Job Discussion Forums

[JohnRambo]

My contract at my university in South Korea is coming up in August. I am contemplating teaching in Istanbul at a university, preferably. I will be in Turkey on holiday very soon. It may be too soon to go in for interviews. I don't know too much about the university teaching scene in Turkey, but I enjoy Istanbul, and I have been there 4 times and can speak basic Turkish.
I've taught at a Korean university for 3 years and have an M.A. in TESOL.
Any advice would be duly appreciated.

[knashid]

Hello There-
I am in the same boat, and currently in Turkey on vacation. I tried several times to seek advice ,and ask to meet some teachers for coffee or a beer. I thought most of us are eager to help other TESOL, alas they are always complaining that they don't have enough contact with expats, you would think most people would like to meet and chat. I will have to say that the experience was very dissapointing. I am almost embarresed for being part of that group(ESL teachers). They never respond to emails,complain about the Turkish way of doing things (the superiority complex). However very few showed hospitable attitude responding with what they knew. I would say that you probably have to do some leg work going to some universities , setting up several meets and greets . My experience is that they will agree to meet you and give you some useful information . Don't expect too much from this group here. Many of them are very weird falks, and not welling nor able to help. Reading most of the posts will help you learn alot about many issues like salaries,working conditions, schools to avoid, changes in work permit rules and policies as well as many expats to avoid.
Best of luck!

[oipivo]

"...complain about the Turkish way of doing things (the superiority complex)..."

Live in Turkey for a year or two and then get back to us. Although, I must agree that a lot of strange people wind up teaching in Turkey.

[CECTPA]

Between the oversaturated TEFL market -- a lot of people who can't find jobs in the US and the UK, plus you have qualified Syrians who taught English back wherever they fled from coming here, for example -- I don't begrudge them but that wasn't a thing even two years ago -- and the iffy situation on a macro level, some of us are a little preoccupied with the fate of our own skins and our lives in this crazy place.

Add to that, there are more jobs, possibly, but a lot of them are controlled by agencies -- who ARE taking a cut before you even see it -- and driving wages down, and the skullduggery of various infamous outfits has gotten worse as they get more fresh meat. Also a lot of these new jobs are in places like Ataşehir, Kocaeli and Beylikdüzü and other remote areas where newcomers are isolated and may have a hard time adjusting.

Also, I get a sense that many of you outside the country believe that a university is the best job you can get here. I thought so too, then I heard about Beykent -- and got a job at a university myself. Beware of the setups where you're not working directly for the institution, but through some agency -- read the Beykent thread as a cautionary tale. Just make sure you're not getting all the aggravation of prep school and none of the advantages.

[svenhassel]

If you're talented and qualified you might get into sabanci, ozyegin is good if you're after a professional experience too. Koc and bilgi will pay you but lack quality. All the others, enter at your peril. Beykent? One of the worst ..

Those are the private uni's. Public uni's don't pay much..