Job Discussion Forums

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Not sure if this will be interesting/useful, but I think there are a number of us here with some years of hiring experience. Would it be useful for us to provide some collective advice on applying for EFL/ESL jobs in general?

I'll start.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

1. Make sure that your qualifications and experience either match or at least have some reasonable overlap with what the job advert says the employer is looking for.

Real-life examples of mismatch:-)

Job advert requires BA, CELTA or equivalent and related MA (applied linguistics, TEFL/TESL, education). Experience teaching at university level strongly preferred.

Silly Candidate 1 responds with BEd only and experience teaching US High School English to US-born Anglophone students. Requests salary high enough to support family of 4 Smile

Silly Candidate 2 has BA in arboreal studies (not making this up!!), CELTA, and a clean driving license, along with two year's experience teaching businesspeople. Gee.

santi84 · Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea

Tutoring 1:1 is not the same as teaching classes.

This might just be specific to our organization, but please make sure you either have teaching experience with zero beginners, or at least are willing to learn. I'm always teaching the beginner classes because people don't want to work with them. In other words - please have an open mind and be flexible.

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

I don't see how the above advice helps the candidates looking for work. Sure it's more hassle for the person responsible for vetting or for hiring, but if I were to advise someone looking for work, I'd probably say, "well, you won't know for sure unless you apply." I'm sure some teachers on board may have some experience in applying for and being offered for jobs that, according to the ad, they didn't qualify for.

It's hard to know when strict qualifications are really required when others use those requirements as a starting position and take what they can get.

buravirgil · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 5:36 am Post subject:

I don't see why obviously unqualified applicants aren't less hassle. They're quickly binned. You're venting maybe? Because their percentage is greater of late?

Proceeding by negative example is amusing and all, but...

Effectively teaching zero beginners is method intensive and less forgiving than many cohorts. Fewer know its history (development), variety, and auditable practice. Of course there's resistance to it, and in a "fair" world the earnings would be greater.

Given it's spiral's thread, I chalk this up to relatively "better" credentials (specific, accredited, etc.) demanded in Europe. Elsewhere, an appearance is attempted (aped) and an ideal applicant is solicited, but less frequently recruited.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

While I agree that everyone's free to apply to whatever job they're interested in, at least have the proper minimal qualifications. For example, if an ad states a CELTA or equivalent TEFL cert is required, don't expect a quickie weekend or online TEFL course to fit that bill. It's up to the job seeker to match his/her qualifications to the position versus expecting employers to accommodate them by dumbing down the requirements.

Similarly, it's a waste of energy to fuss about employers and government visa regs for being inflexible with requirements. This issue surfaces quite a bit on the Saudi forum by those whose online MA TESOL got their visa rejected. In other forums, age, race, nationality, and/or lookisms are the bone of contention. Welcome to the reality of TEFL. Know when to look elsewhere... for your sanity and dignity.

Lastly, research the employer before accepting an offer, or better yet, before applying. Read reviews, and if there aren't any, ask on sites like this one. However, if every review is a red light to avoid the employer, don't spin wheels looking for that one elusive, positive review as justification for accepting the job. Also, research the target country's culture to determine if it's realistically manageable.

buravirgil · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 6:14 am Post subject:

Oh, man, it's on...I'll address this once and not reply unless requested. I'm in total agreement with everything you've posted, except

Nicky_McG · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 190

I have to disagree Spiral. I'm aware of plenty of positions that have been advertised requiring a lot of qualifications, but, in reality, the employer is prepared to accept far less.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Oh Spiral Circular Number !

If the employer only gets these two "Silly Candidates" applications what is he to do ? Often enough he will just give them the job !

Typically the institutions where I ended my teaching career ASKED for an MA. They settled for much less because of the need to hire.

Snuff · Joined: 07 Feb 2015 Posts: 10 Location: Prague

During my training, I remember my course tutor recommending that newbies apply for positions that ask for experience. Chances are, they haven't found the quota of experienced teachers, so they'll take a newbie over an empty classroom!

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

santi84 · Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea

buravirgil · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 1:32 pm Post subject:

fluffyhamster · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:28 pm Post subject:

Even if job applicants ideally shouldn't be ignoring clearly stated requirements, I doubt that enough of the "offenders" will be reading this very thread or paying much attention to it. Venting indeed! How the heart bleeds. Crying or Very sad

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Heart bleeding, indeed - I am for once forced to agree with the hamster! Not sure how long it will take me to get over that....

As noted in the OP, wasn't sure the thread was a good idea Embarassed