Job Discussion Forums

[gorkomi]

I was offered 2,000 usd, plus 500 for housing, over a month ago for a job in Istanbul and was a moron to hold off on it.

Now I can't find anything.

Do any of you work at a place that makes comparable offers that is in need of a teacher? I'm ready to fly there.

[siano]

Hi... which school was it and why did you turn it down??? 2,000 plus a 500 dollar housing allowance is incredible for Istanbul! It must have been a great school or a shit one where no one else wants to work!!! Research Sisli terraki!! Great salary - awful conditions!

Well there are still a few positions out there, all the big schools have now closed to their applicants... but always check out Bilfen, Eyupoglu, Doga koleji... they always have positions come up after christmas.

good luck.

[bulgogiboy]

$2500, that's a very respectable salary in Turkey. In fact, that's about as high as salaries get for the average ESL teacher.

You could apply to Bilkent Uni in Ankara, you might get somewhere around that, plus a free DELTA too, but I think you would need a high tolerance for idiotic behaviour...

[gorkomi]

Thank you.
Actually, it was 2,400 plus 500 for housing. I'm really an idiot!

Now the best I can find is a "private school" in Istanbul through Oxford Vision. They say it's 1500 per month plus free accomodation.

Any thoughts on this? Can I even save money on that salary? I've been making 3,700 (minus housing which is about 800 dollars) in Riyadh at a university. The life there is such crap. I visited Istanbul a few months ago and it was so nice.

No one celebrates Christmas in Istanbul, do they? I wonder if they would allow me to take leave at that time.

I have to make a decision right away and my head is spinning.

[bulgogiboy]

[siano]

hahaha you are so right! I've lived here nearly 3 years now and I'm almost about to POP! life can wear you down here... and you can never really get anywhere ... you cant earn or save enough money to ever think about buying property, work is hardcore, you age tremendously, you suddenly become more conservative - no clevages for me anymore! And you try very very hard to make a 'relationship' work with one of these Turks ... but you know it'll never happen. Istanbul is a beautiful city... with so much history and heritage, but it also has it down side.

I would recommend you see your year out, I can only imagine how dull Saudi Arabia is, but sit your year out and reapply next year, then you can come here with a load of savings under your belt. Don't go joining some crappy school like Oxford vision, its a language school with basically no system, doesn't give a crap about students, and 1500 dollars a month in expensive Istanbul is not going to get you far.

How is Saudi by the way? Its my plan for next year!

[Kirkpatrick]

Yea, the good old days are definetely gone in Turkey..None of the schools in Istanbul will provide housing... This makes life very difficult indeed. The rest of Turkey really sucks..Try to save cash in Istanbul looks to be impossible.. Most of the work in Istanbul is part time shit.. Too many Native teachers trying to live here.. The Turks are some real slave drivers to work for ... I want out of here so bad...

[Kirkpatrick]

Also, most of the Turks want out of here in a big way... I think most of them thought if they could speak English they could immigrate.. However the west isn't too keen on letting them in , expsecially after their conduct in Germany... Also, the Turk aren't very trusting of foreineers.. I won't call them racist, but definetely wary..

[Sashadroogie]

What conduct in Germany?

[bulgogiboy]

[coffeespoonman]

Just have to jump in here lest people get the wrong idea about Istanbul...

The city can really suck, I agree. It's huge, overcrowded and lacks adequate or logical public transport. The Turks can also be very difficult to deal with both in their conservatism and their idea about what makes a successful relationship/friendship/date. Things tend to be overpriced and quality in anything (buildings, services, infrastructure) is very, very hard to find and generally not noticed or valued when it is... However...

Istanbul is a great place to work. If you're only making 1500 USD a month (unless it's your first year here or you're fresh out of uni), and if you want more but can't get it, you're doing something wrong. If you've been teaching for several years here in Istanbul and you're still stuck in the language school circuit, well... You've really got nobody to blame but yourself. There are tons of other options here - universities, private high schools, nanny jobs, private lessons, corporate lessons, business seminars, voice-over work, editing work... it's endless.

If you're cool just working a bit at a language school and enjoying a reasonably responsibility-free existence, that's cool, but if you find yourself wanting a better salary or job, there are a lot of things you can do. Get another certification or degree (M.A.. Celta, Delta, etc.), try to make contacts at a school you want to work for, put together a teaching portfolio, go to some conferences in the area, publish an article or two... All these options are available here.

I used to have one of those language school jobs 5 years ago, making less than 20 Lira an hour, working split shifts and full days on Saturday and Sunday, just happy to be paid on time and get free tea. I didn't even have a kitchen for my first year, let alone hot water. Hell, I was young and inexperienced, and I had to start somewhere. In retrospect, it was fun, but as I got closer to the end of my twenties, I knew it was time to start advancing my career.

Now I've just turned 30, I live in a fantastic apartment, have all the modern technological luxuries I want, take a holiday every month or two, go out drinking/eating several times a week, pay my student loans and still save 1000 - 1500 USD a month, which goes directly into investment accounts. Furthermore, every penny I make comes from working here in Istanbul, with a mix of university work, private lessons, and editing/translation stuff.

Believe me, I'm not trying to say 'oh, look at how great my life is'. I'm trying to say 'look how great life can be in Istanbul'. I didn't get lucky - I worked hard to build a career. Yes, the city is exhausting, but if you're looking for a proper TEFL career with a great salary and benefits, combined with a good lifestyle and social scene, there are few places I've heard of that compare to Istanbul.

[billy orr]

Bravo, sound advice.

[Kirkpatrick]

Yea, you have lived here for 5 years. Back when I was in Korea, lived there 5 years, I had it made. Big bucks, women ect... Basic point I think is getting set up in a foreign country takes time...

However, one has determine how much time one is willing to invest in a country and it's culture, before throwing away the towel, and moving on to greener pastures...

Personally, I am finding it very difficult to get set up here in Turkey when compared to other countries( Korea,China, Taiwan) I have lived in.. I am willing to give Isanbul a year and if by that time I am not meeting my expectations then I will leave.

[coffeespoonman]

Well, yeah, getting set up in any foreign country does take time. You're totally right. However, I think you can offset some of that through degrees and experience. I mean, for example, someone who has a Delta and several years of experience working in the testing office of a large university in Brazil shouldn't have to work in a hagwon if they move to Korea. For example, I currently have colleagues who have just arrived in Turkey within the last month and are now making over $2500 a month. However, I know people who have been here for 10 years and are struggling to pay their rent. It's really up to them.

My only point is that, if a teacher has the qualifications or is willing to get them, Istanbul is a great place to work. If someone is just starting their TEFL career or isn't/hasn't been interested in going through the steps to build their career, Istanbul might not be the best place in terms of quality of life/salary.

[bulgogiboy]