Job Discussion Forums

[JZer]

[tedkarma]

At the university/college level of TEFL - you can often get paid for experience. My last employer (university in Korea) rates their professors and pays according to relevant years of experience. Just another reason for quickly seeking a graduate degree. . .

This was also true where I worked in Saudi Arabia. And will be true at my next place of employment . Generally not true though - for entry-level type jobs.

[Henry_Cowell]

[Super Mario]

To the OP, I think the ideas of extended TEFLing and staying in the one country don't really go hand in hand. Use what you have to get around and see the world.
And next, you really want to get yourself qualified to an extent whereby you can teach ESL in your home country. Being the eternal expat could wear a bit thin, and being a geriatric expat a bit uncomfortable. TEFL courses won't generally give you this qualification. A PGCTESOL, or higher, will.

[JZer]

[Henry_Cowell]

If you have the same experience and record as an Asian Ph.D., you can of course get the same money. However, if you are just out of school working in your first professional job abroad, you can't yet expect to have accumulated much experience that is worth anything to an Asian employer.

And outside of academics, the story is even better.

[JZer]

[Henry_Cowell]

We are still talking about "experience" here, and it all depends on your real-world experience and record. Americans with Ph.D.'s get hired at Korean universities with salaries quite comparable to their American salaries. I know such people. Otherwise, how could Korea attract them?

I don't know why you're talking about "tenure." You don't intend on getting tenure anywhere. You just want to invest and then buy your property in Central or South America where you can live the easy life. Tenure in a Korean university is the last thing on your mind, so why worry about it?

I repeat: If you have the required academic or corporate experience, getting American-level salaries in Asia is quite doable. Try it. You'll wonder why you taught English so long!!

[JZer]

[Glenski]

[Deconstructor]

Ultimately, money shouldn't be the most important consideration when it comes to a career, especially like TEFL. It should be about having fun, and TEFL definitely provides that. Name one other profession that will allow you to travel the world and make a bit of money at the same time. This is what I did for a decade before returning to Canada.

At the end, most of us want to go home for all the obvious reasons and cliches.

[isanity]

[Deconstructor]

[isanity]

[Deconstructor]