Job Discussion Forums

[sarasoucie]

I just recently married a Chilean. We will be traveling to Chile to wait for my husband�s permanent resident application to be processed � we expect it to take at least six month. I am hoping to find work teaching English in March. I will have a resident visa and will be legally eligible to work. Will this visa be much of an advantage?
I do not have a TESL certificate, but I do have a bit of experience. I taught English in Spain (for a few months about five years ago). Should I get a TESl certificate, or should I be confident that my visa and my Canadian nationality would be sufficient. I�m sure anyone will tell me that a TESL certificate is a good idea�.but how much of an advantage will it really be? I know that a certificate will cost me at least $1000 can. From what my husband tells me, this $1000 could buy a lot of leisure time in Chile � so is it really worth the trouble???
Also�. Does anyone know anything about any other job prospects for Gringos in Chile?
I have seen some postings for English editors for web sites. Does anyone have any experience in this field?

Sara

[eileen]

Teaching with no experience and no idea what you�re doing isn�t much fun, and can be detrimental to your mental health. Seriously. For that reason, I�d say get the certificate. You learn alot of practical tips, from what they say. I went the other way, by starting (but not finishing) a master�s in TESOL. For finding a job, there are schools that do and don�t require a certificate. In my opinion, the better schools do.

In terms of whether your resident visa will be helpful... Many, many schools pay under the table, and don�t apply for a visa for you. In this case, the resident visa would help you only inasmuch as you wouldn�t have to make a visa run after three months.

The only other gringo working options I know of for people who don�t have connections, really good Spanish or both are working in bars and bookstores that cater to gringos, and the pay is truly horrendous. Like as a teacher you�d likely make between 4 and 5.5 thousand pesos an hour, and at a bookstore or hostel, it�d probably be more like 1 thousand.

[Dennis Parish]

Let me say that a resident visa will allow you to apply for "boletas" which is what you need to get paid at a respectable school. If you don't have them, they'll deduct the 10% from your pay anyway and pocket it at tax rebate time in April. Something to keep in mind... However, if you have a friend here, they may be able to submit boletas for you and get your money back for you.

[Angie Arnold]

Do you know of any other good part time work possibilities for gringos with resident visas? I have lived in Santiago for the last 7 years but am just now starting to look for a teaching or other job. I have a very high level of spanish and have even been told that I have virtually no gringo accent. I saw that you are working or were working teaching at the Polyglot-Mitford institute. How is that? Do you have any suggestions for me? I am looking to make around $5000 pesos an hour as I am living here with my husband and don't need to support myself.
Thx.