Job Discussion Forums

[elevatemelater]

I am a 43-year old, male, qualified UK Solicitor (lawyer) and have an RSA/Cambridge CTEFLA which I obtained in 1993. I went on to teach English at summer schools the following year and taught English at a private language school in Rome for 9 months from 1994 to 1995. Since being made redundant from my legal job in 2008 and a period of unemployment, I have been doing routine clerical work, which pays the bills but not much else and offers little job satisfaction.

Having weighed up my job prospects in the UK, I am very tempted by the idea of moving to Spain to teach English, with a view to specialising in teaching legal English and providing legal drafting services. Given my current work situation, I am quite happy to entertain modest pay in return for a different lifestyle and career possibilities.

I would be very grateful for any advice regarding my job prospects in Spain, bearing in mind the time since I obtained the CTEFLA/taught English and my subsequent experience.

Thanks in advance,


Michael

[Nicky_McG]

Hi,

I have similar qualifications to you (LLB and LLM) though never did the diploma or qualified as a solicitor. I teach legal English at private universities in France but did spend a couple of years in Madrid.

I'm not sure about legal English there or drafting (I never heard of much demand for it) as most firms in France/Spain put stuff through translators: this could be a long-term plan for you, I think. Alternatively, there may be an option to teach legal English at universities but I don't know much about the Spanish system.

With your qualifications and experience, you'll easily get a job teaching business English in Madrid. You can make 2-3 grand a month (eventually) if you become self-employed. Rents have come down in Madrid since I lived there but ESL is still booming. I'd recommend making the move.

[elevatemelater]

Thanks for the reply.

I was hoping to avoid Madrid due to my preference for smaller cities and the higher rent I would have to pay there but suspected it might be where my best job prospects lay. However, if my job and salary prospects in Madrid are as good as you say, then I am encouraged by that.

I was concerned that my 22-year old CTEFLA would be an irrelevance and I would need to obtain a new one but I take it that is not the case.

Due to personal circumstances, I anticipate not being able to leave the UK until October or November. Would it be realistic to find work in Madrid then or better to wait until January?

[Nicky_McG]

I understand wanting to avoid Madrid but not for financial reasons. It's still the best place to go to get work and decent money. In a lot of other cities you'd be scraping around looking for hours. Madrid also seems to have survived the recession a bit better than some other parts of Spain. If you want to get into legal stuff, Madrid is definitely the place to be.

Many teachers don't actually have a CELTA. Some have a weekend TEFL certificate and a lot have nothing at all. Tha fact yours is older and that you've been out of the game for a while might make a difference for the British Council or IH but I, personally, wouldn't work for them (especially IH) as they tend to rely on reputation and don't pay as well as some other places.

In 2006, I left IH, rather acrimoniously, in December and got hours at another school within a few days (not an amazing school but enough to tide me over). I also managed to get a decent job in March so it's definitely possible to get hours at times when schools 'aren't hiring'. Bear in mind that schools tend to close over Christmas so that will have to be factored in to your finances. At the same time, a lot of places will attempt to organise teachers for January in December.

[PierogiMonster]

I'm at BC Madrid now and, yes, the pay is lower than working freelance. The upside is regular hours/pay, supported professional dev. and being part of a solid professional environment, both physically and mentally. Also, opps. for foreign transfers/promotions.

Before working for BC Madrid, I was involved with various orgs. which deliver Business English across the city and community of Madrid. They're not so bothered about teachers (not) having the 'right' quals and the better ones value life experience more (although there seems to be plenty hiring some quite young, inexperienced 'teachers', as I've seen).

The work is usually freelance and quite often lucrative, as EFL goes: a good gig - if you don't mind being away from home - is teaching on intensive, immersive 'Residential English' courses that are run typically over five days at a small, rural hotel.

And I've seen some rght jokers passing themselves off as EFL teachers out there - I'm sure a mature professional would be fixed up in the first few weeks.

PM me if you like.