Job Discussion Forums

[tompetrie]

So sure, doing what everyone else had to do on their first rendezvous overseas to teach ESL, and now all the questions and anxiety are starting to rush in, so here I am.

Everyone seems to say that September is the time to be in Poland to get a new job, but September was just not doable for me, so I will be looking to get a job starting the Spring semester, heading out January/February.

I am very serious about teaching ESL, and absolutely can't wait to get out to Poland, but would like some advice regarding this matter. Before I leave, I will have atleast 180 hrs. of TESOL, I already have a bachelor's degree and a great job in the states, and will have observed a few classes in a local ESL school and possibly be a teacher's assistant there as well for a class or two. My questions are:

I will be applying for jobs for the Spring semester via internet, not flying out to Poland and looking for work. It seems that most people say that the best jobs are not on the internet. The school that I received my TESOL certification from has a job board on their website for graduates only with job openings. Schools send requests for new teachers and they post it on their website for us. I don't know if that really means anything because I've seen some of the same jobs on other public websites. Are there any good schools that anyone can recommend I apply to or any application advice at all you might have for me regarding applying from the U.S. via internet, for a Spring semester job?

With the qualifications that I have, what kind of job can I expect to get, and what cities offer the best opportunities for someone like me? It seems that Wroclaw is saturated, but it's actually my #1 choice right now, I have friends there and some family and I like the location, among other things.

I'm really trying to get a good gauge on my overall chances of acquiring a job in Poland this january/february. I have plenty to do before I leave just like everyone else, including selling my car, and want to plan ahead as best as possible to assure myself employment in Poland. I would be willing to take a job even if it wasn't the best job if it meant that I could get out to Poland and atleast get started, establish myself and prove myself out there as a hard working, dedicated teacher, and then move to a better position. I don't have any real classroom experience yet so I don't know what I can expect regarding my first job.

dziekuje, wszyscy!

-Tomasz

[redsoxfan]

Schools in Poland which are posting vacancies mid-year on the internet are typically:

-not good
-sketchy
-low-paying

Why do they need to hire someone from overseas when they have a pile of CVs on their desk? Obviously because they don't have a pile of CVs on their desk. Why? Because no one wants to work there. Why? Crappy wages, unreliable with payment, etc.

That's my assessment.

I've never seen good schools in Poznan advertising on the internet, maybe others have. A school advertising overseas seems desperate, especially mid-year. They're advertising because some teacher has quit, most likely.

It's much, much better to show up in person. If it's possible for you to come a few weeks earlier, that would be highly recommended. If not, go to ang.pl, click on szkoly, and start emailing CVs with a nice, formal cover letter.

It seems that you speak some Polish--that's a plus. Good luck.

[gregoryfromcali]

Ocassionally you may be lucky if someone was fired or had to leave.

But the reality is you just can't beat coming to Poland in September to start working in October.

My advice for anyone who can't wait that long is to be sure you have a some money saved up to back you up.

If you don't go out that much and cook at home you can stretch out your money.

Of course you can always teach privately until you get a full time job.

[Alex Shulgin]

[redsoxfan]

At this point, I think of private students as people who might happen to stop by when I'm at home. If they do, cool, if not, no problem. Relying on privates is a bad idea, stressful, and generally unworkable.

On the other hand, if you rented a room in a student flat and cooked for yourself, you could probably get by OK. Speaking of which, I've never understood why many people eat out so much. Anyone with a cookbook can whip up much better and much more interesting dishes than the crud you get in restaurants here. Eating out is depressing in Poland. Except Pod Koziolkiem in Poznan--good obiady.

But as Alex said, come with enough money to hold you over for a few months.

[tompetrie]

hmmm.....these responses have me worried.

i am tentative about just heading out and looking for work without a job already lined up. i am leaving a good job behind with great benefits, i would hate to go all the way out there, only to not find work and have to come back to the states with no job, no car, no apt.

I have plenty of savings so money is not my concern once I'm out there, I just don't want to not find work and come back to nothing.

My plan B was to, though this is going against my better judgement, start the Master's program offered by Framingham State in Czestochowa, if I do the Work/Study program, they would hook me up with a job, but I don't want them pick and choosing work for me. If I go this route, I'm at the mercy of the school, wherever they happen to stick me. I had plans of starting that Master's program in July 07' after the Spring semester lets out, but going as a commuter, working at my school of choice in my town of choice.

This is really disappointing to hear that work will be so difficult to find in January/February because waiting till September of next year would be absolute torture for me. The timing would just work out perfect to leave the states in January. As decent as my current job and living situation might be, I need to get out of it within the next couple months.

I can always hope for the scenerio gregoryfromcali mentioned, that is that someone either gets fired or had to leave. Either way, I have tenacity on my side (a typical Polish/Italian blooded trait!) so I'll just have to hope for the best.

[gregoryfromcali]

[redsoxfan]

I did give him some advice, namely that he should not be bound to Krakow but instead consider other cities as possible places to teach in. This is very good advice, because while he may or may not find gainful employment in Krakow, he certainly will find it somewhere in Poland.

I also suggested a listing of schools in Poland which he might find useful in his search.

I wasn't being pessimistic or cynical by explaining the situation he will find himself in. I also wouldn't encourage someone to come to Poland and try to scrape by on privates--a newcomer might think that this is a good idea when in fact it's a horrible idea.

IMO, it's much better advice to encourage someone to explore the various options out there. If he finds a decent job in Krakow in Feb, great. If not, he'll have a handful of backup options.

Like Gregory, I'm trying to offer useful advice, but I'm not going to tell someone to come to Poland and run around Krakow trying to eek out a living by putting flyers on telephone poles.

[redsoxfan]

[tompetrie]

hey everyone,

I think that I should mention that I have no interest in living in either Warsaw or Krakow. I would rather a smaller city, but I do have an interest in Wroclaw, possibly Gdansk, but certainly not limited to either of the two. I would gladly accept a job in a smaller city if it was a decent job in a nice city.

[gregoryfromcali]

[tompetrie]

Krakow was mentioned a few times, I don't understand your question?

In any case, I just figured I would mention my preferences regarding cities/towns.

[gregoryfromcali]

[gregoryfromcali]

[redsoxfan]

My mistake, I got this guy confused with the other guy who was arriving in Krakow and needed a job ASAP.