Job Discussion Forums

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

Reasonable sounding rates...tried segundamano online or print? IMO, that's the place most people look for teachers.

Two hours ago I said finding contacts in DF is usually easy...I wasn't kidding. Just got asked moments ago to do a class in Polanco five mornings a week at 175 an hour. Keep networking and they come. If you want the contact, email me and I'll give you the info as I can't do the class.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 1:26 am Post subject:

Perhaps for someone new to Mexico City with no contacts to make referrals, $200 an hour may be a bit too much. In my experience (from putting free ads on Segundamano, adoos.com and Vivastreet), most people who are looking for an English teacher are looking for the one with the lowest rates! It's different for someone like Guy who's been working in Mexico for 10 years because he's an established figure in the TEFL world here.

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

I agree with Isla Guapa on that one. I thought 200 was a bit steep for a newbie, but then again I have known at least one person who has gotten that. You might have to hustle a little bit more to get a full schedule and may have longer dry spells in some time slots with that figure.
But the group rate I definitely would bring down. People feel if you are charging 175 for two people, why don�t they just take you alone and if alone why not go for another teacher at 150.

joeyb · Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 21

Thanks Isla and Geaaronson. Your advice has been duly noted! It�s a tricky line to walk... I want work, but don�t want to set the bar too low. Having been in business myself for many years, I know from experience it�s easier to lower that bar than raise it. I do have a few ex-students now working in the business community here in Mexcity who were under my tutelage (do people still use that word?) when I was teaching in Toronto. So, I do have references here that will attest that I am not just some newbie trying to make it rich ( Laughing

) here in Gotham. Vamos a ver... Very Happy

Isla Guapa · Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 9:03 pm Post subject:

Joeyb, I suggest you contact your ex-students and set up a time to get together over coffee or a beer to let them know you're here and looking for work as an English teacher. Contacts you could make through them will be much more useful than just placing ads on the internet. And don't forget to have nice business cards printed up because you never know when you'll run into someone who will express an interest in taking English classes once they find out that's what you're doing here.