Job Discussion Forums

[sctm]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been looking for a university job in Latin America, and I’m wondering where, if anywhere, I’d be able to find one.

My qualifications aren’t stellar. I’ve been working for two years in a state university in the Oaxaca mountains. I don’t have an MA, and my BA is in a field unrelated to TESOL.

I’m obviously familiar with the Oaxacan university system, but I would like to try my luck in another country, or at least another area in Mexico.

I haven’t found many opportunities outside of Oaxaca, however, and I’m wondering if anyone had any pointers. Or are my qualifications just not enough for the rest of Latin America? I worry that I might not be able to find a job without moving first and applying locally.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have!

[HLJHLJ]

The new-ish rules for university employment in Ecuador require teachers to have postgraduate qualifications. A bachelors degree. CELTA or equivalent & experience will still sometimes suffice, if you happen to be in the right place at the right time when a university needs someone, but it's far from guaranteed.

[sctm]

Thank you for your reply. I might give Ecuador a shot and see what comes of it. Do I stand a chance if I apply from here, or do Ecuadorian universities only hire local applicants?

[HLJHLJ]

Overseas hires are pretty rare, and without an MA I'd be very surprised if you found anything from overseas, but there's nothing to lose by sending your CV out.

[just_a_mirage]

Why limit yourself to university? I have taught extensively in both universities and high school. My experience in Ecuador has been that high school is much more stable, with consistant salary, and more paid time off. Even though I am on contract to the current university I work for, I still have to shuffle to three campuses which are far flung from each other. At high school, I have had a lot of support, consistency, and am always paid on time. At the universities I have worked for, those three things have, at times been lacking. I make a bit more at the university, but probably eat that up in transportation costs.

[lagringalindissima]

I have taught English at a community college in the USA and I would love to do that in the Spanish speaking world, but I think I have only seen one university job advertised anywhere. And keep in mind that the "get there first job hunt later" rule for job hunting in Latin America is less likely to work with a university--i.e. you probably can't just go into HR office and say "I am a native speaker of English and I was wondering if the university needs teachers" and get hired that way. Without a masters universities might also be legally unable to hire you since you need a visa and they'd need to prove you are highly qualified for the job to get you one.. although you did you have taught in a college system in Mexico and I base this on nothing but my "gut feeling" that that's how universities would work.

High schools can be okay.. just make sure they can really get you a visa! Yes the kids in private schools can be nightmares and yes there's a lot of (bleep) to deal with in the high school system--my biggest gripe was actually that the kids were never actually in class (there are constant vacations and interruptions)-- but on the other hand it's not a split shift, it's stable pay and at least you have the power of a real report card grade to use as leverage with difficult teens. I wouldn't jump on a plane and fly to Ecuador (or anywhere else) with no job, but it can't hurt to find private school names in your target area and ask if they need English teachers. (Do be aware that you might want to get a cover letter for the jobs written in Spanish if you want to try that.)

[Xie Lin]

[esl_prof]

Your credentials and experience would probably get you work teaching university level classes in the Dominican Republic, but the pay is low and the benefits are nil. I believe the pay at the PUCMM (Pontifica Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra) is around RD$495 an hour for instructors with a BA and about about RD$560 for instructors w/a masters. My guess is that the Universidad Dominico Americano would pay similar rates (see the link below). Unlike better university jobs in Latin America, you'd need to plan to go there and apply in person. Other than elite private schools (K-12), overseas hires aren't part of the ESL landscape there.

If can legally work in the U.S., you could also inquire at the various campuses of ICPR Junior College or the Columbia Centro Universitario in Puerto Rico. You could try inquiring from abroad, but the reality is that you would most likely need to be there in person to get hired.

http://www.icda.edu.do/ICDA/Empleos/Requisitos/tabid/326/language/es-DO/Default.aspx

[HLJHLJ]