Job Discussion Forums

[bamabratsche2]

Hi, I'm an American currently finishing up a contract as a language assistant in a French high school, and I'm trying to get to Poland next. I've been teaching English here for a year, but I don't have any kind of certification so I'm planning on taking the CELTA certification course at HI Krakow in June.

My question is will be possible to find a job then since everyone says the hiring period is September/October? The problem is that apparently I'd have to go back to the US to get a visa, so going home for the summer then coming back in September then going back to get a visa then coming back to Poland really will not work. I'd like to work in Krakow--was there on vacation a little while ago and really liked the city...

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated!

[gregoryfromcali]

You could try as you will be here anyway getting your CELTA.

But it will be tough as you will be getting your CELTA and this will take up all your time.

Unfortunately a lot of schools are closed for the summer but you can always try.

I am here legally and what I did was I picked up my visa when I went home for X-mas. Another school wanted me to go home for the summer but I did not want to as I had just arrived. Unfortunately a lot of schools don't know how to handle the visa situation on the other hand a lot of schools don't care.

Hope this helps.

[bamabratsche2]

So did you get to Poland in the summer? When do schools have their summer break exactly? Do schools ever hire people before the break to start in the fall or do they do most of their hiring at the beginning of the year? I'm sure a lot depends on the individual school....

Going back home once is not an insurmountable problem as I have already been in Europe for nearly a year, but surviving from June until September without a job and THEN going back home to get a visa would be.

[gregoryfromcali]

Of course nothing is impossible and each school is different. Who knows maybe the next poster will give you different advice.

I arrived here in March and I did not have a full time job until October.

On the other hand, you may arrive in July and get lucky. Again some schools are open some are not.

A lot of Poles go away for the summer, especially the students and the teachers.

September is the hiring season as this is usually when schools start to figure out how many teachers they will need.

Most of the schools are open from October to the end of June.

Good luck.

[gregoryfromcali]

Saying that I should add that there are schools looking for teachers for summer school intensives. But they usually start at the beginning of July.

If I were you, would drop my CV/resume off at some schools during lunch and if possible ask to speak to the director.

Good luck.