Job Discussion Forums

[Nicmelide]

Hi,
Hoping someone can help me. I'm currently working in Galicia as an English Language assistant for the British Council (socrates program) in a secondary school, and I also have a few adult and kids classes in the evening. I really want to stay in Spain for at least another year, but don't know where to start to find another job. I'd like to try living in another region of Spain, but am pretty open to where, any recomendations welcome!

My Spanish has gone from non-existant to passable since October, and will hopefully improve more in the next few months, but don't think I'll be fluent by June! I graduated from uni in Scotland (British passport) in June 2006, and by June 2007 (when my current job ends) I will have taught in Spain for 9 months and also spent a month teaching in Romania. However I have no TEFL qualifications. Is it worth doing a CELTA over the summer? Also, how and when should I approach schools? As I'm in Spain I can visit other cities for interviews etc, but guess I need to get in touch with them first, is it better to email a CV? In English or Spanish?!

All tips and comments gratefully recieved! Thanks!

[Moore]

The Yellow Pages (Paginas Amarillas) are the way forward, wherever you want to work.

I personally recommend Madrid, there's a ton of work here, and you don't need a qualification if you have experience (...sorry: can't resist the chance for a plug - if you want to send your cv around every school in Madrid automatically, our website has an automatic cv sending service ...plug over, apologies...), but you can do it yourself with the Yellow Pages of course.

There's not much work over summer here in Madrid though, so I would recommend staying up in Galicia to do summer camps until September.

[Nicmelide]

Thanks, should CVs be in Spanish or English? nothing wrong with the plugging, sounds useful!

[Moore]

Always in English - just make sure you do a really thorough spell-check: it's quite amazing how many prospective English teachers send us their cvs to send out with spelling mistakes in them (we do try to correct them before we send them to the schools though!)