Job Discussion Forums

podsticles · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Ireland

Hi there, I am a 23 year old guy from Ireland with a degree in English and Psychology (double major). I am currently travelling in Chile but will be going back to Ireland in in 2 weeks. When I�m there I intend on doing a 4 week TEFL course. The questions I have mostly are...should I start applying for jobs now or wait until after I do my TEFL course in January/February. I have been out of Ireland for 9 months and am very eager to spend as LITTLE time there as possible and get my ass to Bangkok (which I fell in love with) as soon as possible. Any kind of advice would be greatly appreciated and if anyone who has taught in Bangkok has anything to add I would love to hear.
Best Wishes,
Patrick

MELEE · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:18 pm Post subject:

After.
I mean, you could fail the course.
On the other hand if you get a pass A then you'd want to put that on your resume.

podsticles · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Ireland

Yeah, I thought about that, but believe me...this is the ONLY thing that I want to do when I get back to Ireland, and I did really well in University so I have full confidence that i�m gonna do really well. I know that sounds really cocky, but after travelling for 9 months I�m really ready to dedicate myself fully to the course and do as well as I can.

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

To my mind, one has to do something criminal to fail a course, especially if it is a paid course (let's be realistic here). I think you can start applying now by asking if they would be itnerested in a newly qualified employee.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Sometimes just the people you meet in your course will inspire you to think about applying for jobs in countries that would have never occured to you. It's worth waiting, boucing ideas off one another, and seeing what turns up. Of course, the countries where you're considering employment may play into when you should apply. Any ideas of where you're going? You'll be doing the course over the course of one month, correct?

podsticles · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Ireland

I REALLY REALLY want to teach in Bangkok. I spent a lot of time there while I was doing my round the world trip and I really loved it, and definately wanna live there for a couple of years. I know its not the best place to live in order to save money or anything like that, but I like the lifestyle there and would like to try it out for awhile.
And yes, I will be doing the course over the space of a month, at the end of January.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

If I were you I'd head over to the Thailand board (if you haven't already), and start asking about best times of year for being hired. That might give you an idea if you should start pushing your CV now (w/ stated cert completion date), or if you have time to wait.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

Is there a compelling reason not to do the course in Thailand?

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Good idea, jet-probably cheaper, too.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Do the course at IH Bangkok. Cheap and if the trainers are the same, excellent.

podsticles · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Ireland

I dont have the money right now to get to thailand and to pay for the course and live there at the same time while I�m doing it. This way I can live at home and do the course. It�s much better that I do the course at home, otherwise I�m gonna have to work for 6 months in a shitty waiting job in order to pay for the flights and course over there and so on and so forth.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Pod, The CELTA courses tend to run really high in countries like Ireland, and what you'll save on the course in Thailand you can put towards your ticket. Chances are that despite getting a job in Thailand, you'll still have to pay for a ticket to get there (correct me if I'm wrong about typical EFL hiring policies in Thailand, folks). In other words, you're going to have to fork out that money eventually...maybe you should start w/ that 6 months of work to pay for the course, the flight, and the rent in Bangkok (which I'm assuming is really inexpensive still). People on the Thailand board can def. speak better to what's typical, but like many EFL positions worldwide, being the country for the interview makes getting jobs much easier. Just a thought....

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

podsticles · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Ireland

Ok guys...thanks a million for all your advice. I really really appreciate it. You see I�ve been travelling for 9 months now and am about to go back to Ireland, so I think some family time will be needed before I head off...but will hop over to the Thailand board and enquire about the cost of doing a TEFL in Bangkok just to compare

podsticles · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Ireland

Ah ok...I just checked out the price of IH Bangkok and it�s actually more expensive that the CELTA course in Ireland that I had planned on doing, by about 80 euros. And I know that the school which I had intended on had a very good reputation. Some of my friends took courses there and said it was excellent. Does anyone know of any other schools offering TEFL courses in Bangkok?