Job Discussion Forums

TheLastNick · Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Hello everybody,

As the employment market in Germany is increasingly getting worse, I am thinking of relocating to Turkey (I am actually of Turkish origin, but was born and raised in Germany), and I was wondering if there are any chances of getting an English Teaching job in Istanbul as a non-native speaker - with no Celta.
What I do have is an M.A. and (soon) a Phd in American Literature and Culture (dissertation soon to be turnt in) and some teaching experience. I have also spent some time in GB and the USA doing research.
The degrees are from German universities, though.
Is it true that that most English language schools in Turkey only hire native speakers?
And what about age restrictions? I was told that most schools prefer teachers under 30 .... and I am well over 30 ...sigh.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

simple answer yes. However, with a Phd in American Lit. I am sure you could do better than an illegal English teacher(CELTA needed to be legal)

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

there's an american studies program at Kadir Has Univ. You might look into that.

billybuzz · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 219 Location: turkey

On paper it looks you may get a job at most places including mine.ı know you would prefer Istanbul but Izmir is a nicer city to live in .

Baba Alex · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 2411

Have you thought about the possibility of translating? People are always on the look out for good translators. And simultaneous translators earn good money.

TheLastNick · Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Thank you very much for your encouraging answers.

Baba Alex
I've done a lot of German-English recently and I would love to work as a (self-employed) translator in Turkey .... but, unfortunately, my Turkish has become a little rusty. It will probably take a year or two (and maybe a couple of T�mer courses) before I could start on that.

Molly
Thanks for the tip ... this is actually the first time I heard about Kadir Has (a private uni, isn't it?). I've spent a lot of time browsing through the staff sections of the most prominent Turkish universities (both private and state-run) and I had the impression that most English teachers were native. Especially the private ones seem to prefer native speakers.

billybuzz
You're perfectly right, Izmir is beautiful ... but compared to the vibrant life in Istanbul it seems rather boring. It#s an old people's place, I think (very much like Florida), where all the old Turkish pensioner's settle down after an exciting life in Istanbul (or elswhere) - like my parents (who live in Karsiyaka).
I don't feel that old yet ...
But it might be in option - in case I can't find anything in Istanbul.

Is there any school you would recommend?

dmb
You think so? In Germany, we have a lot of brillant Phds, especially postgrads of literary and cultural studies, who are unemployed. A friend of mine has just started teaching Basketball courses, because he couldn't find any decent job in language teaching.
But it seems that the situation is different/better in Turkey.

SweetOne · Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 109

Actually, I've seen many schools hire 'foreigners' and pass them off as 'native' if only to get the students to sign up. Since most students can't tell the difference between a 'true' yabanci and a 'fake' yabanci, the schools are happy, the students are happy and the 'fake' yabanci find work. It really isn't difficult to find jobs, but you would likely be working in the less attractive markets, such as Bursa. (not that Bursa isn't a nice city... I've been here for nearly 4 years.) I hail from the US but I've seen many schools hire Polish, Spanish, German and one Korean.

Good luck.