Job Discussion Forums

nickyoung · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Posts: 8

Hi there,

i got my CELTA certificate at the end of last summer and am hoping to start teaching in Europe in september/october 2005 -earlier if i can. Since i got the cert i have been applying for various jobs without much success. I really want to get started efl teaching but any jobs i apply for or like the look of always require experience. As this would be my first EFL job (as well as for personal reasons) I would like to teach in either western or central europe rather than anywhere further east for the moment. In particular I've been looking for jobs in poland, czech republic, spain, portugal and italy. a couple of places in poland and prague have expressed an intrest in me working for them and then decided that they didn't - places in spain and portugal that I emailed didn't even bother to reply. -i've been mainly looking at job adverts on this site and tefl.com

Basically I'm now stuck doing a very dull office job in the UK and I'm guessing there won't be many EFL posts that start before september. What I wanted to ask you guys is what can I do in the next few months that will improve my chances of getting an EFL job for the next academic year.

-Should I plan to go to a big city in one of these countries near the end of the summer and just go round every school till i find work?

-If I were to spend 6 months brushing up on my spanish/polish/czech.etc would that improve my chances of finding work in that country by any great degree?

-should i choose a city (Madrid say) and email every single language school i can find in that city asking if there is any work availible?

I'm certainly going to look for work at a summer school in the UK as well. Will this improve my chances because i'll at least have had a little experience? does anyone know of any summer school organizations that might offer more permanent work after the summer?

I'd love to hear any suggestions you've got.

cheers

nick

British · Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 133 Location: China

Hi nickyoung

Welcome to the Forum.

If you are looking to work in China there are many Agents here that can help you, but be careful some are free some are not Read the contract before you sign.

good luck.

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

I've got some experience placing teachers in Central and Western Europe. It's not impossible to get a job lined up in advance, but it's fairly rare. Over the years, schools have hired teachers who turned out to be something other than they'd claimed, or never showed at all. Basically, the schools want to see you standing in their offices, business dress on, CV in hand, looking professional and responsible. With your credentials, I think you'd be running an acceptable risk to relocate in August to a city you think you'd like, then start making the rounds. If you decide on Poland or some other country in the area, you should find plenty of schools that will want to interview you at end August for mid September start. Spain or Italy may schedule interviews for early September, since so many people are on holiday for the month of August.
By the way, "British" ain't, so take advice with a grain of salt. Not that you'd asked any questions about China anyway.

Sekhmet · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 329 Location: Alexandria, Egypt

I would be pragmatic about going for jobs in Europe in your situation - if only because the majority do want some experience. Why not take a summer school job, and see if that helps any? Alternatively, go to another country for a year. I know that Europe seems so much closer for us Brits, but there are other places. And I mean, places that don't need at least 2 years experience to have a chance of getting even a half-decent job.
Try a country that isn't on the other side of the planet. And then, when you have a year or two experience, you can move closer to home. Thats what I'm doing!!!
Good luck!!!

Finnegan · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 37 Location: Canada

Hi Nick,

Not to ask a personal question unless you wish to partake, but besides the CELTA certificate, what other credentials, academic or otherwise, have you earned?

IanN · Joined: 31 Jul 2004 Posts: 78 Location: Valencia

I agree with Spiral especially for Spain. It would be rare for a school to respond to an email as there are plenty of teachers who appear in person.

Another important criteria for Spain is that your CV must have a photo on it or it will not get past the bin. A lot of people don't agree with putting a photo on but that's the way it is here: not very politically correct, I know, but it is acceptable here to say in a job advert what sex you would like the candidate to be.

nickyoung · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Posts: 8

thanks everyone for your very helpful comments,

finnegan in answer to your question aside from a CELTA I have a (cough) Philosophy degree 2.1 from Bristol University. I've also got A Levels in English Lit (A), Philosophy (B), Music (B).

I should probably ask this on the appropriate country board but are there many summer school organizations looking for teachers in Spain/Poland/Czech etc..? Or does anyone recomend any good ones in the UK -maybe even run by companies who might be able to give me work abroad after the summer...

but yeah thanks again everyone.

-Nick

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

Your best bet for summer school work is very likely in the UK, I think. CZ and Poland have little summer work, and what's there is usually taken up by teachers who have fulfilled regular school year contracts and are staying on. Spain, I'm unsure. You could also check into Malta; there are a ton of summer schools advertised.

anospi · Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 12:09 pm Post subject:

Hi spiral78. Can you provide any more info about teaching work in Malta? I've recently completed my CELTA, and am interested in finding work in Malta sometime after June. I should (fingers crossed) be a dual Australian/Maltese citizen by then.

Thanks
Will

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

Sorry - my personal experience with schools on Malta has been limited to internet searches. However, there are quite a few, and they advertise for summer jobs. With your Maltese citizenship, you should be a shoo-in, I'd think. Maybe someone can offer more direct advice, but I would start right away searching the internet and sending out CVs, both by email attachment and by letter. You might be able to get interviews lined up, making a journey to Malta pretty certainly an acceptable risk. I would still not expect to get a contract in advance, but if you can line up several interviews, it's worth it to go.