Job Discussion Forums

[Ruaridh321]

Hi guys. I'm new here.

I am hoping to get a 4-week 120 hour TEFL certificate later in the year. Because I am not able to do this in time to move to another country in the EU (I live in Scotland) in September, my next opportunity would be January, which I understand is the secondary hiring month in most European countries.

I'm looking for a bit of general advice... Are there any countries in the EU that would be particularly good to look for work around this time?

I'm just a little confused because almost every TEFL site I go on to (and different advisors I've spoken to) mention January as a peak hiring month in most European countries, but then the more I research online I read a lot about how it is actually not so good and makes me not that confident that I would get a job. But then, I do understand negative people are a lot more likely to post/complain than others so I guess I'd be grateful for any opinions that are as objective (as possible!)

thanks for any help

[spiral78]

Most job contracts are Sept/Oct through June, so January everywhere is just a small hiring bump. Naturally the course providers prefer people to believe that there are at least two hot hiring windows.

The January openings are usually very much secondary and mostly driven by 1) people not returning after winter holidays and 2) schools that pick up a few new contracts beginning in January. They won't offer the best schedules - you'll get the dregs.


Good news: though it's simply not a hot hiring time, there is a reasonable chance you'll find something.

Kinda bad news: the most openings in January will be in the least desirable locations (see 1 above) and the biggest cities (see 2 above).

[spiral78]

Hold on. Are you thinking of getting certified in Scotland?
Why not get a CELTA or equivalent cert in the country where you want to start working? There are many advantages - your course provider can hook you up with reputable local schools, you'll make contacts (and friends) on the course who can all be very helpful, and the course cost is likely to be a bit less than you'd pay in Scotland.

[Ruaridh321]

[spiral78]

CELTA is a TEFL certificate.
TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language

[Ruaridh321]

[spiral78]

The advantage of a CELTA is its name recognition. There are generic courses out there that are equivalent (and a few that are even superior). So long as your course is 120 hours onsite - does not rely on online components- and includes at least 6 hours of actual supervised teaching practice with real students, it's equivalent to a CELTA. You'll need to highlight these key elements on your CV and cover letters for European employers, but generic TEFL certs are pretty well known and not necessarily looked down upon on the continent. Again, assuming yours is not fully or partly online - that is a killer.

[Ruaridh321]