Job Discussion Forums

[Kine12]

Before I begin, my credentials. I'm 24, Male, a BA from USA and a citizen, TEFOL certification, and will be finishing up a year of teaching in South Korea. I'll be doing about 6-12 more months in Asia putting money into my savings and then I will try to make the move to Mexico.

I'm trying my hardest to get a plan going for teaching in Mexico. The more I read, this forum, other forums, the more information I see conflicting. I'm getting awfully confused and frustrated trying to figure out how to go about the planning stage.

I'm not going to Mexico for the money, as long as I can not worry about food and rent and have at least a little cash left over each month, that'll be okay. I've begun studying Spanish and want to hit an advanced level by the time I leave to Mexico- I know I can do this.

Here's my initial questions. What cities will it be easiest to find work? These are where I'll start researching extensively. I see there are many recruiters that can help me get placed with a job online- what's the consensus on them? Would it really be best to go down there in person and look for jobs? How easy would that be? That kind of nerves me out to do. I know pay isn't a lot, but how comfortably will I probably live with an ESL job? What are the hours like and how does the actual work there compare to Korea? Do they treat their English teachers with respect?

I also wonder how plausible it would be to break into other jobs once I've been there and made connections after a while, has anyone else done this? What industries or markets did you move around to? I really think I would like life there, enough to give it my all and try, and could work my way up to something very long term.

I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but these are things that I've been reading about the past few weeks that have no conclusive answers, really. I'd rather ask first hand so I can start to set clear goals, expectations, and strategies. Anyone's, not overtly pessimistic advice, would be much appreciated- especially those who are there now or have a lot of experience in Mexico.

Thanks a lot everyone.

[MotherF]

[Kine12]

What sort of teaching have you been doing? Language schools? Kids? Business men? Uni? What sort do you want to do in Mexico?

Language academies (schools kids go to after school, which are more or less mandatory in society here.) First grade, basically, through highschool.


How do you know that? Why do you 'want to hit an advanced level" It can be hard to learn Spanish when you are working teaching English full time.

I grew up around a Spanish speaking family and study languages in my spare time, I know myself and my motivations. I'll learn quickly (this topic isn't something I'm seeking advice upon, just a fact that my Spanish will be more or less polished by the time I'm there.)

In person hiring has long been the norm. Now the visa requirements mean you have to leave to legally start working. The hiring people want to get a in person impression of you, plus many many people back out, and that's less likely to happen they are in country. Depending in what you are teaching you might get a job in a colegio or university in advance of your arrival. The best places also vary depending on who you want to teach. Business English? Queretaro, Leon, Mexico City. International school? Big Citys. Bilingual high school, much wider base of cities. Universities? Look to the south of the country. As do the hours (Business English is all over the place. Schools from 7 to 3, at universities you might have a split shift or just hours any time from 8am to 8pm. And teacher treatment? Also all over the place. The theme of Mexico is "that depends".

I'm not sure what my job preferences are- I am willing to teach in a wide array of places, ages, and specialties. What I'm wondering is what jobs will be plausible to get- are all the types of schools, Colleges, international schools, bilingual high schools, simple to apply for and get a job in with effort? Are some closed off to only a specific set of qualifications? Preferably, jobs and cities further south would be best.

What would you want to do?. Some of us translate, or work with the ELT publishing industry. There may be visa issues with other industries. Except pro sports, I ran into a bunch of baseball players at immigration years back, they were treated like royalty!

That's what I'm wondering- what is available for me to do? Translation work would be awesome depending on how quickly I can become truly bilingual (which as I stated above, I have quite a bit of confidence in.) But with my college degree and skills in Spanish, couldn't I work in a wider range of fields? I just don't know what doors a foreigner can open in Mexico. Tough, moving on to other jobs wouldn't come until I'm comfortable there and have been teaching.


Thanks a lot for your reply though. I'll try to think of more specifics as they come to me, but you're already helping me brainstorm.

[Guy Courchesne]

Will toss in my two cents...

[abbott123]

I will reply to your question about the best cities for jobs...In the following order I would rank the cities not only for the number of jobs, but also the livability factor. Queretaro where I live has both language schools, bilingual schools and several International schools. So a good variety to choose from. Queretaro is one of the safest and fastest growing cities economically in Mexico. Plus the livability factor is off the charts here. Good restaurants a good mix of expats and a growing shopping scene as well, if your into that.. Mexico City has the most jobs and the highest pay, but the livability factor is much lower than the other cities. Crowded subways, Metrobuses etc. People are to busy surviving. The commute between classes can be 3 to 4 hours per day along with 4 to 5 hours of teaching. The commute will be on the subway and buses as well. Plus there is the pollution problem.. I would stay away from Mexico City I lived there for 10 months not my cup of tea. Gudalajara is another option much smaller than Mexico City. I have no knowledge of the work there or the livability. Some other small to medium sized cities are also an option...Guanujuato, San Luis Potosi just to name a few.. I lived in San Luis similar to Queretaro, but not as livable not many expats.. I hope this will help you make your decisions.....

[BadBeagleBad]

I have to agree about Mexico City, it is an awesome city, with tons of things to see and do, but the commute time can be killer, the pollution is horrible (those were the two main reasons we moved away). But there IS a lot of work, pay is good. I wouldn't recommend Guadalajara, it is somewhat smaller, but public transportation is not anywhere near as good, and it is more expensive than Mexico City (my parents live there so I know firsthand). If you like something further south, maybe look at Puebla, it is the 4th ro 5th largest city, clean and safe. One thing no one has mentioned is the possibility of working online to earn some extra $$. A lot of places pay in dollars, and with the exchange rate right now that could work out well. Changes are you are going to be limited to working in education, in general you won't be approved for a job a Mexican can do, and even with a year of Spanish under your belt, translating might not be an option. It is not that easy, especially if you are translating technical documents. I think your best bet is to decide on two or three places you would like to live based on your interests. At your age Mexico City might be awesome, tons of night life, every kind of food you can imagine, and less culture shock, I think, because it is really just a big city more than a Mexican city if that makes sense.

[abbott123]

BBB is right for young people Mexico City might work..although I would recommend a look at smaller cities such as Queretaro...I would also say that it depends upon the person and what they are looking for..Queretaro has turned out perfect for me...