Job Discussion Forums

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Neither do I but you, Stephan and I are at the pinnacle of our TEFL career. Razz

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

50-60 hours per week in EFL?!?!? Shocked

Have I just been really lucky these past 8 years?

d

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

No, you haven't been lucky because you have been in TEFL.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I was being sarcastic, of course we don't have a TEFL career-there is no such thing.

goodbye · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 17

Let's face it: a lot of jobs can be said to be dead end jobs. I'd like to be a cliche for a moment and point out that one's job is largely what the holder makes of it.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

sidjameson · Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 629 Location: osaka

More and more people are going to university in western countries that really shouldn't be.

More and more of those same graduate, then realising that they can't get anything like a decent job decide to give TEFL a go.

Many of the less able TEFLers stick with it cuz there really ain't nothing to go home to. Add a few years and this becomes a almost inescapable fact.

Therefore the numbers of "teachers" out there is always increasing and so the pay being offered always decreasing. This is born out in the apparent reality that every country that I know of has seen some serious pay cuts for TEFL in the last decade.

In asia I get the feeling that Chinese and other asian languages are also on the rise. This is eating into the size of the TEFL market. Lower demand would of course lower wages.

Most people find themselves repeating the same experience 10 times rather than having 10 years of different experience.

10 years ago I said that TEFL was a good career. Now, I think times have changed.

Oops...not really answering the OP's question. Can't be bothered to now. Smile

mcsam · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 65

I would like to turn this topic on it's head if I may.
I gave up a financially rewarding job that I really enjoyed to become a TEFLer, and I LOVE it. That said I have only been in the "game" for 3 years. I really like the challenges that you have to face, finding a job with a reputable company/school, the trepidation of moving to a new country, learning some of the language etc.
To be fair I am in debt up to my ears which I never was before but, would I give it up............................certainly not for a while yet. Will let you know when I change my mind.

throwdownyourcrutches · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:40 pm Post subject: mcsam

I am thinking of doing much the same thing soon. What countries have you worked in so far?

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

I did hear about a lady who did TEFL (some management I think) and eventually came back to the U.S. to work at a university as a study abroad coordinator. But overall, I would say TEFL ends up mainly as lost time -- to be regarded as neutral at best by future employers.