Job Discussion Forums

bellevie · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 7

Hello Germany forum,
I am seriously thinking about moving to Germany and need some advice on finding ESL/EFL work in Germany-the Stuttgart area in particular.
Fortunately, I'm a trained teacher-Masters in Teaching TESOL plus 4 years teaching, 2 years being in a university. However, I don't know much about the European job market.
I would love any and all advice (positive and negative) on finding work in Germany!
Good schools to research? Is it realistic to find a job from the US or best to move there and then find work? What are my chances of finding work (being American) in a language school, university or other?
I would appreciate any advice or any other things I should consider/avoid.
Thank you! Very Happy

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Where you're from is a relevant bit of info - if N. American or Australian, it's more difficult for you to get a legal work visa for Germany. This narrows your options to a university that may want you enough to jump through the legal hoops on your behalf - or dooms you to freelance work that pays peanuts.

If UK, you're far more viable.

However, either way, remember it's a tight economy. I work at a uni in Netherlands, and we, like most these days, are seeing cuts - not new hires!!

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Ah, sorry - now, I see U.S.
Above advice applies - going to be tough to find anything above subsistence level in '09, even with your quals (I have similar + 10 more years experience than you, and know many in similar positions).

bellevie · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 7

hmm...I've been doing research on this, and I'm not sure if you're 100% right. I'm looking for actual advice, not discouraging comments.

I'm hoping to get some replies from teachers and expats who live in Germany and are working there..especially those of you in the Stuttgart/Baden-Wurtemmberg area.
Thank you, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and advice.

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

Spiral78 told it like it is, I�m afraid. Along with all this economic nonsense, since 1 January 2009, Germany has gone way over the top regarding �proper� health insurance, which is now a requirement for any sort of work permit. This madness will hopefully end, but right now you are looking at paying �150 a month minimum health insurance for a fine specimen in their twenties or thirties. It�s not an impossibility, of course not, but the message has to be bring plenty of cash. Viel Glueck.

tefl_john · Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 5

If it's encouragement you want, you have come to the wrong place. English lessons are more or less a luxury in Germany, or at least are seen as such by companies. With the recession biting, the TEFL market is taking a bit of a thumping and work is slowly drying up.

I don't come from Stuttgart, but I can imagine that with the high number of companies being in the automobile sector (either as manufacturers or suppliers), the market is even more depressed than elsewhere. I certainly haven't seen any jobs being advertised in that region.

Add to that the fact that you are not an EU citizen, then I would seriously suggest that the situation is not positive for you.

BerlinCELTA · Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 14

Hi,

I don't live in BW myself, but I know that the local teacher's association - ELTAS - is large and active. I'd contact them to get more locally relevant comment.

This is the URL for their website - click on the "committee" tab to find some people to get in touch with.

http://www.eltas.de/data/

Hope this helps.

bellevie · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 7

Thanks BerlinCELTA for the suggestion
I have been in touch with them and some of their members have been really helpful.

bellevie · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 7

I've actually seen a few job advertisements from a few language schools like Wall Street, Berlitz, Accelingua, Inlingua etc.
I've never worked for a language school so if you have any information on these schools, I'd like to know your opinion. From what I've read on this forum and others, working for a language school doesn't sound very good, but every job has its ups and downs. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks.

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

Shaytess · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 65 Location: Berlin

I, too, was STRONGLY discouraged from moving to Germany by fellow Dave's ESL Cafe members, and I posted about my entire experience on here about a year ago.

I worked as a freelancer in Berlin for about 14 months, at 3 different schools, when one of them offered me a full-time job.

It took 2 months to get the full-time work permit and visa approved, but here I am, manager of a language school.

SO - it CAN be done. (Although I think full-time jobs are exceedingly, exceedingly rare.) I personally know dozens of American freelance English teachers in Berlin, and while they are obviously not rich (because what English teacher is?) they are not starving, either.

About health insurance, I got private UK insurance (NOT travel insurance), which worked just fine in Germany - I had to pay all my expenses up front, but they were always reimbursed in a timely manner by my insurance company. I will be happy to recommend you the name of the company if you PM me. It cost approximately 120 Euros per month.

About what you would need to bring with you when you move - I did, indeed, save money for about 3 years before I moved here. I needed most of it : ) AND I had a free place to stay for the first year. I would recommend bringing plenty of money to live off of COMPLETELY for 6-8 months, and also I would come prepared with a place to stay at the beginning (Try couch-surfing? Or craigslist?)

To start as a freelancer, it took me about 4 months after arriving to do all the work permit process, get hired at 2 different schools, and develop a 'full' schedule of classes (i.e. enough to live on at a base level).

It's true that the economy is taking its toll on the demand for English teaching, but there IS still significant demand, at least in my branch of ESL (Business English).

As a freelancer (and same for my freelancer friends here), I worked at 2 or 3 'chain' schools such as Berlitz, Accelingua, Inlingua, etc. They are NOT that bad to work for - average pay 13-17 Euros to start. Of course, it probably depends on the branch in your city and who's running it : )

The paperwork to make it here IS rather demoralizing, but you DON'T have to be fluent in German as long as you can get (or pay) someone to help you - I imagine you could get someone to help you in exchange for free English lessons, or tandem partnership.

If you want it enough, and you plan it right, and with a bit of luck, you can make it happen. I did, in spite of all my Dave's ESL Cafe 'well-wishers' : )

GOOD LUCK!

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

escuto · Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 7

puhutes · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 46

It also depends on how old you are. It could be that USA also has the same deal like in Canada... check with your local German Embassy. I came to Germany in 2007 with a "youth visa" available to any Canadian under the age of 35. Maybe USA has it too... Either way, it is actually a lot easier to come to Germany now than it was a few years ago. Germany is really always searching good English teachers. If you plan to come, I suggest you find a private language school (they normally pay more) or VHS (Volkshochschule) and not a chain like Berlitz. I've been teaching here close to 2 years and from word of mouth... I have direct contracts with people and companies. I now make generally between 35-65� per 90min lessons. My language school pays me 35�, VHS usually around 40� and my own direct contracts are around 50-65�. In the beginning it might be rough... but if you can get 2 or more classes a day from Mon-Fri... you can make around 2000� or more a month.
Greetings Jennifer

bellevie · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 7

Dear Shaytess, Puhutes, Escuto,

Thank you for your replies. Its nice to know there are realistic but nice people and teachers out there.
Thanks!