Job Discussion Forums

[ghost]

People on this site have been informing others that there is potential and the possibility to teach ESL in the Philippines.

Ghost is a frequent visitor to the Philippines, and has a lot of contacts there, and in the many years of visiting the place (the Philippines) has never even come close to being offered a job there in the ESL field, despite possessing all the required papers to work in the field, including Canadian teacher certification in ESL and FSL, and a B.Ed., M.A. and post grad in T.E.S.L.

Recently to put its mind at rest, ghost sent its resume out to approximately 25 ESL schools in the Philippines, including diverse locations from Cebu, to Davao and the Metro Manila area. A number of other schools to which ghost applied to - the emails came back with the message that the e-mails could not go through.....invalid addresses.....

One got the impression that most of the schools are "fly by night" types of ventures.....just think about it.....why would a serious school have an email address with hotmail.com or hanmail in it, rather than a professional school e-mail address?....that just confirms what one already suspects about the whole "private" ESL market in the Philippines....it is a market for the gullible Koreans and Japanese, who want an English Education on "the cheap".....and the lack of quality is amply demonstrated by the lack of professionalism of the school owners who show a total lack of interest in qualified applicants......

Well - the news about all those applications is that ghost did not receive a single response....that's right folks...not a single answer or show of interest....

Not only did ghost not receive any responses, but not a single school had the decency to actually reply to ghost with regard to its application.

Ghost noticed that many of the schools were headed by people with Korean sounding names...but that did not change anything....zilch...and more zilch..

So, folks, take this from the horse's mouth......the Philippines may be fine as a stop for some r&r, but do not expect to land a job there in the ESL field, especially if you are applying from overseas...

ghost, currently substitute teaching Montreal French school board (high stress job)

[BedTiger]

Sorry to hear that ghost.

Your not writing your introduction letter and resume in the 3rd person are you ? Maybe you are over qualified ?

I would like to hear from someone who has success getting a job in the Philippines. I have personally have limited success when actively looking for a position in Ph. but I didn't accept because the pay is less than half of Vietnam.

[ghost]

[teachsab]

While I still agree with Ghost in many aspects I still have to disagree since I am going on my second year working in the Philippines. He is correct concerning the resume process since the the Philippines is really a country of connections. The only succesful way to get a job here is if you have contacts or if you live here and pursue the contacts very aggressively. Teaching Koreans is possible as a sideline, teaching in call centers is possible, teaching in call center prep schools is also a possibility. You will probably have to take a reduced salary and work your way up. Pretty much like I tell my students though, if you put a wall up in front of you saying you can't do... well you never will be able to actually accomplish it. Instead you have to look at ways around everything which has become part of my life now as an ex-pat living and working in the PI. Anyways, I encourage Ghost that if he really wants to live and work in the PI that there are other routes that he could possibly take.

[Henry_Cowell]

"ghost" likes to think of itself as a self-styled expert on the Philippines. It's posted this warning before about the lack of ESL jobs there for foreigners. Turns out this is not really true. I know of (and have met quite a few) foreigners who teach ESL (and other English courses) in the Philippines.

The mind of a ghost -- like its body -- is a bit insubstantial.

[Big L]

Having just finished two years teaching in the Philippines, after
the better part of a decade in Korea, I can say without hesitation that
Ghost, while amusing, knows nothing about the Philippines or
searching for a job there. You have to have boots on the ground and
show them your mug to get hired. I just placed a Canadian friend
with minimum teaching experience at my previous school. It's
a great life if you don't need to save money. And it is expanding in
Cebu, Manila, Baguio, Iloilo, etc.

[filam101]

I've been living in the Philippines for the past year and some months working as the president of a company and manage roughly 130 people. I am an American who taught in California for one year, Korea for three and did all that ESL certificate stuff that doesn't help you find a job if you're not white. ESL teachers here in the Philippines make more money than I do even though I'm the president of a company here, and I know a lot of locals who are teaching Koreans here. They are always asking me if I know of a native teacher who wants to teach at their school since ESL schools are popping up all over the place. The opportunity is there to work as a teacher, but I find that Filipinos are slow on following up on things. If you really want to get a job here, you can, but you'll have to be persistant about it.

Opening up a school is possible as well. The Korean school next to my house is owned by a French man and his Korean wife. My ex-girlfriend in Korea also works for an ESL school that operates out of Cebu, and the owner of that school is Korean.

Big L is correct. Life is great if you have money saved up and can live from pay check to pay check....and if you have a car.

[ghost]

If it is true that schools in the Philippines are hiring native speakers, why is it that when ghost sent out approx. 30 resumes to ESL schools in the Philippines, it (ghost) only got one response from Berlitz, Manila, who asked ghost to stop by when it next comes to Manila - no other responses, despite over 10 years in the field, references and qualifications including B.Ed. and M.A. plus T.E.S.L.?

The impression one gets is one of lack of professionalism, when dealing with ESL schools in the Philippines, many owned by Koreans if one is to judge by the names of the schools and the owners.

Also, to own a business in the Philippines, one of the owners needs to be a Philippine National, who owns at least 51% of the business. For independent bodies, like ghost, that would not be a viable solution, at this stage.

Ghost, (soon to start a contract in Pyeongtaek city, Korea)

[tek44]

There is a school in Baguio that I have seen on this website. The jobs are there if you want them bad enough. But the pay is not very good. The job that I saw advertised was for 1000 US a month. I have also seen several in Cebu. Ghost, I am sorry to say, but you overstate your opinions. It is self-serving, and I believe that after reading your posts most people can see through your self-absorbed nature.

[ghost]

[TwinCentre]

This thread seems like complete twoddle to me. I have seen posts advertised on this website in the past, a company in Cebu regurlay advertises. I also know of 2 people who work in ELT at university level in Manila. Have things changed all of the sudden?

[ghost]

[WD40]

This website had a number of vacancies advertised for the Philippines

http://www.totalesl.com/job.php?action=search&start=y

[Henry_Cowell]