Job Discussion Forums

dialectic · Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 59

I owe 30k in student loans

Graduated 99

but had a criminal record for smoking pot from 94-2003

When i graduated i couldnt enter my field, volunteer, or find a job for but i tried and applied for 1000 job and kept a record of this, and attended around 10 job programs with no luck

sept 22, 2003 i got pardon---its clear now but im still struggling

a couple of weeks ago i applied for free financial help with a nice fellow and he said he would work out my probs with student loans but suggested i consider teaching english---dont know why or what prompted him but he said there are so much opps --so i have been looking into now for a bit

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My questions are am i suitable for this type of work i only have six months experience volunteering with kids(june-dec 2004)? and "my criminal record probs in the past"

Would the school in asia think im directionless or hopefless ?

are the skills gained as a english teacher more valuable than those gained at deadend jobs such as Mcdonalds?

I dont want to claim bankruptcy but its been five years and i havent lowered my student loan debt all or gained any prof. experience

are there any options for me other than getting a minimum wage job in Canada and declaring bankruptcy ?

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

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

Good advice there from shmooj...

I think some countries would give you problems regarding the conviction...although Chile is the only I can think of as an example. Depends on if you can keep that quiet or not.

You might need to look into some more training before being able to get a decent paying job (thinking about Korea, Japan, and Latin America here). I say this because to be honest, from the quickest assessment of what you wrote, you have the profile of a person some unsavory language school would exploit to their advantage. Just be careful when looking around at teaching positions, particularly recruiters. Ask a lot of questions and get guarantees or proof of what's offered.

AsiaTraveller

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I don't totally agree with Asiatraveller, but it sounds like to make your future work as an ESL teacher, you would have to do a certain amount of turning yourself around. I think if you were willing to invest time and energy in some basic training, and if you got a bit lucky with employment, you might be able to start somewhere (Korea, maybe?) at an acceptable level. But ESL can't get you out of the hole you've dug yourself into - and if you are vulnerable to outside pressures (social, whatever), you can easily just dig yourself deeper down.
So, I guess, for what it's worth - I think if you pull up your socks and can keep them pulled up over the long term, you likely have a chance.
Good luck!

dialectic · Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 59

well i did get a pardon and couldnt find work during that ten years--my record is clean and im super clean--love cooking and eating different foods, dont smoke, no drink, no dope, barely go out, just work out alot

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

Guy's advice is spot on. Forget what Asia Traveller said. Anyone trying to help you with single word answers has no time for you.

You need to get training first. I recommend the CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults - don't worry that it says Adults, it makes no difference to employers). That way, you show your potential employers that you know what the minimum standards are and it is a good way of seeing if you really want to make a living out of English teaching. It is pricey but the course itself will teach you some valuable skills. Worth paying for IMHO.

You do, as Guy said, need to watch out for unscrupulous recruiters and employers. Use this forum as a heads up and if you are going to go to Korea, get on the Korea forum too. Keep your skeletons in the cupboard if you have been pardoned and are clean now. There is no use dragging up the past if it has no bearing on the present or future. In Asia, they will drop you like a hot potato if they find out your past so I wouldn't breathe a word of it over here to anyone (the grapevine is very powerful here).

Can you find anywhere offering CELTA training near you?

Aramas · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:11 am Post subject:

Rather than just dropping yourself in a room full of students, it would probably be helpful to travel solo for a while first. You have to break your old habits, draw yourself out and develop new habits. I realise that money is a bit short, but a couple of thousand dollars can go a long way in SE Asia.

Ignore asia trembler and his ilk. He no doubt voted for Bush.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

First off, you cannot get out of student debt by declaring bankruptcy in Canada. It will only delay paying it off.

It's been five years now and you have no professional work experience, so how have you been supporting yourself?

Some options (other than teaching EFL)

You CAN pay back student loans based on a full-time retail job (not even in management) in Canada and still pay rent etc (but unless you live in a low-cost housing area- NOT Toronto or, I imagine, Vancouver, Montreal, etc.- you will be house sharing).

With your degree and your pardon, you can also go after management trainee positions in the retail area. Big box stores often have recruitment drives (they want people to be career-minded, but the fact is that most of the management trainees that are hired only stay on for a couple of years in order to save some money and then move on to something else).

In Ontario, at least, there are one-year post grad certificate courses in colleges for people with a BA to get training in a work sector. If you decide to do one, make sure it's one with a student placement. College programmes are fine, they teach you a bit (although IME it's nowhere near as hard as university) but the main thing is that it is a way into an industry by making contacts during the placement. Note that there are one-year certificates in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) at colleges and universities as well, so if you were to go overseas and really loved it, then a certicate that will allow you to teach in Canada is an option (but jobs are pretty scarce in Canada, tend to be contract and many are filled by housewives who are volunteering). Employers do not want to pay to train people any more and so you have to pay for your own training (which is the certificate).

I'm writing this because, unless you luck out and get into something like JET (which only recruits once a year and the deadline for application for this year just passed), then realistically, you will need a lot of start up funds because with your debtload (and mine was similar) you are really limited in your choice of country (Japan, Korea, Taiwan). Not sure about Taiwan, but in Japan you will almost definately have to pay to get yourself over etc. unless you come with the JET programme. Korea is a good bet for getting the flight over paid for, but the situations can be so bad that people do the midnight run (see: the Korean Job forum).

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

That brings up a good point, already mentioned.

You'll not have an easy time paying off your student loans by working abroad. As mentioned, JET is out or hard to get into, and the rest of the higher paying markets need experience and credentials. China is not a place to save.

I'm here in Latin America, Mexico to be exact. This isn't a high paying market, but if you are persistent, Mexico City can pay well and is low cost-of-living. Realistically, after having established yourself in Mexico City (where I am) you can be earning 1000-1300 us per month, WITH hard work. Putting aside 500-700 of that per month can be done by avoiding the temptations. That's not a huge amount but it's a start if nothing pans out in Asia.

PM me if you would like some more info on this idea

dialectic · Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 59

esl sounds ok but i would like to switch fields to radiology tech (x ray tech) problem is funds and getting more loans

I thought i would do esl till i was accepted into a rad tech school back here in canada---two year waiting list so and so on

So now i got two years, rather than waisting it doing mcdonalds i was hoping to work esl

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badtyndale · Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 181 Location: In the tool shed

Oh for pity's sake... Evil or Very Mad

Just stop egging this psyc-ho on.

What next, "dialectic"? I mean, if you can't get into ESL because of your wretched past and think you'll be 'waisted' in McD's and can't 'see a way into' X-ray technology?

Tell you what. Why don't you become an astronaut? I'll find you a nice little position on my secret moonbase where you can concoct another cunning persona to take over Dave's forums.

AsiaTraveller · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 4:06 pm Post subject:

Hey, guys...

Since dialectic now needs ANOTHER loan, why don't we get up a collection for him from our own pockets to pay off his debts? He can pay us all back when he's teaching "English for Radiology" in Thailand in five years.

His debts will then be about CA$60,000. Think what we can do with the interest that he'll be paying us!!

marblez · Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 248 Location: Canada

I paid for half of my BA so far and a vehicle by 'waisting' my time in fast food. Unfortunately, when you are terrible with money (as it appears you are, sorry), you have little choice.

By the way, I am the ONLY one of my friends who went through more than 2 years of university without any debt. All thanks to greasezilla food.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

It's not wasting time if it leads you to your goals: pay back the debt before you can enter a new program. Don't teach if you don't really want to do this. ESL experience for someone whose goal is unrelated isn't going to look much better than McD's on a CV.....and it probably won't pay back the loans any faster, once you consider relocation costs, rents, etc.