Job Discussion Forums

[gringa05]

If you are looking for work teaching English in Costa Rica, I have two words for you: Ingles Empresarial. [www.ingles-empresarial.com] I HIGHLY recommend them to anyone with the ambition to teach in San Jose. I spent a significant amount of time contacting and researching all the language schools there, even some private schools, upon my arrival to Costa Rica back in 2003, and I soon found IESA to be the most organized, reliable, teacher-friendly, supportive, best-paying, and successful. In fact, I found their organization to be everything that I had hoped for, and ended up staying with them nearly 2 years.

IESA provides on-site English classes to some of the largest national and international companies in San Jose, and the experience of working with individuals from such a variety of backgrounds and situations and helping them to improve their language skills for personal/professional reasons is incredibly rewarding. These clients are the most motivated and eager individuals I had ever met, which was a nice change from my experience working at other schools where class was as painful as pulling teeth. Of course there is travel time (maybe on multiple buses) from one company to another to be expected daily, but I often found that a minor inconvenience. Just make sure to have your umbrella with you at ALL times during rainy season!

The IESA staff is extremely supportive and helpful, organizing every single detail to make sure your classes run smoothly and effectively, providing you with the resources you need (they have an excellent collection of grammar/vocab/listening/reading books on hand to copy and use in class), and even giving monthly training sessions to keep your skills in top notch condition. They have created a very pleasant environment for teachers.

Honestly, I can�t say enough good about Ingles Empresarial. I�ve walked away with experience teaching in numerous companies at a variety of levels with unique needs, and that�s something I would not have gotten elsewhere. IESA is dedicated 100% to providing the best English instruction in San Jose, and I�m definitely glad I was a part of that.

[deessell2]

Thanks for writing this. There are not enough positive reviews of schools written (maybe there are lots of bad schools). I have also written a reccomdendation for a school that I worked at in Vietnam.


If I am ever looking for work in Costa Rica, I will definately try this school. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising - for students and teachers.

[Cdaniels]

[adventuramust]

I saw an advertisement for them and was actually impressed with their post. I have kept their email address to inquire about a future position with them as I am currently employed through June.

Wonderful to hear about a good place in a country I am very interested in.

[Iesa]

Not bad, but there is a lot of paper work to fill out all the time. David really keeps close track of his business--this proved to be unbearable for some who go outside of the US hoping to escape the control type management. Office personnel and others post positive things all over the internet to boost recruitment of teachers.

[CanAmJay]

agree with the last poster.. it is not so much the paper work (which admittedly is unnecessarily onerous, especially for office staff), but the lack of co-ordination amongst the several who try to manage things. They are well intentioned, but competence levels are seriously low.

Administration is keen, but running in constant crisis/intimidation mode. Internet/computer support is antediluvian.. this is not to be blamed on CR infrastructure, just a reigning Luddite mentality from David (absentee owner/manager) on through.

The (most) students typically are everything Gringa says.. it is too bad IESA can't get 'with it' and perhaps consider drinking some of their own Kool-Aide.. their own employees are poor representatives of the products they flog (spelling, speaking, reading) Policies and principles are erratically applied. The problems they continue to have are eminently soluble, but leadership is woeful. They lean way too heavily upon the resources of teachers (time, money, travel, materials) who typically turn over at an alarming rate. They are extremely vulnerable to well managed/resourced new market entrants at this time of TLC and rising interest in English for business communication. Their relative success is testimony to how potentially rich this market could be. Their overhead despite off-loading to teachers will eventually bring them down versus more savvy operators.. they have problems retaining support staff.

These are opinions based upon experience and observation... I really have no vested interest one way or the other. Your experience/opinions may vary
Navigatorguy..

[Iesa]

Well put. Plus, teacher favoritism is definitely shown.

[ThePeatMan]

I almost got a job at Ingles Impresarial, then I realized you have to have a six month contract, do tons and tons of paperwork, and pick up your paycheck in an obscure location east of San Jose. it seemed a wee bit paranoid and control-freakish, so I bailed.

Instead, I took a job at Pro-Language (www.prolanguage.org). less paperwork, four-month contract, paid on time, once a week, and the owner will even pay you in cash if you need to bail out to the beach and can't make it to a bank. they pay you if the student cancels, they have good office parties, good location (in zapote, next to the Casa Presidencial), and a colorful cast of weird-o teachers which is by turns interesting, funny, and obnoxious.

and they give 10,000 colon bonuses for teacher recommendations, but I'm not working there any more so HA! feel free to private message me if you want any further info.