Job Discussion Forums

[futurepet]

Hello folks, I am planning on moving to Bogota at the end of March. I would like to teach english at a language institute, but I am having a hard time finding resources online. Most links/contact info are out of date. I would like to get hired before going, but is this an impossibility? If not, where can I find more current info on language institutes? I have a BA in Psychology and no teaching certificates, but am a native english speaker. I want to get a Visa for sure, so under-the-table job offers do me no good.

Any and all advice, info, tips are welcome and appreciated! -M.

[naturegirl321]

PM these posters. They work there and might be able to help you ought
Lozwich
DianaMa
Euster
merM
Bubbly

Also try the cambridgeesol site and looking for teaching award centres, they are usually language schools as well.

[lozwich]

Hi,

Sorry for the slow reply, been on hols and trying to cope with returning to work culture shock.

I don't know of any Colombia only online job resources, so my response is to check the usual suspects: Dave's, TEFL.com, English Job Maze, etc etc etc. That said, I don't know if I've ever seen a Bogota job advertised on these sites. Not that I would have noticed, since I'm here by accident! The local Bogota newspaper is called El Tiempo, and they do have a website, so maybe you could find something there, or www.poorbuthappy.com is a good source of Colombia info, including teaching.

Getting a visa can be difficult if your employer doesn't want to help you with it. Take a look here in the forum, a guy called quejit or something like that posted lots of really long posts about trying to get work in Colombia without having anything organised beforehand.

Good luck!
Lozwich.

[lozwich]

A little update...

I looked in El Tiempo last night, and there were millions of jobs for teachers in schools in Bogota. But, these are probably more for Colombian teachers who can speak English, even with the bilingual schools. There was one job for a native speaker, but there was a requirement that they had Colombian residency already.

Maybe you could hook up a job once you got here, but it might be a challenge getting the visa...

[slug93]

I just spent 1 month in COL(MEDELLIN) last Nov/Dec looking for teaching jobs. While there's PLENTY of opportunity for teacher, but very few of those will pay decent AND give work visa. As Lowich said, most of the job posting are for teacher WITH residency or visa.

Institute may work with you and pay you under the table, but i found that the ones that do, don't pay much $7k peso/hr or less.

[Justin Trullinger]

I've heard good things about Colombo Americano, which I think has sites in Medellin and Bogota. I don't remember their website, but use google.

A dear friend of mine is currently working under the table in Medellin, and basically getting screwed. If you're going to be short term, probably no harm in a little blackmarket economy, but remember that if you do it that way, there's absolutely nothing you can do if/when they mess you around. (Pay you less, pay you late, fire you without notice, keep your last check, whatever)

I'm not saying Colombians are less honest than others, which is a common stereotype in some parts of south america. I'm saying that for profit TEFL school operators are sometimes inclined towards these kinds of antics everywhere in the world.

Good luck,
Justin

[lozwich]

[TrekleaderTim]

You might want to consider the possibility that you will not like it here, so check it out before you sign any contracts.

In my limited experience, I've found it to be no trouble finding a good job without a working visa. I will be in Bogota pretty quick and have a fistful of offers. I think that if the institute director likes you...that's the place you will want to be. Remember, there's more than just money in the equation.
Honestly, if we were in it for the money....we could just stay home and do far better with private institutes.


BTW if you want more info about working and living in Colombia, check this blog...

http://www.colombianblog.com