Job Discussion Forums

k3di · Joined: 14 Jul 2013 Posts: 5

Hi.

I was wondering if anyone can give me information about long-term prospects of living in Turkey. I have visited before and am also engaged to a Turkish girl here in London and we are considering working there.

I have CELTA+ 4 years various EFL/ESOL work here in the UK, have heard all about the fabled University Jobs and was wondering exactly what sort of qualifications are required. Will DELTA suffice or does it need to be an MA to actually make a career of EFL over there? Also what are the opportunities for private lessons like?

Considering Ankara at first, then pretty open minded after that.

Cheers.

k3di · Joined: 14 Jul 2013 Posts: 5

P.S. I also have a BA, but in a non linguistic subject (Politics and IR if it counts for anything).

sixthchild · Joined: 18 Apr 2012 Posts: 298 Location: East of Eden

Your qualies are ok, the Delta would nail a lot of good/better paid jobs, the M.A would consolidate your position. Ankara is not a great place to start unless you like very cold and wet winters, you have a better chance of securing a better starting position outside the bigger cities imho, they usually come with free or subsidized accomodation, plus a meal or two a day. I feel that language schools are really not a good place to go and they give you zero support and expect you to work ıllegally.
A number of new schools have sprung up especially in cities like Izmir, crying out for experienced native speakers, that would be a fair place to start looking. Pm me if you want more specfic info.

wander&teach · Joined: 15 Nov 2009 Posts: 126

You are golden anywhere in Turkey if you are a native speaker (especially if you have boots on the ground in your desired location) but the benefits and conditions will vary greatly. The hundreds of private schools in most main cities including Ankara will be more than happy to hire you. I have a friend in Ankara that has no qualifications and very little teaching experience and landed a job in a private for 2400 Turkish Lira net plus all the legal docs .

After a year or two you can move up the food chain rapidly.

Lev · Joined: 24 Jul 2013 Posts: 23

As Sixthchild said, DELTA/ MA would certainly help, but there are plenty of people working in uni's here without. Rules are much more flexible when hiring non-Turkish staff. If places are hiring and happy with your interview/ practice lesson/ experience etc your current qualifications needn't be a big issue.

wander&teach · Joined: 15 Nov 2009 Posts: 126

If you are looking to land a high paying Uni. job with a big pad and all the perks right off the bat, pay off debt, and party hardy, yes, additional credentials are "usually" needed but flexibility in the rules here indicates that Gumby still has a role in dictating the terms here.

If you are simply concerned about getting your foot in the door here, making some new friends, and having the ability to live good, put food on the table, and save a few bucks, relax. Speak English? Blood running thru your veins? Walking & talking? You are good to go!

P.M. me if you need a lead.

MrWright · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 167 Location: Arizona

So you would most of you classify ESL jobs in Turkey as low-stress? That's the vibe I'm getting, and I hope so. I am a certified teacher in U.S. and frankly I'm burned out. I'd gladly take less pay in exchage for less pressure. It's getting crazy here lately. I wear a thousand hats, am expected to work miracles, behavior problems galore, and paperwork loads that I'm having nightmares about. It's just not worth it anymore. I love teaching, but not like this. I want to slow down and smell the roses some. Thoughts?

MrWright · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 167 Location: Arizona

I guess I should have kept reading more before I posted that. Upon further research I see how bad student behavior is for many teachers. I obviously have that too. So, even with the classroom management issues, would most of you say your job is pretty high-pressure and stressful or not so much? I know many answers will be "it depends where you work". I'm just looking for a generalization. Thanks.

wander&teach · Joined: 15 Nov 2009 Posts: 126

Never taught Uni. in the States but from my experience in GENERAL:

Top 10 private Universities: Higher stress mostly because of student and admin. behavior/attitude/demands. Highest paying jobs with the exception of Istanbul.

Public Universities: Generally lower stress especially outside of the big cities. Students can still be a stress inducer but are generally not wealthy so tend not to be as aggressive behavior wise as the top 10/private universities. Significantly lower pay but so is the cost of living.

Same applies to elementary and primary I.M.O..
Lack of student motivation across the board.

As a general rule, the further you are out of the big cities the less stress/demands and the more welcome you will feel although "the grass is not always greener on the other side" applies in Turkey. Always do your research, listen to your gut, and hope for the best.

k3di · Joined: 14 Jul 2013 Posts: 5

Thanks for the advice. Can anyone confirm if the DELTA is worth doing or not? I am on the verge of paying for the course and strongly considering moving to Turkey (with my Turkish wife) in the future. I really dont want to waste £2.5k! Will it help with a 'career' over there? I.e uni jobs with promotion prospects.

Thanks.

svenhassel · Joined: 04 Aug 2006 Posts: 188 Location: Europe

The DELTA is definitely worth doing in terms of professional development but does not necessarily guarantee promotion, that comes from being in the right place at the right time. You should approach it as an investment in your teaching ability rather than as a enhancement of career potential....

wander&teach · Joined: 15 Nov 2009 Posts: 126

I found that generally if you want to move ahead in this profession a Masters or Delta is pretty much a requirement. Here in Turkey they do not fully appreciate the actual knowledge obtained by securing one of these credentials, nor the effort you must put in to get them. However they are impressed with fancy pieces of diploma type paper with lots of shiney stamps and different colored signatures. Cool

I do agree whole heartedly that both of these credential are a great investment for your personal development.

k3di · Joined: 14 Jul 2013 Posts: 5

Fair enough. I will have to think about this. Unfortunately I am at a stage where I value career over personal development. I would appreciate if anyone has direct experience of recruitment in Turkey specifically. Unfortunately a DELTA here in the UK doesn't seem to take you any further than just retaining your current position!