Job Discussion Forums

Magnum227 · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 1

Hello all,

I've done my best to read up on the forums prior to posting this, so please forgive me in advance if I'm asking questions that have been dealt with elsewhere.

A little about myself by way of introduction, I graduate this December with a bachelor's degree in business with a minor in English. GPA is 3.5 so I'll graduate *beep* Laude if that means anything in the real world...(gpa is something of a joke to me)

Right now, I have a major case of senioritis. I'm eying law school and an MBA program but I'm only 22. My ambition to "get to the top" has stalled out on me and I've concluded I need a chance of pace. I need to work, to make money, but I need to do this in an environment unique. Something that's an adventure.

My old roommate, a very interesting person, just graduated and landed a job in Taiwan making 3,000 a month with health benefits. His major was TESL. He suggested I look into teaching for a year.

So I've read up, thought about it and would greatly appreciate you guy''s sagely advice on the matter.

#1. Not having a ESL or TESL degree/cert won't impact my pay much, right?
#2. Teaching English is like a career. You make connections, get the feel of the land, and are able to negotiate better and better pay based on your recommendations and experiece. In otherwords all noobies will all pretty much be in one sallary bracket.
#3. Taiwan and parts of Korea are the highest paying countries in the world. Next to Saudi Arabia.

I've read discussions here on the problems with putting away savings. Basically it comes down to your own personal lifestyle. If I could make 2-3K a month I think it'd be doable provided rent wasn't sky high.

So please, share your thoughts and comments.

I'm determined to live an extrodinary life and not go through the motions that most people do. This seems like an interesting starting point.

-- Magnum

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

You don�t necessarily need a degree or training in TEFL/TESL, but if you�re going to do it for any amount of time I recommend getting a TEFL certificate. It�s a one-month course, so the training is very basic, but it will help you with lesson planning, classroom management, etc. Unless you already feel fairly confident that you can walk into a class and deliver a quality lesson, it�s a good idea both for your peace of mind and for your students (they are trusting you to know what you�re doing!) Some countries and schools require one. It costs between $1000 an $2000.

Good luck, and welcome to the field!
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