Job Discussion Forums

hoshi · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Minnesota, USA

First off, I'd like to thank everyone who posts here regularly for all the excellent information. I've been lurking the forums since I got my TEFL certificate in Mexico a couple years ago. At the time I had student loans to pay off and couldn't really do it on a Mexican entry level salary.

Now, however, things are looking better and I want to go back to Mexico. I actually never wanted to leave. Anyway, I'm just curious how things might look in a longer-term perspective beyond landing the first job. I know many TEFLers stay for a little while and go back to their countries, but I plan to make a career out of it. After being there about five years, what do most teachers end up doing? Universities? Management? Something else entirely? I look forward to reading your replies. Thanks!

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

I`ve been here 3 years and am doing the same as I started. I am teaching Business English at the corporate level.
I don`t know where I will be going from this point on, but definitely wish to branch out. I have tried newswriting for a local English daily but there is so much bureaucratic mismanagement I am no longer working with them.
I may just end up supplementing my income sending feature news items to newspapers stateside, or working in the English textbook publishing field. I don`t know yet where the career will end up.
I also write short stories, which I have no interest in deriving an income from and work as a visual artist, which I have in the past and wish to rebegin.

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

I've been here for 4 years and work mainly in universities. I take company classes now and again but don't rely on them as a main source of income as I find them unstable, especially living in mini Detroit (SLP). On the side I do translations for companies, private classes, review work and sometimes teach French. I'd rather have one well-paid job in one place but this is still proving elusive.

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

I've ended up getting involved with a well planned and well-financed start-up school, which guarantees a decent regular income, professional development and a lot of autonomy. I sideline in translation. Things are going pretty well, so I can't complain!

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

I've ended up getting involved with a well planned and well-financed start-up school, which guarantees a decent regular income, professional development and a lot of autonomy. I sideline in translation. Things are going pretty well, so I can't complain! - BTW, Been here 7 1/2 years.

hoshi · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Minnesota, USA

Thanks for the replies. It's interesting to hear how things work out for different people.

It sounds like you have quite the job, Phil_K. I'm guessing that unless I'm in the right place at the right time and know the right person, I'm going to have to be a bit creative to get ahead, though. It sounds like that's what you're doing, geaaronson and TLWH. I had kind of assumed that most teachers would have one main job and take on extra work (translations, etc). Especially with the economy the way it is right now, is it realistic to be able to find one job that pays all the bills? Does that all depend on the city you're in? How hard have the problems with the economy hit the English-teaching world in Mexico?