Job Discussion Forums

[Highlander.Mark]

Hello I am considering the Middle East as a potential destination so hopefully some of you can give a newbie a few pointers

So my circumstances are that I am male 24 from UK with a degree in business, a TEFL certificate and will have one years experience teaching in China when I want to arrive

So my questions are
1)what sort of work could I hope for without having a teaching degree?
2)As a relatively inexperienced teacher would it be advantageous to apply to one country over another ?
3) How long does the hiring process take ?

Many thanks

Mark

[nomad soul]

First, you need to look at the job ads on this site and other TEFL employment websites to see what types of jobs are available and what your minimal qualifications might get you. Inexperienced teachers catch the eye of Saudi contracting companies and very likely the sketchiest of the batch. Plenty of info about these companies within this forum.

Anyway, I suggest you head to Korea to gain a few more years of experience before seriously considering Saudi Arabia. But it's your decision to make.

[scot47]

Usually reputable companies/universities ask for degree + CELTA + minimum of 2 years teaching.

Some are fussy about the certificate and insist on CELTA (or Trinity).

Get in some more time and you might get into one of the universities, although they ASK for an MA.

[MuscatGary]

It may be possible but a lot depends on the quality of your tefl certiicate, particularly as you have an unrelated degree.

[golsa]

I looked into doing Saudi Arabia with similar qualifications to yours, but a few years more experience.

The pay offers I got ranged from about $34,000 to $40,000 per year. I really wasn't impressed with these as it's possible to make similar money in China while living in better conditions.

It seems that the better positions for minimally qualified people require 5 years experience. A related degree and a DELTA or MA open the doors to even better jobs.

[sicklyman]

no one's answered question 3 yet so I'll have a stab at it: usually much longer than you imagine.

But in asking that question, you're making the natural assumption that you can generalise. Saudi is a notoriously difficult place to generalise about when it comes to bureaucracy. There is no way anyone can give you an estimate even for a company they themselves might have been hired by. Some people get here in a matter of weeks, some take months and months. It is not unusual for people to simply give up waiting for anything to happen.

The hiring process could give you an indication of is what your company might be like to work for when you get here.

But then it might not.