Job Discussion Forums

[Coolguy123]

Is working in Poland as an American possible or is it impossible with the visa restrictions? Doing some research, seems like Polish schools can hire EU citizens with no paperwork, and that you have to go to Poland to be able to get a job to interview in person. Is this true or are there possibilities?

I have CELTA and B.A. in English Lit. Loved Poland when I visited and they seem to like Americans and the people were great, very welcoming. Would the the situation change if you're actually working/living there? ;p I've found that people's attitudes change sometimes once you're not a tourist and working/living in a place.[/list]

[wojbrian]

There are 3 ways to do it.

1. Find a job before you go.
Send out as many cv/resume as you can.
The main disadvantage of this is not knowing the people or situation before you go.

2. Fly to Poland now and pound the pavement.
The main disadvantage of this is cost.

3. Fly to Poland and start your own business.

I have always done #1. It has worked out once and didn't work out the other time.

I think that #3 is the best option because it gives you a level of freedom in case you get stuck in a bad situation.

[Coolguy123]

Is there a "standard" wage or renumeration? $1000 w/ accommodation? Flights?

Any potential to save here, any idea how it compares to other areas?

[misteradventure]

Depending where you go, getting an offer of $1K may be nice. Things may have changed as I have been away for several months.

The last time I inquired, Americans (not EU nationals) needed $150K in capital investments (cash in bank) to start a business in Poland. Perhaps this has changed.

Poles are well aware that the Internet is a dangerous place. If they can see you and can tell you are not reeking of (cheap) vodka, you have a better chance of getting a job.

[Master Shake]

Forget about getting flights paid. Some schools help you find accommodation, but of course you're the one who's paying for it in the end.

1000 USD is a barely livable wage in some Polish cities, but not in Warsaw. As a qualified native speaker, you should aim to earn 60zl/60min after taxes in Warsaw, and 50-55zl/60min after taxes in other cities. So teaching a standard load of 25 hours a week, you will, hopefully, earn 5000-6000zl in a month with no holidays.

[Polishjerseygirl70]

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[Master Shake]

As a bare minimum, you need a teaching certificate (e.g. CELTA). Long gone are the days when you could waltz into a school and they would hire you on the spot simply because you were a native speaker.

A uni degree is less important now. But without some kind of EFL qualification you will really struggle to find work in Poland.

[Polishjerseygirl70]

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[PeterParvo]

Shake,

Can you even get EFL qualifications without a university degree?

[scot47]

Lots of non-graduates out there clutching pieces of paper that say "TEFL". I think even for the CELTA you do not need a degree. Personally I would not even look at someone who had not served her/his time reading useless tomes on Sociology or Ethnolinguistics to get a useless BA.

[sparks]

[Master Shake]

scot47 is right. No university degree is required to get a CELTA. The CELTA trainers will check that you are fluent enough, and have sufficient awareness of correct grammar, spelling, etc. before they accept you to the course. There is also a pre-course written task, I believe.

This is one reason it pays to do a CELTA rather than some random McTEFL certificate, ESPECIALLY if you do not have a degree. Having a CELTA indicates that Cambridge thinks you'll do ok in the classroom.

[Master Shake]

[scot47]

McTEFL is okay for a McJob. Also useful if you are a fugitive from justice eager to gain admittance to somewhere from which you will not be deported.

[ecocks]