Job Discussion Forums

[Justin Trullinger]

Hi again, all,

I'm just curious about the usefulness of these EFL job ads we see all over the internet- Here on Dave's it seems that their principal purpose is to provide cannon fodder for us to make fun of, but I wondered how useful you feel they are as a job finding tool. Has anybosy (else) ever got a job through them? Was it what you expected? Where did you find it?

I have been teaching EFL for about six years, and have had four different jobs. The majority I found through contacts, door knocking, etc, and only one of them was through an internet ad. (Here on Dave's) While I really feel like I lucked out, as it�s a job I quite like, I have heard no end of complaints around town from people who feel like their jobs were mis-represented to them before they arrived. So, how do you tell a good job ad from a bad one? And what information should a good job ad contain?

Thanks a lot,
Justin

[moonraven]

Actually, I have gotten quite a few jobs as a result of Internet ads--I think 4 from tefl.com ads, but that site has gone way downhill over the past 3 years. I got a couple from sites that I don't recall, and one from the online version of Chronicle of Higher Education. I have had numerous offers from employers who posted jobs in Internet--many of which were legitimate but didn't interest me.

A couple of them turned out to be different from the way they were presented--one I left after 3 days, another after 3 months.

[ls650]

I found my first teaching job through www.tefl.com The job was as described, and I have no complaints.

[EnglishBrian]

Even though it was a very small outfit, my first job came through an (admitedly miniscule) ad. in The Guardian. The Director told me he liked to advertise there 'cos it brought in the kind of teachers that'd fit in with the existing teachers and school philosophy.

After that he changed to TEFL.com. What I don't like in job ad's is when they don't state the salary. I seem to recall a couple of years back the EL Gazette announcing they wouldn't run job ads that didn't say the pay because any real or serious job would do that. They should also say something about the 'feel' of the school - size matters! The atmosphere perhaps.

Aside from that, the big change that I think internet adverts have brought about is that they could, if they wanted, put a stack more info about the job/school in the ad than they ever could in a newspaper with limited space. Perhaps people put far more importance on the job ad. now and less on the interview, where in the past you could only get very basic info in the ad. People need to remember the stress should be on the interview as a place for each party to find out about the other. It's the job of the candidate to probe the school as much as the other way around - and I wouldn't touch anywhere that asked me in an interview how I'd teach some language point or other.

TEFLcom must be reaching a lot of people now cos I see the British Council have started putting some of their less popular positions on there. Have to be honest and say I've never seen any job on Dave's I'd ever consider, and I don't even bother looking there now - too many places on there just looking for a BA in Folk Dance and an American accent.

Still like purusing TEFL.com for the amusing school names though. I think I saw 'The Cool School of English' in Poland a while back, but it's a shame all the Korean jobs have disappeared from the EL Gazette now - we used to spend Friday afternoons going through those for a laugh. I'd swear I once saw an ad. for the Big Dong English School.

[Justin Trullinger]

Hey, thanks guys!

And Brian, do you have the details for Big Dong? It sounds like it could be what I'm looking for in my next teaching opportunity...

Regards,

Justin

[Sheep-Goats]

If you dig around a little harder you'll find that most countries have a dedicated job board and that really it's the one here at Dave's that isn't so hot -- mostly jobs that can't get filled any other way.

Examples:

Thailand: www.ajarn.com
Taiwan: www.tealit.com

Of course, once you're in the country (of if you're in a nearby country or a country with a cycle of teachers for another country -- the 'ol Thaliand-Kuwait cycle, for example) you'll get better positions through a friend as that saves everyone interviewing stress and hassel -- but it's hard to do that to get started, and there are a lot of really good jobs thrown up on the internet.

[Chris_Crossley]

What I can't stand are the advertisements I find online (including on the TEFL.com web site) that say that part of the compensation is a "competitive local salary". LOCAL?! What makes them think I am interested in a LOCAL salary?! I want the expat salary, which is supposedly at least 10 times higher than the local salary, thank you!!!!

[EnglishBrian]

Can the phrase "Good local salary" be used in any context other than an ad. for a TEFL job?

[denise]

I've interviewed for, and accepted, a few jobs via online ads. I guess I have been lucky, because they have all been what they said they were. What they said they were varied, but I always knew what I was getting into and didn't find any upleasant surprises.

When I head back to the US, I will be more thorough about where I look for job ads--I will still search online, but I will look more closely at specific school districts, colleges, etc.

In addition to this site and tefl.com, I also look on www.craigslist.com. They don't often have ESL positions, but they pop up every now and then.

d