Job Discussion Forums

[sayanything]

Hi, first post so please be patient!
I am currently living in the UK with a phone interview for IH lined up for Fri evening. I've searched this (and other countries) forums but haven't found a great deal of info on IH.
Anyone here have any experiences of the Mexico City school or the one in Monterrey?
I've had 4 yrs TEFL/EAL experience in the UK and 1 yr working for Bell International in Bangkok. I have a double degree in English and International Education with a TEFL diploma that took 18 months of study and placements.
I would feel uneasy about arriving in Mexico City without a job lined up but am concerned that an IH job may not give me quite the salary that my experience deserves (I know this sounds horribly up myself, but the IH job seems very similar to the Bell post that I was able to acquire straight out of uni).
Really, I suppose my question is whether there are better paid jobs with better working hours to be had in Mexico City (this is the location my heart is fairly set on)?
Do you think a full-time position with IH would allow time for private tuition and is this fairly easy to arrange?
Also, how much money do you think is required as initial capital for arriving in Mexico?
I hope I haven't asked questions that have been answered too many times! Any help, comments much appreciated.

[geaaronson]

I was offered 10,000 pesos per month back in July by Ariel, owner of Mexico city�s IH chapter and I turned it down. I was making almost that working a few hours less. this is sufficient to get by and save some but not much buckos. There are people who I know who are making 12-13,000 pesos a month working for various recruiters. The advantage of working for IH is that there is medical insurance, free internet usage, a xerox copier, and Spanish classes. The training is ongoing as well.

It�s not a bad deal and offers security. You can always pick up a few private students on the side or work more than 20 hours if they have available that for you and they pay the extra hours on a prorated basis.

I was a bit leary of them as I came from stateside working for a HUGE educational conglomerate with a myriad of corporate b-shit to deal with which will sink that ship next month, and was hesitant to get back into a corporate setup. Plus they were so eager to get me on board I was hesitant. But there was no rational reason for me to refuse them other than a gut feeling that could or perhaps not have been genuine.

[GueroPaz]

If this is off topic, the moderator can delete it, but....

sayanything, did you choose your name from the song by X-Japan? Or is a mantra of most EFL teachers to our students?

[sayanything]

Geaaronson: thanks a lot for that, sets my mind at rest a bit. The deal you mentioned is very similar to the one set out to me by IH so it sounds pretty standard. I'm reasonably happy with their reputation - I don't think any job offer would necessarily fall through after an acceptance. And about your wariness, hey, take your compliments where you find them - you obviously impressed them!
Thanks again.

GueroPaz - after working with Thai children the mantra would be more like 'say nothing, please, for a while...' but the name actually comes from a band Say Anything who's song 'Woe' i fell in love with.

[MELEE]

I would have thought that it was from the classic 80s flick with John Cusack, but I guess maybe the band got it's name from the film.

If you don't want to come all the way to Mexico without a job lined up, then IH might be a good bet. You could get a job here within a couple of weeks. Keep in mind that most schools that hire from overseas are already in session so you probably won't find much else from overseas until next summer.

[Phil_K]

MELEE beat me to it, but I agree with her ( ). The kind of salary IH offers would be great while finding your feet in DF - I arrived here from the UK without a clue as to how I was going to make a living (I'm not a qualified teacher) and didn't actually start working for 6 months. I'd say take it - but once you are settled, start looking for something better - the forum members will be able to give you lots of advice. I wouldn't like the thought of working for one of the big corporates for a long time... but I would say that wouldn't I

If you like, PM me when you arrive....

[sayanything]

Thanks Melee and PhilK for your input.
I suppose it's not greatly adventurous coming out with something already lined up but I certainly won't have enough capital to survive for 6 months without work. The contract is supposedly for 2 years - this is far too far in the future for me to commit to so I think I would only agree to an initial year with a view to finding other, possibly more lucrative, work whilst actually in DF.
The other issue is that of the flight costs. When accepting the Bell International position in BKK I agreed to a year contract; this included a one-way flight to BKK (if I'd have stayed for another year on top I would have got my return flight too). Is it unreasonable to expect a similar deal? I think this has been touched upon in other topics (i.e. it's wishful thinking) but I would be interested to know your opinions on this.
My own opinion is that the Bell deal is how it should work (perhaps on a reimbursement scheme to make sure the employee does actually turn up!).
Phil K I would love to get in contact when I arrive, for work reasons or for purely social ones - I know no-one in Mexico!

[Phil_K]

[lozwich]

ERrmm.... I have a head full of other things just now, but from reading IH's job ads in the past, they don't pay any kind of seguro(insurance). Is that legal?? I had my interview for an IH network job there a few years ago, and they seemed lovely, but I'm under the impression that jobs like that must pay seguro, and that is one little perk that I really like having.

[geaaronson]

I was offered medical insurance at IH back in July. I don`t understand why they didn`t mention it to you. I did not ask for particulars as I was not interested in throwing my full lot in with them.

[mosquito]

[lozwich]

[mosquito]

Thanks, Lozwich.

So, I'm not sure if you are in Colombia or Mexico, but I take it you have health insurance with your employer?

I did go back and read some of the many threads regarding health insurance in Mexico. This was the first thread where anyone mentioned that employers are required to provide it by law, and someone PM'd me saying the same thing.

Still, I may go without for now and leave it for investigation later.

I guess my real concern is whether it should be a deal breaker? And it doesn't seem like that's the case. Esp. with IH Mexico's supposed network of doctors and dentists (though I'm still not sure if routine check-ups/cleanings would be covered, or just when necessary for basic things like seeing doctor when you're sick, dentist for a toothache...).

I'm more interested in having coverage in the extreme albeit unlikely case that I'm flown back to the States for treatment.

Thanks again

~mosquito

[Guy Courchesne]

[Oreen Scott]

I agree 100% with Guy.

However, Canada's universal health care, in Manitoba, and likely similar in all provinces, will only cover only 18 months away from home, and 12 of those months need to be gainfully employed months, with a contract faxed back home as proof.

I've been harping - but - IMHO - ex-pat insurance, although expensive is worth buying.

I think it just might be my largest expense.