Job Discussion Forums

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I know of a woman from my TEFL certificate course who had no degree. She found a teaching job a couple hours outside of Mexico City. The school provided her with a shared 2-bedroom apartment (the school's other native speaker teacher was her roommate). On top of that they paid her 4500 pesos cash every month. They wouldn't help her get a work visa so she was working illegally the whole time.

That type of job is typical. It's enough to survive but you won't have a lot of money for travel, nightlife, entertainment, etc.

As for non-teaching work... unless you have some special skill or a lot of relevant experience, you are out of luck as a non-local. I know of one German woman who has earned her Bachelors degree in tourism here in Mexico. She is fluent in Spanish, German and English, and has a couple of years experience in the hotel industry. She was offered a job at one of the local resorts, working as an assistant manager, for 6500 pesos. She turned it down as she can make far more money in other countries.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

You can probably find work at a hotel, if you want to work illegally.

Firecat · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 14

One thing about LA is that employers, including schools, do very little advertising regarding job openings. In the majority of cases you need to be in the country and walk through the front door and ask if there are any openings. Remember the old term �pounding the pavement?� Look at any ESL job board. The LA section in very small. There are jobs, they just don�t advertise.

Also, I�ve taught in LA for several years (I�m home in the US at the moment) and I can tell you that not having a degree will limit (not eliminate) your options. I know that is not what you want to hear, but I�m just telling you the truth.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 2:50 pm Post subject:

Hey Everybody,

Jared · Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 319 Location: Canada

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 5:59 pm Post subject:

That isn't really so disimilar to some TEFL jobs I've had.

We're all whores at some price, I guess.

Justin

wanderingwonderwoman · Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 19 Location: chile

anything is possible.

my boyfriend does not have a degree (but did get a CELTA), and when we left home, he had practically no teaching experience (volunteered with refugees for a coupel of months). we hoped everything would just work out.

and it has.

i am a certified teacher, and we have held exactly the same posts in both countries. a native speaker in person is very hire-able.

we spent significant chunks of our savings in ecuador, but we are both savign money in chile, and we could save more if we ate delicious fish less often, or cut back on the vino Smile

i guess it was a "risk" for him to come down here, but it has never felt like one.