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vkieu01
Joined: 24 Oct 2007
Posts: 4
Location: Helsinki, Finland
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 Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:50 pm Post subject: EFL wages in Helsinki and other suggestions needed! |
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I am a US national (with a horrible command of Finnish) moving to Helsinki with my Finnish boyfriend in January 2008. I will be finished with my MA in TESOL in December. I was wondering if anyone can recommend any language schools in Helsinki? Also, what is a decent hourly wage to ask for in regards to part-time or freelance positions (I don't want to sell myself short)...It seems that the only jobs I have found, are rarely full time. Any other tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated...I understand it is very difficult for me to get a job over there, being a non-EU national.  |
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hollysuel
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:52 am Post subject: |
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Moi! Tervetuloa Suomeen! I'm an American who moved to Finland in 1998 right after receiving my MA TESOL as well. It is possible to get a job with your degree, but unfortunately you will be receiving the same wage as people with a BA plus certificate as degrees issued outside of Finland are treated with some suspicion.
Here are some websites for job hunting:
http://www.mol.fi
http://www.aarresaari.net/english/
General information about moving to Finland: http://www.finlandforum.org (they will be quite negative about your chances, but if you search the forum you will find a lot of good information.) OR http://www.iesaf.fi/sauna/index.php
The average starting salary for TEFL in Finland is about 17-20 euros an hour and can go up as you have experience in the particular language school. Most of the TEFL jobs available will be freelance teaching in companies. It is possible to get into the language center at the universities, but I believe they also will start people out as a freelancer (although the starting pay is a bit higher), but am actually not really sure as I have worked in the private sector mostly.
Frankly, if you plan on remaining in Finland for a long time, I would look into the 'integration program' offered to help people learn the Finnish language as once you start teaching full time your opportunities to really learn the language will decrease significantly. Search the Finland Forum board for information on this program--it is for newly arrived immigrants who are unemployed--you get a small daily allowance and go to an intensive Finnish course for about four months. Most people that do this course are fairly successful with learning the language. Those people who come here and are lucky enough to find a full-time job are not as successful thus making integration a bit more difficult. |
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vkieu01
Joined: 24 Oct 2007
Posts: 4
Location: Helsinki, Finland
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 4:29 am Post subject: |
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Kiitos Hollysuel!!.... <-------A long ways from learning 15-16 cases...
You have given me a new sense of optimism within the Finnish TEFL job market!! I actually contacted the University of Helsinki Language Centre (I have an acquaintance that worked there through the fellowship program) as well as a few other companies i.e. Adulta, EF, Berlitz etc. but so far nothing. Hopefully it will be easier when I am actually there. I asked my boyfriend to take a look at the "integration program" as well. The reason why we are going to Finland is so he can work on his Master's (the luxury of free education).
I have looked at the Finland Forum and yes, it is indeed very discouraging, but it has provided me with a lot of information. Anyways, I have a few quick questions, I am a person of Vietnamese heritage, but a native English speaker...Do you think that will be a problem? It seems that I have encountered a slight discouragement from students in regards to my teaching abilities in China (I don't know about Finland)...since generally English teachers are suppose to look "caucasian or western."
Also, Were you also able to make a decent living off freelance positions? I think one of my main worries is acquiring a resident permit and a tax card. I guess I have three months to figure that out, but was it difficult to obtain those things when you first moved?
Sorry about the billions of questions asked and the longest reply in the world!
I appreciate the information that you have provided. Your knowledge and experience on this topic has given me hope for this transition. |
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poro
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 274
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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I broadly agree with Hollysue, and would add that there are opportunities for full-time employment in public schools, particularly if you can teach more than one foreign language - even if you can't speak Finnish, and even if you aren't qualified in one of the languages, surprisingly enough. They will be interested, if they think you can do the job.
(This may sound odd, but I am assured it's true in outlying areas, where posts can stay vacant for up to a year because there are no appropriate applicants).
The preferred language-mix for such posts is Swedish/English; but there are jobs available for people who can teach English and any other European language.
Finding such posts can require a bit of research, but Hollysue's MOL link is the best place to start. Good luck! |
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hollysuel
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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I definitely think it will be easier when you arrive as most companies don't want to/can't sponsor a visa. So, once you have arrived with a residence permit (your boyfriend as your sponsor) than they will gladly hire you IF they have the openings. Most language schools operate between September and May, but hire as needed. My company in Tampere is currently looking for a native speaker (right now) and has had difficulty finding people who are not only native speakers, but qualified as well.
Frankly, I have not worked freelance--I'm one of the lucky ones who has had a full-time (12-month) contract--(I was recruited at the TESOL conference in Seattle in �98 ). However, my understanding is that if you are a really good teacher you will have no problems living as a freelancer. At first, it may be difficult as the schools will just 'try you out' with a few classes and then once you get good feedback and they know what you can do--you can work full-time hours.
I don't think race will be an issue if you are a good teacher and have a native speaking accent. However, many of the students would like to learn other accents as well--I often get requests on how to understand the Indian accent or the Nigerian accent... |
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hollysuel
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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| I just thought of this--you are moving to the Helsinki metropolitan area, right? That is one of the reasons that it would be difficult for a language school to sponsor a working visa--there are too many foreigners in Helsinki for the company to justify to the immigration department to sponsor the visa. I didn't have any problems because I was not recruited for Helsinki, but for a smaller city and I also had my MA TESOL. The EU citizens that were hired did not have as high qualifications as they didn't need to justify anything to immigration. Also, in the last ten years there has been a lot of foreigners coming to Finland because of family ties and even the small cities like Tampere are no longer recruiting from abroad if they can find the people here... |
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poro
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 274
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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| hollysuel wrote: |
| ...in the last ten years there has been a lot of foreigners coming to Finland because of family ties and even the small cities like Tampere are no longer recruiting from abroad if they can find the people here... |
To put this in perspective, the proportion of 'foreigners' in Finland from 1990 to 2006 has increased from less than 1% to 2% or thereabouts, and almost all of them live in the south.
And it's right they should be recruited for work. Didn't they want that? |
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hollysuel
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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| poro wrote: |
| hollysuel wrote: |
| ...in the last ten years there has been a lot of foreigners coming to Finland because of family ties and even the small cities like Tampere are no longer recruiting from abroad if they can find the people here... |
To put this in perspective, the proportion of 'foreigners' in Finland from 1990 to 2006 has increased from less than 1% to 2% or thereabouts, and almost all of them live in the south.
And it's right they should be recruited for work. Didn't they want that? |
You are absolutely right and that is why it would be difficult for a non-EU person to be sponsored for an EFL teaching job like I was--I was probably one of the last lucky ones to get in this way! |
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poro
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 274
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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| hollysuel wrote: |
| ...that is why it would be difficult for a non-EU person to be sponsored for an EFL teaching job like I was--I was probably one of the last lucky ones to get in this way! |
Apologies, but I disagree with that.
Most of the immigrants - the few that there have been - are incapable of communicating properly in English on entry, let alone Finnish. Don't agree with me, just look at the stats.
We need more Finnish/lang teachers and more teachers like you, imho |
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hollysuel
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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| poro wrote: |
| hollysuel wrote: |
| ...that is why it would be difficult for a non-EU person to be sponsored for an EFL teaching job like I was--I was probably one of the last lucky ones to get in this way! |
Apologies, but I disagree with that.
Most of the immigrants - the few that there have been - are incapable of communicating properly in English on entry, let alone Finnish. Don't agree with me, just look at the stats.
We need more Finnish/lang teachers and more teachers like you, imho |
I agree with you that we don't have enough qualified EFL teachers, but how can we convince the language centers/schools to hire people who are qualified as opposed to just hiring someone because they have the right accent and are already in Finland because of a significant other? Of course, that is a problem worldwide. The schools would rather hire a 'native' speaker who is local as opposed to someone who they have to sponsor and has 'jumped through the hoops to get qualified'.
Usually, we get a new teacher who has either not gone through a tefl course or has done the internet training with no practical training. First thing I do is give them a book off the shelf on 'how to teach grammar'! |
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poro
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 274
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:43 am Post subject: |
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| hollysuel wrote: |
| First thing I do is give them a book off the shelf on 'how to teach grammar'! |
Yikes, is it really that bad?
Oh well, back to the drawing board... |
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hollysuel
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:21 am Post subject: |
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| poro wrote: |
| hollysuel wrote: |
| First thing I do is give them a book off the shelf on 'how to teach grammar'! |
Yikes, is it really that bad?
Oh well, back to the drawing board... |
If the OP is a really good teacher--she will have no problems freelancing and making enough money to survive (eventually) as we have a lot of people teaching English, but not all can teach well! |
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poro
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 274
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:20 am Post subject: |
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| hollysuel wrote: |
| ...not all can teach well! |
You could be right there, Hollysue, but how do you know? Do you have spy-cams in their classes?    |
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hollysuel
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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| poro wrote: |
| hollysuel wrote: |
| ...not all can teach well! |
You could be right there, Hollysue, but how do you know? Do you have spy-cams in their classes? |
You are right--how do I know?
I've had students complain about my courses enough times as every teacher has from time to time. No one can be perfect 100% of the time. I do believe, however, that the schools should hire people who have at least 'jumped through the hoops' for qualifications as opposed to just saying--you're a native speaker and have the right permit so we can hire you... |
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poro
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 274
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| Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:30 am Post subject: |
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| hollysuel wrote: |
| I do believe, however, that the schools should hire people who have at least 'jumped through the hoops' for qualifications as opposed to just saying--you're a native speaker and have the right permit so we can hire you... |
Indeed, few would disagree with that.
But you aren't afflicted with problems like that in Tampere, are you? |
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