Job Discussion Forums

[slas7713]

I am an american with a B.S. in Computing Science/Mathematics and will have my CELTA at the end of October. I have always had a bad case of wanderlust and have traveled extensively but continue to desire new cultures and new destinations. I have taught several computing/software classes to various business groups and have taught English in the Dominican Republic. My questions:

I would rather not have to go back to school for a Masters. With my degree and tech background do you feel I would have better opportunities and pay than someone with a less tech oriented degree?

Does my degree even make a difference? What about my development skills and background?

Is a masters the only way to really move ahead in this field?

How are the opportunities out there for tech/english related jobs?

All input is appreciated

Steve

[ls650]

[isanity]

There's plenty of demand for teaching IT classes in Thailand; mostly secondary school work.

[Glenski]

[Sgt Killjoy]

IN my opinion, you will probably be at an advantage. IT is a hotp topic wherever you go. Will it make you more employable in TEFL than someone with a Masters? Probably not, but do you want to spend another year or two in school before hitting the road?

[Glenski]

[tedkarma]

It depends on the country of course, but in SE Asia there is a growing trend of pseudo-international schools where all (or at least most) instruction is in English. Those schools DO look for people with backgrounds in the topics they are to teach.

Frankly, I don't think people use their past experience enough. This would depend on country of course - but it never hurts to go to the IT section of a university or college and have them connect you to the English department. They will see value in your skills and introductions mean a lot in Asia.

Keep ALL your options open - just because you go into EFL doesn't mean your past has no value. Some places it won't but ideally you can marry the two in some way. Many will pooh-pooh the idea - but I have a business background that I have exploited (in a positive way of course . . . ) and know people who have done the same with IT.

[slas7713]

Thanks to all for the input.

I forgot to add that my IT skills include over 10 years of software development and project management, even though that may not be relative here.

Another question. If I did work towards the masters I was looking at a possible master in International Relations. Ideas?

Thanks again for all the input.

Steve

[tedkarma]

Good idea if you want to work in "International Relations" - not so good if you want to work in something else. Considering time and money spent - get a degree in something that will enhance your employment possibilities.

That makes sense, right?

[slas7713]

I was thinking about an international related degree that offered a broader range of opportunities, including teaching, as opposed to MA in TEFL/TESL that limits my choices to only that area.

After reading many post on this site it appears that many people who have limited themselves in this way wish they would have gone the other route.

Steve

[isanity]

I don't understand your point. An MA in TESOL doesn't mean you have to teach ESOL for the rest of your life- it's just that it won't be much help to you in other fields. Similarly an MA in International Relations would be a useful qualification in some areas (I've no idea what a job in International Relations would be, but I suppose there must be some), but not in others (such as ESOL).

[Henry_Cowell]

Why don't you just stay in the corporate world and expand your role a bit to do training in corporate communication, software development management, and the like? Good trainers are much in demand all over the world in IT.

If you have no experience in corporate training, consider getting a certificate from a local community college or adult school.

[slas7713]

See, this is what good communication is all about. Thanks again for the replies.

Do you guys have any experience with corporate training in your field? What about corporate training to non english speaking? It seems like there would be crossover in these areas.

Steve

[Henry_Cowell]

Most big multinational corporations in Asia use English as the standard for in-house corporate communications. As a result, much of the training is done in English.

Here's a list of some of the internal training that my (U.S.-based) company is offering in its Asia offices during the upcoming months. Don't forget -- these are the non-technical courses. There is also training in some of the software development and design skills that you already have.

Writing on the Job
In this 5-day course, you will learn how to organize your writing effectively by paying attention to communicative functions and to the needs of your readers. The syllabus includes an intensive review of punctuation and grammatical usage; practice in editing for clarity, brevity, tone, and scan ability; and principles of writing e-mail, short proposals, instructions, business letters, and minutes and agendas. The emphasis is on learning to edit your own work for clarity and correctness. You complete weekly writing assignments, tailored to the writing requirements of your job, and receive written feedback from the instructor.

Writing with Intention
The writing process actually starts before you pick up a pen or place your fingers on a keyboard. It begins with defining what you are writing, for whom you are writing, why you are writing, and which writing approach to use. "Writing with Intention" addresses these defining matters, which you need to consider every time you sit down to write. The course includes lessons on how to link your writing to its purpose, how to modify your writing for different readers and audiences, and how to approach your content in a manner that supports the message type. In this course, business writing is taught as a collection of easy skill sets, not as a strained creative exercise. The lessons flexibly encompass almost any kind of business writing you may be required to perform on the job. No matter what your level of writing skill, if you write at work, you can benefit from this practical writing course.

Thinking and Communication Styles Workshop
Have you ever reflected upon why you elicit a certain reaction from a colleague or customer? Is there a particular person that frustrates or annoys you? Do you find it hard to complete certain tasks? Are individuals in your team in constant conflict? This 4 hour course will provide you with an awareness of why these situations may arise. It is a course where you will learn your own preferred method of 'seeing the world' as well as providing you with an understanding of the communication preferences of both clients and team members. This course is also a pre-requisite for attending any other course in the Emotional Competence Program.

Essential Presenting
Do you feel that your presentations are high impact? Are you able to tailor your style and message based on the preferences of the customer? Do you really think that your presentations are persuasive? Are you comfortable with your presentation plan? Can you engage your audience no matter the size or audience makeup? This 2 day course, which is based on studies of over 10,000 business presentations, will help you in delivering well planned, persuasive and targeted presentations every time.

Presentation Mastery
Would you like to plan a focused presentation in half the time? Do you comfortably use metaphors to grab your audiences attention? Are you able to handle difficult audiences? This 2 day course is for experienced presenters confronted by the most challenging audiences, wishing to take their business presenting and solution demonstrations to the next stage.

The Art of Negotiation
Do you constantly find yourself bargaining? Do you find it difficult to separate people from the problem? Are you able to recognise when it is not appropriate to negotiate? Based on in-depth research of what makes great negotiators, this 2 day course provides you with practical negotiation skills that will help you get what you want using a collaborative approach rather than stubborn haggling over positions.

The Art of Questioning
Do you understand what effective (versus ineffective) questions are? Are you confident at asking questions which build credibility and rapport with senior people? A study of 35,000 business meetings, negotiations and sales calls conducted in 26 countries found 'there is a direct association between the use of questions and the success of almost all interactions'. This 2 day session provides participants with the opportunity to focus on the investigative skills and behaviours used by successful business people around the world.

[Sgt Killjoy]