Job Discussion Forums

[pjmazza419]

Hi all.

I'm looking for some advice to start out in Asia. So far it seems all roads are blocked.

Some key points about me:

29-year old male

2-year Associates degree (Computer Science)

TEFL certification (130 hours)

No experience

The 2-year degree is currently my main impediment, and I don't really have enough money to go looking for a job on foot. Is there any country that will give a guy like me a first chance?

Thanks in advance.

Pete

[tttompatz]

Until you actually complete a bachelor's degree you are pretty much out of luck in East and Southeast Asia for "LEGAL" (as in with a proper visa and necessary permits) work. In most of Asia now, teaching is considered to be a "licensed profession" (just like in the west) and the degree is a work as well as a visa requirement.

Cambodia may be a short term option (visa rules are still pretty lax) but it will be a short lived option since under the ASEAN frameworks they will have to meet the same standards as the rest of the ASEAN block by 2015.

It is also a pretty undeveloped market in terms of EFL so jobs are not as common, pay is poor and jobs are found "on the ground". You won't find anyone willing to "fly you over" based on an associates in a non-related field and a generic TEFL cert.

You also didn't mention your country of passport - it does make a difference (I assumed you were American).

If you are in fact American then Mexico, Central and South America are (albeit not well paid) options where you can get work.

Also, it is not in your best interests to be underfunded and seek work abroad. At a minimum you should have enough money to survive for a couple of months and have a backup return ticket to your home country.

Asia is not a nice place to be stranded and the days of the back-packer teacher have pretty much gone the way of the dodo bird.

.

[spiral78]

AS ttompatz has gone off territory already, I'll follow, though you haven't asked about other regions.

A 4-year degree is not a legal requirement in Central Europe, where US citizens can legally get work permits. The problems are that

1. you would be competing with most newbies who do have a 4-year degree and CELTA/equivalent certification.
2. you would be competing with EU nationals who do not need work permits: there are lots of legal hoops which do apply to US passport holders and do not apply to EU (UK) teachers, so employers make the obvious choice when feasible.
3. there are no employers who reimburse up front costs at the newbie level and jobs are found on the ground only (considerable start up costs apply).

This is a region that can work for the degree-less, but it's not a lucrative job market and people hoping to break in here need to be willing and able to foot fairly significant start-up costs.

[pjmazza419]

Many thanks to the both of you, disheartening as it is.

[tttompatz]

Head for the oil patch in Alberta.
Work your tail off for a year twisting rods on a service rig. Bank some coin.
Complete your BA (in anything but you may want to grab some education faculty courses as an option).
Only one or 2 more years of academic work after your associate diploma and things are much different.

Then you will have money in your pocket and the ability to work just about anywhere in Asia, Africa, South America, Central America and Eastern Europe.

.

[pjmazza419]

[mw182006]

[kona]

You can legally get work in Taiwan with an AA and a TEFL cert. Unfortunately, you run into a few other problems I think:

A. You won't get hired from abroad, so you need to head over to get work. That means you need money to make the transition. I wouldn't go without a return ticket and a couple grand aka a solid plan B.

B. Some employers DO require a BA, some could care less (look in less desirable locations)

C. It's a pretty saturated market. Taiwan is a pretty damn cool place, so a lot of people want to work there or end up staying there. As is true with most of the EFL world, entry level wages have been stagnant for the last 10 years, while inflation has risen. Plus, Taiwan has a relatively small market compared to China or even South Korea, with of course the ubuquitous demographic problem in developed Asia of a low birth rate.

Check the Taiwan board for more info though, I've never lived there, just got friends there.

[ptm234]

I worked in Taiwan for 2 years with an AA and TESOL certificate. It can be done but you have to set foot in Taiwan to do that. There are lots of schools who hire first time teachers. It will take some time because the market is more competitive especially in Taipei.