Job Discussion Forums

[stephlyons20]

Hi, my name is Steph & i'm 23.

I am in the process of completing a TEFL course and I plan to move to Pineda de Mar in Spain ,( it's on the coast & about 1 hour from Barcelona) . We are moving the end of January 2016 to start of February 2016. I am wondering will i be able to get a job at that time of year? & If so is it possible to get the job before arriving or what is the norm?

I am completely new to this so i am just enquiring the best way to start & generate an income ? Hopefully there will be work near where i am located.

Thank you in advance

p.s I have little to no spanish yet, i hope to learn when i am there & also I have a Honours law degree if that helps .

Regards,
Stephanie

[spiral78]

And your passport is from? It matters quite a lot.

The norm is that you will need to interview in person. Schools that offer jobs to people sight-unseen are often dodgy for some reason (there are lots of teachers around, so why would a reputable school take a chance?).

There are up-front costs and as most contracts are Sept/Oct through June, your timing is not great.

What kind of TEFL cert? An online or short course will also put you at a further disadvantage on the job market.

[stephlyons20]

Thank you for replying to me.

My passport is Irish? The course i am completing is online course as i currently work full time, it also has a weekend practical for us to complete.

So normally one would arrive and then apply directly to any schools that i can find? Yes i am worried that the timing will be an issue but i have heard some say that I could possibly have one-to-one language lessons or possibly a private language school? Thank you kindly

[grahamb]

I've just done a web search using the keywords escuela de idiomas pineda de mar (escuela de idiomas = language school). Apparently there are three language schools there, and another in nearby Malgrat de Mar. Here's the link to the results:

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=escuela+de+idiomas+pineda+de+mar&rflfq=1&rlha=0&tbm=lcl&tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:2&oll=41.56664057249639,2.4753771499999857&ospn=0.37759694707695957,0.70037841796875&oz=13&fll=41.606507141270505,2.666779585302712&fspn=0.09434100015985081,0.1750946044921875&fz=13&rlfi=hd:;si:

Send them your CV and ask if they have any vacancies. There will of course be more chance of finding work in Barcelona than in Pineda de Mar, as the latter has a population of only 25,000.

Having an honours degree in law will confer no particular advantage.

Start learning some basic Spanish now; there are many free courses available online. Going there with no knowledge of the language is not recommended.

[stephlyons20]

Thank you once again for all the help. I am beginning to feel a bit more at ease.

If i could find work in a language school until the following semester begins It could give me the experience required to supplement the fact that the course is online. I hope that if i do find work in a language school it would provide enough income to live.

How does one go about one-to-one classes?

[spiral78]

Yes, assume that you will be cobbling together bits and pieces to get you through until September. Given that you do a good job of whatever you get, you'll be fairly well placed to land something reasonable for the next year.
Irish is ok:-) Just so long as you're aware that Irish English can be considered non-standard in some respects, and you can adjust.

The online course weekend is unlikely to include actual teaching practice with real students - that's the key ingredient of CELTA and other respected entry-level courses. You'll see whether lack of a standard course is a hindrance in your case - if you find that it is, you can always invest later on in one.

grahamb, that link effed up the thread format...possible to put a break into it? Not suggesting that it isn't useful; I'm sure it is!

[stephlyons20]

The course that i am doing is i-to-i Professional TEFL Certificate (140 Hours)

I am a little fearful now as its sounding a bit hopeless judging by that information.
I am hoping its going to be bit more positive of an outcome, but i do want to be prepared so that i may get a job. I thought that since the course is accredited it was the right thing.

Do you think that i should make alternative arrangements then?

[spiral78]

You'll be going at a bad time, with a substandard cert. And it sounds like you are going somewhere there is limited work available.

I-to-I of course told you their course would be a great idea....It is unfortunate that you didn't ask here first.

But don't despair - it's just not going to be an easy ride. So long as you have a sufficient financial cushion to get you through the start-up costs and that you make a good impression with whatever employers (and private students) you can find, you have a reasonable chance of finding something decent next September after what may be a rather rocky spring/summer.

You are aware that there will be very little work around in July and August, right?