Job Discussion Forums

[polythene_pam]

I'm not sure if this goes under newbie or general discussion. But here goes...

I have been reading these threads for over a week now and there seems to be a conflict regarding the availability of jobs for Americans overseas teaching ESL.

Some people say it's quite EASY, even some unqualified people get the jobs. Others say it's next to impossible except in Asia.

I am interested in Eastern Europe, specificially Poland.

Is it difficult or impossible for a woman in her 30's with a BA in ED to get an ESL job in Poland? Would my age be a factor?

Also, there seems to be some argument regarding how to get a job. Some say GO THERE and look. Others say you can get one before arriving. How often can you get a job teaching ESL with only a phone interview?

Thanks!

[naturegirl321]

Poland is still open to Americans, as are other countries in Eastern Europe. Try posting on their forums as well.
Unfortunately, many of the good jobs are gotten by those not only in country, but have been in country for a while and have connections. The jobs that are advertised online are often middle of the road jobs, but everyones got to start somewhere.
I think you should play up your age and show that you are a muture adult, looking to stay in a country for a while, and even at a school for a while.
If you can get a job beforehand, you have something to fall back on and can always look for another job once you get there. If you have the time and money, you could just show up and look for jobs, but if they get you a visa, you might have to leave the country.

[polythene_pam]

Naturegirl, thanks so much for the prompt reply!

You brought up a topic which bewilders me and I was hesitant to ask, but since it's brought up...

You say IF you get a visa. I thought you couldn't legally work without one?

[naturegirl321]

You can't work legally, but many people work illegally.

[spiral78]

30s is not rare in the field. You won't be alone.

Naturegirl's right - most jobs are found IN country. It's rare for good schools to hire from abroad, in Europe generally. This is because, in the past, many applicants have not shown up, or have misrepresented themselves in some way when they do.

School directors generally want to see you in their offices, CV in hand, looking professional and responsible before making any offers.

The exceptions are when you have specialist qualifications, or in the case of a small school in a remote location.

Even with an Education degree, you'll likely need a basic TEFL certification to start competitively. Meaning that most newbies in this part of the world have one, and rightly so - teaching language to adults is not the same as general education, speaking from extensive experience.

You should probably consider getting certified in Poland, if possible. If you don't find a suitable training centre there, Prague is a mecca for them.

There are lots of benefits to doing training in the country where you want to work - the students you practice-teach with will be representative of those you'll be working with when you start, a good training centre will help you get oriented to the country/culture, and can give you useful contacts with reputable language schools.

[spiral78]

Sorry, here naturegirl's wrong - you CAN get a legal work permit for Poland. And you should - regardless of the hassle. The procedure is usually to enter the country on a tourist visa. Your employer should help you get through the (extensive) paperwork for visa applications.

[naturegirl321]

[spiral78]

I actually think this thread would be more useful on the Poland forum, in any case.