Job Discussion Forums

[Hmminator]

Hello,

I'm set to graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering in Software Engineering this June and am looking to get into TEFL as soon as possible afterwards (already been accepted onto a Trrnity CertTESOL course in July).

However, reading this forum I often see people refer to having a BA degree. Are people just speaking in general terms or do employers abroad prefer BA degrees and might hold it against me for having a BEng for teaching English instead?

Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

[nomad soul]

No, the mention of a BA is intended to mean any 4-year baccalaureate degree. The exception would be if the degree major is particularly relevant (e.g., reference to a BA in English).

In your case, the fact that you've completed a degree in a field of science that's desirable but are seeking to teach English is likely to puzzle some prospective employers and maybe put them off. Frankly, that was exactly my first thought: Why are you pursuing lowly TEFL jobs instead of lucrative software engineering opportunities? No need to give me an answer; however, I suggest you be prepared with a response when asked that question during interviews.

[Hmminator]

The simple answer is that I hate software engineering and want a job that involves dealing with people more and I want to travel.

I guess I should probably think of a better phrasing for that though!

Thanks!

[coledavis]

Generally, the demand for a degree is a generic one (except specialisms like English). However, your software engineering qualification may offer some additional work further down the road. You probably need to spend at least a year getting general TEFL experience under your belt, but after that you may find yourself doing some translation/editing/teaching for companies, who could well value your knowledge of software engineering (manuals, advertising/website copy etc).