Job Discussion Forums

[rlp5321]

Hello,

Everyone provides such great advice on this board, I was wondering if I can get some help...

I am a 30 year old woman currently working as a healthcare consultant in San Francisco. Its been a long held dream of mine to leave the corporate world behind and teach english abroad.

My plan is to take a part time TESOL class in San Francisco starting in September 09 (my gosh, thats next month!), then do a 6 month contract in the middle east to earn some money from January to July. I am able to get a Danish green card, so during that time I'll apply for a Danish residency permit.

After completing my 6 month contract, I'll go to Copenhagen and teach at one of the business language schools. After about 6 months, I'll start taking on private clients for Business English and English presentation skills. I plan to package myself as a consultant to businesses in the Copenhagen area.

Does this sound like a viable plan? Does anyone have an idea what the Danish market pays Business English teachers? Does anyone know of someone who is teaching Business English in Denmark - I'd love to contact someone and talk about their experiences.

My background - Undergraduate degree in Business (Finance) and Graduate degree in Health (MA). 7 1/2 years of business experience.

Many thanks in advance for help!

RLP5321

[dirimini]

I hope someone replies; I'd be interested in hearing answers to your questions as well.

[mozzar]

You might want to check the Middle East section for the minimum qualificatons, but from what i�ve read you��ll need a few years teaching experience plus a masters. It�s not an area you can walk into straight away.

[spiral78]

Middle East?

I think you're getting few posts on this requests because the TEFL industry in Denmark is t.i.n.y.

It's one of those countries where almost all adults have highly functional English already, thanks to a great school system and general openness to language learning from early ages.

The market you're referring to is exceptionally small and tight. You're probably going to need serious specialist qualifications to break into much there - something like an MA or Phd in Intercultural Communications, for example - that takes the focus off the language and puts it on communication in professional situations.

[rlp5321]

Hello Mozzar,

Thanks for your comment about teaching in the middle east. I do have a Masters degree and teaching and training experience through my job as a health care consultant (I was also a teaching assistant in college and grad school).

I am more so concerned about finding a job in the Danish market than the middle east. From what I've read the Danish market is small and geared only towards business english. I am doing research to find out more about the market and how much schools pay (cost of living and taxes are high in Denmark) so I'll have some idea what to expect.

Does anyone out there have any information on Denmark? I'm hoping to go in November to do some on-the-ground research, but I'd like to know if someone can offer advice or has taught there.

RLP5321

[rlp5321]

Spiral,

Thanks for the advice. You are right, the market in Denmark is very small, but in my research I've found a suprising number of (business) English schools in Copenhagen. Someone in Denmark must be in need of business English because there is a well-developed market for it.

In the long run, I do want to do more work around English business writing and business presentation skills. Because Danes have such a high level of English, I doubt that they'll need much work with grammar and vocabulary - I'll probably do some pretty high level 'communicating with American businesses' sort of work.

My years of business experience (and UG) degree is a blessing and necessity in this market.

I am not expecting this to be easy (one reason I want to work in the mid-east for 6 months is to save some money incase things get rough) - but I believe that I am up to the challenge

rlp5321

[anyway]

Below is a job portal for the EU. Choose 'teaching professionals' at the top. Type 'english' as your keyword. Then select 'Denmark' (or all) at bottom.

I have seen jobs for Denmark appear in my searches before, but I usually don't check them out. I would imagine they are ads for K-12 schools.

Does Denmark have a system of Volkshochschule like Germany? I think those places are also a good source of teaching jobs albeit part-time, etc.

http://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?lang=en&acro=job&catId=482&parentCategory=482[/url]

[Sadebugo]

Unfortunately, I also don't know anything about Denmark, but I can comment on the ME phase of your plan. The ME, as a rule, is where the most qualified/experienced EFL instructors work. In Saudi, you usually need an MA (in the field) and three years EFL experience as a minimum for the better jobs. Another problem is your desire for a six-month contract. The visas are for the most part based on a minimum of one year. In other words, to get the visa you need to commit to at least that amount of time. If anyone else out there is aware of an exception to this, please let me know.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[rlp5321]

Hi Sade,

I was told that there are 6 month opportunities open. It happens when people drop their contract or don't return from the x-mas holiday break. There are opportunities that come open then. There are far fewer openings than in September, but there are opportunities.

RLP

[Pikgitina]

Short contracts do exist, but they are few and far between. In Saudi Arabia, they will almost always be for single, unaccompanied men only.

Despite your MA and your corporate experience, chances are slim for a high-paying job in the ME. Your MA is unrelated and so is your teaching/training experience.

Having said that, it's worth a try, but you may end up in less-than-salubrious conditions.

For your sake, I hope that that doesn't happen!

[rlp5321]

Hi Pik,

Thanks for the advice - all I (or anyone) can do is try - if finding a 6 month contract in the middle east does not work out there are of course other options and I can work somewhere else.

I already have a pretty good nest egg of savings - lately I've been thinking about skipping the middle east and just going directly to Denmark in January 2010 and do freelance work (or maybe luck up on a contract). Denmark's language schools specialize almost exclusively in Business English/ Business Consulting and I have the experience necessary to work in this field....

RLP

[Sadebugo]

If you are open to other areas, North Asia is probably the best paying after the ME. Also, I think you would have more opportunities to utilize your business background while there as well. I taught in Korea for a total of five years (independently) and later, Japan for six months through my current US government job. I'd say the former offers more opportunities for saving money but the latter certainly offered a better lifestyle. It all depends on what you're looking for. FYI, the government is sending me to the Republic of Georgia for three months for my latest assignment. I'm leaving in two weeks!

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[JZer]

Sadebugo,

The OP might be well advised to go to Seoul or Tokyo first to get some experience. If Denmark is as tight of market as everyone says, one would not want to burn their opportunities with language schools and companies while still getting a hang for what you are doing.

[spiral78]

I'm less convinced that experience in Asia translates very well to European contexts. There are significant differences in every aspect of the teaching/learning context - from appropriate approaches and methods, student attitudes to the process and their motivation for learning, materials and focuses....

I have worked with teachers with only Asian experience both in Canada and Europe, and the gaps tend to be really large.

[rlp5321]

Hi Sade and JZ,

I've heard about the opportunities in the far east for teaching, but I am not so eager - I am a person of color and I have heard that there is a great deal of 'colorism' in the hiring practices.

Certain countries have an image of who can speak (and teach) English and I don't fit so snuggly into that image.

I know people of color who have taught in the middle east and their experiences were pretty good. I know people of color who have taught in Korea and Japan and their experiences were more varied. Many people had a not-to-great experience. I'm not interested in using my experience to fight irgorance and racism. I just want to 'fit in' and have a good time.

Its somewhat nerve-racking enough to have to look for opportunities in Western Europe. I have a first name that in the US is for females, but in Europe the name is always male. I have shown up to events in Europe in the past where people expected a white male and I show up as a woman of color - even when I list my gender as female. People don't like the unexpected during interview.

I don't know what to expect when I visit Denmark - with a work permit and the right 'look' (professional, well put together) and experience it may be a breeze. Or it may be difficult - but I am willing to put my best out there and see what comes of it.

RLP