Job Discussion Forums

[mirandassurrealism]

I am an American who will soon be attending the CELTA course in Barcelona and after that on my own to find a job teaching english.
What I am curious about is how the interview process goes.
Do you dress in a suit, walk into a school and introduce yourself? Do you use a resume? In your experiences how do you get your foot into the door?

Thank you for your help!

[Moore]

Send an email with your cv attached (get the addresses off the yellow pages) and then follow up a few days later with a phone call. Arrange an interview and dress as smartly as you can (you can always tone it down later). Be positive and personable: just like the sort of person that the students wouldn't mind spending a couple of hours a week with, and you'll be fine. Boring answer, but I think it'll work.

[lecoke]

You might want to reconsider when you plan on arriving. The academic school year ends in June. There is some work in the summer in the city, but not much. You'll have to leave the city to teach in a summer camp, and then return for the start in september/october. Moving around might be a pain since finding a decent place to live in can be difficult. Not to mention there isn't really any work in august. So you'll need a fair amount of money saved up. If you could wait until september or so, you'll find yourself in a much easier situation.

[MAP Magazine]

I agree with Moore. It's always better to go overdressed than underdressed! Also, remember that, if you drop off your CV anywhere, ATTACH A PASSPORT PHOTO TO IT.

This would be totally illegal in the States due to discrimination laws, but in Spain it's very normal, often required, to attach a photo to your resume. Good luck!

Later gator,

Phil