 48 hours a week at the school. |
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Paulie2003
Joined: 29 Mar 2003
Posts: 541
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| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 8:23 pm Post subject: MAYBE YOUR QUESTION SHOULD BE... |
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Where can I find experience with no work!!  |
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