Job Discussion Forums

CharlesIII · Joined: 15 Aug 2010 Posts: 2 Location: Zhenjiang, China

I'm seeking a university teaching position in Turkey, and wondering whether sending out letters of interest to universities is a good idea.
I recently posted to the Newbie Forum (New College Job Wanted). I'm 57, have a PhD in History from UCLA, and am finishing my first year of ESL teaching at Jiangsu University in Zhenjiang, China, where I teach US and UK society and culture classes as well as five sections of oral English. I also have a TEFL from Oxford Seminars, and a year of being a teacher's assistant for an ESL class in Oregon, in addition to many years teaching history and working in university libraries. I'm hoping that some Turkish university would want someone of my experience, but not sure how to approach it. Have a couple Turkish friends, and just started learning the language, so would love to find something when my contract finishes in December. Thanks for any advice!---Charles Hixson

svenhassel · Joined: 04 Aug 2006 Posts: 188 Location: Europe

Hi there,

You sound eminently qualified to teach in Turkish University, however you'll be lucky to find a place in January, if that's what you're thinking but you never know.

Hiring for private universities takes place around May, June and July. For public (state owned) earlier than that. Check the websites.

If you need to be here in January, there are many language schools of varying quality which may employ you. Also a few companies which will connect you with private students.

Sven

thedudeabides61 · Joined: 12 Feb 2010 Posts: 5

Bilkent faculty of Academic English will most likely snap you up and as they will have some people leave at midyear due to dissatisfaction, they do hire at mid year. They have rolling hires, so put your app in now.

svenhassel · Joined: 04 Aug 2006 Posts: 188 Location: Europe

That's right, and be sure to mention that you're interested in replacing the dissatisfied people who are going to be leaving.

atoklas · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Posts: 24

yeah charles, lıke sven saıd, you're defınıtely qualıfıed, probably for the top tıer of Turkısh jobs. and unless you're ındependently wealthy, a prıvate unıversıty ıs the way to go. (the prıvate unıs have been hıt rather hard by the economıc downturn here, but ıt's affected the job market for turks more than foreıgners...) mıght be worth tryıng to sell yourself as a 'hıstory' prof. alternatıvely, several prıvate unıversıtıes have 'englısh language and culture' departments. whatever you do, wıth your qualıfıcatıons, ı'd try to avoıd teachıng ın a unıversıty Englısh prep program and teach ın an actual academıc dept... ıf you have any publıcatıons or have presented at any noteworthy conferences, that would be ıcıng on the cake...

but, lıke the other saıd, january ıs a hard tıme to hıre on...

toyiki · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 39

Could someone elaborate about this topic? Not much is being said about departmental jobs...
what are the going wages and packages offered to Phds? Do private Uni's pay better than private schools?

maenad1 · Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 11

Actually the vast majority of universities in Istanbul - including Bogazici, which is generally considered the best in the country - are EXTREMELY badly organised regarding hiring teachers. Several people need to get together to figure out whether or not you are needed, suitable, able to come at the right time, affordable, etc. These groups very seldom meet unless there's a crying, huge need to get teachers in IMMEDIATELY or unless one person is energetic and pushy. (Pushy people usually get fired a few weeks later, so don't pin your hopes on them.)

I got a job from a uni and they hired me and then forgot to tell me when I was supposed to start. A year later, they accidentally sent a "hired" letter to a person who they hadn't liked at the interview - they discovered the mistake when he arrived in the country.

Turkey's great, by the way!