Job Discussion Forums

Sashadroogie · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:48 am Post subject:

Ah Spiral, you are counting the cash. But I am counting the babage. Can't have these pesky N.A.s coming over to the Eastern Bloc stealing our jobs and women!

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

No worries! North American TEFL teachers lost their automatic chick magnet status about 10 years ago. Don't count Czech chicks as less sophisticated than Moscovites in this realm!! They know what standard of living (and dating) a newbie English teacher can offer these days.

The Women of the Former Bloc are safe enough Cool

Sashadroogie · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:12 am Post subject:

You see! The plot is working!! Urrraaa!!!!

mr tree · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 98 Location: Prague, CzR

smithryansmith · Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 75

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

If the OP is still out there, the point is: you can follow all of the good advice offered by spiral and mr tree, do everything right and still not get a job.

I totally agree with this (in case I was less-than-clear before).

AdamtheJohnson · Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 157

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

From my earlier post....Yes, as others have pointed out, EU candidates for the jobs going in January are likely to get priority over you, and it is possible that you won't be able to find a job. You can only give it a try and hope you will get lucky, realistically.

Yeah, I did say it earlier...

Chris Westergaard · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 215 Location: Prague

Guess who's back.

I hear this all of the time about the economic situation and it is true. Things are for sure harder to do now than they were 5+ years ago. Back in the day, as long as you were somewhat of a decent teacher and actually sent CVs off to schools you'd be fine.

It's harder now. Plain and simple.

However, the majority of people that put the effort in, get trained well, work on their teaching technique as well as make a real effort to find work and go on interviews do fine.

You have to hustle and you have to make sure you have extra savings to cover you during the months when you are building up hours.

If you can do that, you'll probably do fine.

Think of it this way. If you don't try, it will never happen.

AdamtheJohnson · Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 157

Mercury Morris · Joined: 28 Jun 2009 Posts: 27 Location: Prague

I want to point out to the O.P. that the perspectives of 'smithryansmith' , 'mr tree' and 'spiral78' are shamefully pessimistic ("you MUST be an EU member", or "you must have a CELTA.."). Rubbish comments by both on this thread.

I happen to know many N. Americans living and working presently in Prague, TEFL or TESOL certified, and doing just fine, thanks. There's always room for one more, and the local teacher-training schools are placing graduates as they have been for years and years. The teacher having a CELTA in this town is the rare exception to the rule.

And please--stop with the crap about folks "going into debt" living in Prague! Its MUCH more affordable than any major U.S. city--be it living in shared accomodation or a studio, one bedroom, etc.

MOD EDIT

Further: you can get a flat of your own if you move here. Being an ESL teacher in Prague doesn't have to mean living in a quasi student barracks with a bunch of *beep* roommates. I lived on my own for 2 years there and did fine, no problems. Preferred it that way. Having roommates might have been fun back in university, but not now.

While teaching in Prague for one of the larger schools there was often Czech clients who specifically requested Americans. They prefer the American accent to the British, simply put. Czechs often find the British accent difficult to understand. Not stirring up the pot here, just the facts plain and simple. Because of this Americans are often preferred over Brits by the corporates in Prague who drive the ESL market.

In short: get a TESOL or TEFL certificate to top off your Bachelors, preferably in Prague. Takes a month or so. Research the schools, contact them, give them your CV and pound the pavement. Maybe you'll make it...maybe you won't. But like another poster to this thread said, you won't know if you don't just jump in and give it a go. Life won't happen without taking calculated risk. Just go for it, and good luck!

Chris Westergaard · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 215 Location: Prague

Most of the students that we have at The Language House are Americans and most find jobs without too many problems. That means 'Most' and it means that they have to be willing to put in the work to finding a job and they have to graduate knowing their stuff. If they can do this, then they are fine.

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

Most of the students that we have at The Language House are Americans and most find jobs without too many problems. That means 'Most' and it means that they have to be willing to put in the work to finding a job and they have to graduate knowing their stuff. If they can do this, then they are fine.

I've got absolutely no quarrel with this, and didn't mean to come across as overly negative. I agree with Chris that if people are willing to get properly qualified, put in the work it takes to get a first job, and have considered timing, they are likely to be ok.

I think it's important to note that a job isn't a given (literally or figuratively) and to plan and be sure backup is available in the sense of enough funds to support onesself and to get home if need be. However, going to Prague with realistic expectations, it's likely to be a worthwhile risk.

Chris Westergaard · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 215 Location: Prague

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 11:35 pm Post subject:

Please stay on topic and address the message and not the messenger.

If not, there will be sanctions as this thread is informative and opinions offered within our rules are welcome. This is true even if they happen not to be to your personal liking.

Members are requested to bring any posting not in conformance with this warning to the attention of the Mod Team by Report Post or PM as soon as possible.

We will deal with the issue very quickly

This will not be a surprise to many here. Wink