Job Discussion Forums

[Jefe]

Hi everyone.

I am going to Asia in early 2017 to finish my BA online and teach part time. Then, work on my MA.

I love travel and have been overseas 16yrs. Am thinking of going to Cambodia first, finish my BA, then to Vietnam to again, work PT and finish my degree. Sounds like a good spot to do the CELTA after the MA as well.

Will Cambodia look bad on a CV in Vietnam? My understanding is that it's a fairly easy market.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.


Jefe

[nomad soul]

Do the CELTA before the BA.

[kurtz]

Firstly, you don't mention working in Cambodia, but I have to assume you are. If you are worried about having some crappy school on your CV from Cambodia, why go there in the first place?

You'd be working in a school that doesn't require a CELTA, so I would not really want that on my CV, either. Even though I don't work in HR, I would want to see experience post CELTA in a reputable schhol.

Secondly, you talk about working PT in Vietnam and then doing your CELTA, so, again; you'd be working in a school that doesn't require a CELTA as well. IMHO that would be as bad as working for a similar school in Cambodia.

What are you doing your BA and MA in?

Sorry, but your post comes across as a little odd.

[ExpatLuke]

As the Recruitment Manager at my current school, I don't think it's going to negatively effect your resume in anyway. Experience in general is a plus, as long as it's with the target age group a school is hiring for. Cambodia is also a part of SE Asia so a lot of the cultural experience you get will be transferable to Vietnam.

Getting experience post-CELTA is generally better, but in my personal opinion, getting extra TESOL training after you've taught and actually been in a classroom is much more helpful than trying to understand theories and methodologies you've never experienced before.

Any school that turns its nose up at you for teaching in a school in Cambodia that doesn't require a CELTA is a school you'll want to stay away from anyways.

[Jefe]

Thank you for your feedback Luke.

FYI, I am on my GI Bill and they won't pay for CELTA. So, I plan to get my BA/PT work and MA/PT work. After working and saving, then I can do the CELTA if needed. I have done a TESOL in business online which cant hurt for an entry level position at a language center.

I also am a certified military instructor (that's a one month long course) and giving classes was a part of being an NCO whether you were a certified instructor or not. I instructed at Officer Candidate School and several others. I wound up retiring from the reserves and towards the end, wrote/taught cultural training, some of which became doctrine for the US military. Having said that, I haven't run/taught a class for over 5 years, so I would feel much better getting some refresher training before going to a corporate environment. And as you mention, some cultural cross over is not going to hurt. I instructed foreign militaries/police for around 10yrs, but also did corporate training. The two actually mix better than one might think.

As a civilian, I was in mid-upper level management in a few multi-national corporations (Fortune 500/100). I have lived abroad for going on to 17 years now. I expect that should help me get work in business English positions.

I appreciate you taking the time to give constructive feedback. I have seen your other posts on some of the threads and appreciate/respect them.

I am leaning towards Cambodia to head to next (currently in Latin America).

I am done with 18hr days. But, I need something in retirement to keep me busy.

Thank you again Luke. I hope to keep a dialogue open with you. I most certainly will grab you a meal and a beer if we cross paths, which sounds likely!

All the Best,


Jefe

[nomad soul]

[kurtz]

[ExpatLuke]