Job Discussion Forums

[shawmeadower]

Greetings!

I just finished my CELTA certification and fly to Mexico City at the beginning of August. I am new to teaching English and hope to be in Mexico for the next 1-2 years. I am interested in living in Guanajuato, Querétaro or Oaxaca, but will ultimately be swayed on where I can get a job.

I have sent out some emails and resumes without much luck so far. My main concern is that I am coming to Mexico a little late---most of the job postings at some of the bigger language schools were for June and July. For a newbie like myself, am I too late to find a bearable job?

I plan to continue emailing schools until I leave, and then try the door to door approach. Any advice/tips are welcomed!

Cheers,
Erin

[Jultime]

Hi, and welcome.

Take a good read through the many threads here, you'll find lots of good information and helpful people.

Its difficult to find work in Oaxaca, there are only 5 language schools plus to economy is tourism based and so not much money for English. But you can try applying at the universities if you have a bachelor's degree. The rent in central Oaxaca is overpriced.

Queretaro has many job opportunities as the city is in the automotive industrial belt. Its best to be here and pound the pavement. Do not take the first job offered. You need to compare wages and benefits. Do not work for a school that does not pay you when students cancel classes, Do not work for a school that doesn't provide transportation to company classes. And you can find a school that will process your work visa.

I don't know about Guanajuato

[AGoodStory]

Hello, Erin, and welcome to the forum! We're happy to have you join us.

Of the three locations you mentioned, Queretaro is probably the one where finding a job will be easiest; and Guanajuato may be the most difficult. One of our members has quite a bit of experience in the Oaxaca area, and perhaps will chime in with up-to-date info about finding work there if she sees your post.

Don't be discouraged by lack of e-mail response. You'll do better applying for most entry-level jobs in person.

Again, welcome!

ETA: I see Jultime beat me to it!

.

[esl_prof]

Jultime and Fitzgerald are the resident experts on Queretaro. After browsing through the old threads, you'd do well to PM them with more specific questions.

Good luck, and please keep us posted on your progress! Sharing your stories makes it easier for those who follow in your footsteps later.

[BadBeagleBad]

I would just like to add one thing. It is highly uncommon for a school to provide transportation to company classes, if you hold out for that, you are unlikely to find work. You can specify classes that are easy to get to, and it helps if you are centrally located, or close to transportation, in terms of getting to classes. Personally, I would hold out for a job in a school, much less complicated, and even though you might not make as much per hour, you won´t be travelling all over the place. You might pick up one or two private classes for some extra money.

[shawmeadower]

Thanks for all of the warm responses! I will continue to look at older posts as I have already found a lot of helpful information on this website.

I have read in a couple of different places that visa requirements have recently changed in Mexico and that you have to have approval prior to arriving in Mexico. With a two week departure, that doesn't seem feasible. I suppose I could leave the country after securing a job, but that is not ideal. Has anyone else had problems with new visa requirements?

[notamiss]

Yes, I’ve seen reports on various forums that people who received an offer of a job were able to leave the country briefly to put in their visa application at a consulate in Belize or Guatemala – they didn’t have to return to their home country.

I think there is at least one report on this forum from someone who successfully did it this way, but I can’t find it now.

In the thread “mid-life career change to ESL teacher in Mexico”, member “Jultime” reported going to Houston to do it, but apparently this option might only be available to Americans (and possibly Canadians).

To be able to support your visa application, the school has to have the proper authorization from the immigration authority to employ foreigners; if they haven’t gone through the process yet, they need to do that first.

[Jultime]

Hi, yes...do check out my thread previously mentioned on obtaining work visa. I'm Canadian successfully completed the visa process with the Mexican consulate in Houston.

All of the documentation I read said nothing about returning to your home country to complete the work visa process. It just said you couldn't be in Mexico to complete it.

Ok, I just looked at my authorization letter, it says "algun consulado de Mexico"

You can always contact your consulate of choice for confirmation.

[kimberleygd]

Same for me, I'm coming from Canada and the school said I could stop in San Diego and pick up mine. I called the consulate in Toronto and they told me it can be any Mexican consulate. They had already sent along a copy of my passport and degree.

[BadBeagleBad]

I wonder what the whole point of leaving the country to get a work actually is, aside from, perhaps, discouraging people from working illegally. Guy, what are you seeing on the ground in DF in terms of working illegally - is it back to the bad old days when pretty much everyone worked illegally?

[shawmeadower]

[shawmeadower]

Also, anything about InterPersonal English in San Luis Potosi?

[Rose Cohen]

[Guy Courchesne]

[Rose Cohen]