Job Discussion Forums

crackerjack · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 2 Location: UK

I am a TEFL teacher looking for jobs in Mexico from my home country in the UK. My partner is a diving instructor so we are only looking for jobs on the coast. So far i have found a few TEFL companies from Cancun on the web and written to them prospectively, but i've had no replies. I am wondering if i'm going about finding work the wrong way?

Any advice on how to find TEFL work in Coastal Mexico?

Clare

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Usually best to be in Mexico job-seeking as schools will not often hire over the telephone or internet.

This is the time of year that sees supply outstrip demand on Mexican beaches, regarding teachers.

Have you tried Cozumel or Playa del Carmen? Great diving there.

MELEE · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject:

You may want to consider looking into UMAR on the Oaxacan coast...

crackerjack · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 2 Location: UK

Thank you Guy and Melee, it's really useful to know about these places. When we first left England we moved to Turkey and i had a job to go to as soon as i arrived (arranged beforehand). It seems quite scary though to just turn up without work, but if that's the way it is done then so be it! From your experience what is the average amount of time it takes to find work and how much money whould we bring with us to begin with? Also, are there particular months that are better to look for work than others?

Sorry for the battery of questions...

BW
Clare

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

To expand a bit on what I said, while my opinion is that it's always best to be in Mexico in person when job-seeking, there's no reason why one shouldn't also be in email correspondence to arrange those meetings.

Regarding Cancun, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen, it's very hard to say how long it might take to find a job as everything there is very seasonal. Jobs there aren't super plentiful at any time of the year, and I've always considered the pay in that area of Mexico to be too low for the generally higher costs of living. It may take quite a bit of time to get a decent paying job. August is probably the best time to job seek there.

You'll probably want at least 2000 dollars to hold you over, though if you can live on the cheap (staying at hostels and not hotels), that 2000 dollars will go a long way.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

I am wondering if there are many hostels left in other tourist areas. The one hostel that used to exist in my coastal (increasingly touristy) city was more expensive than the budget priced hotels and they shared bathrooms. I don't know of any others. Of course you have to be careful of the areas of the city in which budget priced hotels are located and what activities are in and around them. Some of these areas in a tourist destination are not the place for foreigners.