Job Discussion Forums

prometheusg · Joined: 21 Sep 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Costa Rica

Last year, my girlfriend and I decided to work on becoming EFL teachers. We both took a CELTA course in Mexico, and now we're looking for work. I have a BS in Computer Science, but my girlfriend does not have a degree. Neither one of us has any real teaching experience outside of a bit of tutoring. Most of my work experience is in the Navy / Merchant Marines, not Computer Science.

I have sent off a few applications and resumes for jobs being advertised on this site and elsewhere, but I haven't heard anything back from anyone. I'm wondering how hard it's going to be for me to land a job this way. Essentially, we aren't picky about where we end up. We understand that I might be the only one working if we go somewhere she can't teach without a degree. Going somewhere first isn't really an option right now; we don't have enough saved up for that.

So what should I do? Do I continue to look for jobs posted on sites like this? How realistic are my chances with essentially no experience and a CELTA + BS in Computer Science? I know a lot depends on WHERE I'm looking at, but really it's not very important to us. The number one priority is how easily I can land a job without having to travel there first!

tomstone · Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 293

I was going to ask you where you were at. Much, much, MUCH easier (at least in SE Asia) to get a job if you are there. "Your face is your resume."

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

What are you going to do if you get a job? Is she going to tag along as a tourist or marry you so she can stay longer?

If you don't have enough money to go somewhere and look around for 2-3 months, my first piece of advice is to save that money.

Second, tell your gf to get a degree or marry you.

prometheusg · Joined: 21 Sep 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Costa Rica

She's going to tag along as a tourist. Marriage isn't a possibility for reasons not related to this discussion. She's taking classes online to finish her degree (she's started and stopped a couple of times).

I'm working on the "save up and go there first" plan, but neither of us has a job right now. I quit to take the CELTA class, and I'm having a hard time getting a job here in the States again. We have a small source of income, but it's not enough to live on long term. I won't have a problem getting the money to fly somewhere IF I have a job waiting for me.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:09 pm Post subject:

Check out tourist visa laws- many countries impose a maximum, say 180 days in a calendar year. Much better to find a place where she can work without a degree.

Best,
Justin

PS- Even if she marries you, a lot of employers aren't going to offer much by way of visa support to your wife with your level of qualifications. I'd tend to recommend finishing the degree asap, but working in no degree required countries until then.

PPS- Getting married is your own business. It provides a lot of benefits for an international couple, when/if possible and practical, though.

doner · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 179

International couple hardly fits these two.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

180 days? Many countries have only 90 days as a limit for tourists, and that is not renewable within the same calendar year!

No job (for you both).
No degree (for her).

I don't know how you're planning to save up, but strongly recommend doing so. And, as for her coming as a tourist, perhaps the question should have been worded as follows:

what will the two of you do / how will you both feel when she has to leave after her tourist stay is up?

prometheusg · Joined: 21 Sep 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Costa Rica

I didn't realize there were tourist visa limits per calendar year. I thought you could leave to another country, then come back on a new tourist visa. I think we'll start considering only countries in which she can work.

As for saving up first. That really is what we're trying to do, but the economy... getting a job like the one I left has become far more difficult. I left a $7.5k/month job that I literally walked into because it didn't pay enough for people who were qualified, now the job doesn't even exist!

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

There are newbies in the general European region without degrees - a first degree is not a legal requirement to work here, nor would anyone care whether you are married or not.

However, as US or Canadian citizens (you are, I think?) you are limited to 90 days inside the entire Schengen zone on a tourst visa (google Schengen zone for a list of countries) and then you have to leave for 90 days - the entire zone- before you can re-enter.

Western Europe is essentially off-limits if you are not from the UK.

Finding jobs in the Central/Eastern European countries that allow non-EU citizens to get legal work permits generally entails:

1. CELTA or equivalent (and consider getting the cert in the country where you want to start teaching)

2. Coming over before or after certification and having enough funds to get yourself here and support yourself for a couple of months at least, until you land a job and your first paycheck comes in. Jobs in Europe are not normally found from abroad, and the start-up costs are considerable.

3. You should plan to work for one main school that will help you with the legal work permit process, and to scratch for any extra work you can get - wages are very much subsistence-level.

4. All this needs to be planned carefully in terms of timing to maximise your chances of success. Most job contracts are Sept/Oct to June. Finding a job is more likely if you are hunting at the very end of August through early September.

5. Ultimately, be aware that even the best-executed plan may not work out. The job market is just very tight in this region. However, you may find that it's worth a try, assuming that you can somehow scrape together the start-up costs.

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

Madame J · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:09 am Post subject:

Indonesia's pretty easy on the degreeless. Try EF or Kelt. EF hired me from the UK without a degree, all costs reimbursed.

prometheusg · Joined: 21 Sep 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Costa Rica

I tried EF, Madame J. They replied I need a degree and at least 1 year of experience. Who is Kelt? I haven't heard of that one.

Sorry, something I forgot to mention. I'm from Texas and that's where we're at right now. I think we might try to go to Mexico. We live about 2 hours from Monterey, Mexico. It's a fairly major city so there will hopefully be some opportunities there. I know the money's not very good there, but we want to at least get a bit of experience while looking for something better.

Get our foot in the door, so to speak. We really don't want to go to Monterey if we can help it, though. We're in this to do some traveling, and it's basically in our back yard. We wouldn't really be able to save much, either. Mexico isn't really a high paying place from what I know.

One thing I don't know is how many jobs are available at this time. I don't think much would be available in public schools, but maybe a language school?

Should we try heading for the border with our lives in suitcases, no money, and no jobs, or should we look for something better?

Hadit · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 109

prometheusg · Joined: 21 Sep 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Costa Rica

I didn't try to switch careers for monetary reasons. I've always wanted to be in the teaching profession. It just took my girlfriend to boot me in the butt to get on track with it. So, it was easy to walk away from that job with the full knowledge that it pays way more than anything I expect to do as a teacher. Anyway, I walked away from it a while ago, not just a month or two ago, more like a year ago. My savings are dried up now.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

There-s also Latin America, some countries, like Peru don-t care if you have a degree. They won-t get you a work visa either, but you can border hop until kingdom comes. I know peolpe who have been border hopping for two , three years.