Job Discussion Forums

[Kodak]

Hi all,

I gave my situation in that thread called "sorry to bore you" a couple of things down so I won't go over all that again.

Just a quick recap. I'm a recent University graduate from the UK with an interest in teaching English abroad, specifically Turkey. Now, I currenty have ZERO teaching experience or certificates. I am still in that long process of deciding what I need to do, do I save up for a CELTA etc...

Anyway, I had been browsing through numorous TEFL related sites looking for work suitable for a beginner with no previous teaching experienece. A place to start if you will.

I found an advert for TED Kayseri College on the www.tesall.com job boards where they were requesting a native English speaker to start in September. The advertisement clearly stated these two the following requirements.

*A four-year university degree with TESL/TEFL certificate
*Teaching experience

Neither of which I have ( I mean the TEFL part on the first one). I am enrolled on one of those silly 40 hour Weekend courses with i-to-i on the 29th of July. I'm doing this not because it's credable or anything but because it'll give me a little experience of what to expect no matter how small. It's cheap, a 10 minute walk from my house and my friend's doing it also.

Now, I dedcided to try my luck and send out my C.V. and Cover letter to apply from for the job. I made it very clear on my cover letter that I have no prior experience in teaching but that I was a fast learner and hard worker etc. My C.V. also clearly states that I don't have a TEFL certificate in any shape of form yet.

�i-to-i 40 Hour Weekend TEFL Course + Grammar Awareness Module (to be gained 29th July 2006)

^ Is exactly as it's put on my C.V. under 'Certificates'


This morning I recieved an email from them saying they would like to work with me and to send copies of my passport and certificates (signed at the notary public's office) and then they will send me the contract and the documents.


Am I right in thinking that there has been some sort of misunderstating somewhere? Their webpage says....

" Native Speakers should have the degrees listed below to be able to teach in Turkey.

RSA, PGCE in English, Bed (preferably in English), TEFL, TEOFL, CELTA-A, CELTA-C"

Again, none of which I have (my degree is a BA in Ancient History).

I am confused and any advice would be much appreciated.

They did put as a P.S. in the email "write soon, we don't have much time" which indicates they are quite eager to find someone (The advert was posted June 1st) but so much so they're willing to drop requirements?

Thanks in advance.

[mbd26]

You'll probably be working illegaly for TED. In order to get a work permit in a proper teaching job you'll need proper teaching qualifications from your home country. Many people do work/teach here illegaly, but I do not recommend it. Ask very pointedly if TED will be sorting you out a proper legal job with work permit.

[thrifty]

It is pretty typical in TEFL for employers to advertise for qualifications and the type of teachers they would like but due to the low pay and poor conditons as well as the last minute nature of the business; employers take whoever they can get. The really bad employers can then treat you badly, pay less, do you out of your holiday money, not pay your social security etc. because you are illegal and that of course is your fault because you don`t qualify for a work permit.

[yaramaz]

From what ı can remember (I worked there for two years, 2 years ago), TED don't or can't hire illegally because they are a semi-government school. Everyone I worked with while I was there was legal (which has been a great help ever since in ensuring my continued ikamet). I was helping the director to recruit when I was there and it was quite a chore to find people who had both the right bits of paper and a willingness to work in a very, well, non-backpacker environment. Kayseri is not Istanbul, has no bars, no clubs, and almost no expat crowd. Its fairly hardcore headscarfy-Ataturky. I kinda liked it but some of my foreign colleagues hated it. They're probably being all rushed because of all the paperwork that needs to be done. If you don't have the CELTA (or equivalent) and BA then they can't hire you. They might want to but unless things have changed, they can't.

[tvik]

i suggest you to buy your ticket, bring enough money to live for two months and then just go to every school you can find in whatever city you chose.
make some mistakes, bounce around for a while, get ripped off a few times, get screwed over a bit and learn the ropes. eventually you'll land an acceptable job and it will likely happen faster than you think.
i'm in izmir and i got a job 20 minutes after i started looking. now i work in a really crappy but generally laid back university and they got me my work permit. next september i go to the better paid university here and so after one year i've figured things out and got a well paid position.
there is no comparison between internet shopping for jobs and having "boots on the ground" to quote donald rumsfeld.
(i also did ancient history for my BA)
good luck