Job Discussion Forums

[MBee]

Merhaba,

I am interested in teaching in Turkey and am wondering what the best way to approach the process would be given my background.

I was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Indonesia for one year, I have an MA in Geography, and nearly 3 years college teaching experience (Geography courses). I studied Turkish at Georgetown Univ. in Alanya so I speak some Turkish, and I also have experience as a professional grant and marketing writer. I don't have a TEFL/CELTA/DELTA or other EFL certificate.

I'd really appreciate some advice on how (just show up or apply online?) and when to begin looking for a teaching job in Turkey, and what the job market in Turkey is like for a person with my experience/education.

Cok tesekkur ederim...I really appreciate you taking the time. Hope everyone's enjoying themselves, wherever in the world you are.

*Selamlar*

[coffeespoonman]

Well, with your MA, I'd normally suggest applyig at private unis, but this is the wrong time of the year for that. Given that, I'd suggest just showing up and taking your CV around. You'll certainly find a job very quickly, though it may be worth being a bit picky. That MA will look nice to a lot of employers, depite its not being in English. Arm yourself with a Celta, and you'll have access to some of the better jobs Istanbul has to offer.

[MBee]

Thanks so much coffeespoonman. Very very helpful.

[MBee]

This was awesome and really allowed me to do more focused research on these forums. I have learned a lot. Thanks coffee. You're such a huge help on these forums.

I've read the time to apply for university jobs is April-June. Is it a pipe dream to think I could apply for jobs in April from the US, get a legal job offer, and then head to Istanbul and be working legally the following fall semester?

Again, cok tesekkurler ve selamlar.

[coffeespoonman]

Rica ederim.

I would say that it would be very difficult to apply in April while abroad, get an offer by May, and be legally entering the country for work in August. Not impossible, but difficult. More likely, it would be:

Apply while abroad in April.
Receive no response.
Send follow-up email in May.
Receive no response.
Send follow-up email in June.
Receive generic response.
Receive email in mid-July asking for Skype interview.
Have Skype interview in late July.
Be offered job beginning early September.
Arrive on tourist visa in late August.
Be told by HR in late September that you have to fly back to the US to get your work visa.
Check my previous posts on eslcafe to find that this is NOT TRUE.
Argue with everyone in HR, who know nothing about the law.
Either a) give up and fly home for your visa or b) go yourself to the yabanci emniyet and just take care of the work permit yourself (with proper documentation from your uni).

If you decide to go this route, don't limit your job search to those unis posting want ads on the net. All unis will be hiring native speakers, so just send your CV to EVERY uni that you're interested in (check these boards for names of good and bad ones).

Good luck!

[MBee]

Wow, thanks! Again, great info. I did read up on the whole flying home for a work permit thing. Cok ilginc...

Enjoy Istanbul today. I visited for one day and loved it. Perhaps I'll come back again, thanks to your help.

[Otterman Ollie]

Csm, now is a good time to turn up at a private uni and see whats available, I know of at least two private establishment crying out for teachers, one of them is my old place.

[coffeespoonman]

Thanks Ollie, but I left Istanbul this year for greener pastures. I loved that job, but after 6 years in the bull, I needed a change. I'm now working for the University of Liverpool in China, and couldn't be happier. I miss Istanbul, but I really can't complain. I'm loving it so far - Chinese students are... different to Turkish ones. And not in a bad way!

[Otterman Ollie]

Hi Csm
ı'm intrigued, I have always fancied the idea of China, the other half thinks otherwise, so how is it different? do you like rice and what is the accomdation like, which city are you in? comon, buddy spill!

[beets]

Great post

CSM, once again - incredibly helpful information... I actually laughed out loud at the sequence of events!

[coffeespoonman]

Essentially, I feel like I just walked into the 21st century. I live in Suzhou, which is a 20 minute bullet train from Shanghai. It's modern, clean, well-organized and full of Western amenities (clothes, food, loads of imported beers...) Everything is dirt cheap, except the Western goods, which are still cheaper than in Istanbul.

I bicycle 5 minutes to work every morning down quiet, peaceful, tree-lined avenues. My flat is a serviced apartment in a modern 16-story tower built in the last year or two. It came totally furnished (even LCD TV), and includes fast internet, local calls and a few English channels for free. And my rent is about half what I paid in Istanbul.

My students speak amazing English, take notes in class and do all their homework. I eat mostly noodles, sushi, yogurt, and the occasional Indian or Western meal.

This place is nothing like what I imagined China would be. My life is now exactly what I always wished it could be like when I lived in Istanbul. I miss the Turks, and I miss the culture and lifestyle there, but I really couldn't be happier here.

[MBee]

I'm intrigued now too csm! What do you like better about your new life/location? I'm curious, if you want to talk about it a little more.

[gloomyGumi]

the modern dwellings fully furnished, the cleanliness, etc these are all great in the FarEast I can say the same for here in SK, but the thing driving us out of here in droves is the UTTER LACK OF ETHNIC DIVERSITY, talk about homogenous!!! ugh!!!! Not easy going from Jersey City New Jersey where your neighbors are Palestinian, Colombian, Armenian, Egyptian, Italian and Phillipino, to GUMI SOUTH KOREA WHERE YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE......WELL, UHHH....110% KOREAN. And no Arabic restaurants for about 10 thousand miles from here either.

[coffeespoonman]

I wouldn't say that it's better here overall. Turkey was where I needed to be for the last 6 years. But after the craziness and frustrations of Istanbul, this is the perfect place for me. Everything is easy (at least comparatively). It's much more comfortable (though less exciting). It's much quieter (if less entertaining). It's essentially a well-deserved break from the mania of Istanbul. And I've got a great job, so that helps.

I miss Istanbul quite a bit. I miss the people and the places and the spirit of the city. But I don't miss queuing at the emniyet, or commuting, or trying to get anywhere in the city, or trying to justify getting ripped off all the time.

After 6 years, I just reached a point where I no longer wanted to fight everyone and everything around me just to have a normal life.

And I'm not saying I'll never return there. I still think of Istanbul as home. If that doesn't change in the next couple of years, I'll go back. But for now, I'm on holiday from Istanbul.

[MBee]

Interesting...it's great to have this perspective csm. Thanks for sharing that.