Job Discussion Forums

[TitanicWreck]

I just procured my TEFL Certification- but I don't expect to leave Boston anytime soon, as I am more or less broke and am one check away from being late for rent-I don't have the $$ to fly and resettle in any foreign country-...In the meantime, i am working in sales, which i **LOATHE****. I hate sales. I would love to be teaching English to students for whom English is not their native language- but people have been telling me the TEFL certification may be gold outside the states, but inside the states- its useless- as a Masters degree in TEFL or ESL is what employers seek in prospective employees....

I have been tutoring some Russians in English, but it's a volunteer gig- Any suggestions where in Boston I should seek PAYING opportunities to teach English? one friend said I need to be my own buinessman, and work for myself, charging to tutor people one on one...

I'd love to fly to Japan or Thailand or Russia to teach, but I barely have enough money to pay my rent, much less fly overseas...It's a crushing reality....

I put my TEFL certification in a drawer, I wonder if i'll ever be able to use it to find a paying job? At 38 I may be too long in the tooth...

What really stinks is that I more or less make an hourly wage, and am broke...I really wish i could use this new skill to teach- and make money..I feel trapped..

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Consider a TEFL position in Korea.

They pay quite well and usually provide airfare.

Check out the Korean Job Offered Board here at Dave's.


In Korea, you can live well, save 10K US per year

and put that new certificate to good use.



I'd say 'bin' the crappy sales job and go for it.



PS:

Say hi to the Honourable Barney Frank for me.

I worked on his first election campaign 25 years ago.

[TitanicWreck]

[quote="Kent F. Kruhoeffer"]Consider a position in Korea.

They pay well and usually provide airfare.

Check out the Korean Job Offered Board here at Dave's.


In Korea, you can save around 10K US per year

and put your new certificate to good use.









If airfare is covered that would be fantastic. Barney Frank is a super human being, i'm proud he's from my state of Massachusetts (but I wouldn't say the same about Mitt Romney).
Is it difficult finding a place to stay when in Korea?

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

With most TEFL jobs in Korea, an apartment is provided at no cost.

It may be a small, private apartment, or shared - read carefully.

Airfare may be paid up front, or possibly one-way to Korea,

with the return ticket paid at the end of your contract.


- friendly warning -


Don't discuss Korea too much here or this thread will disappear.

There's a forum specifically for Korea. You'll need to register separately,

or you can just lurk around in the background and browse through the posts.


I just wanted you to know that there are some TEFL options

that don't require you to have tons of cash saved up.

Korea is one of the better options in that regard.

[TitanicWreck]

Thanks for the advice, Kent!

[naturegirl321]

I think that inside the USA, it's pretty much useless. You're up against those with teaching certs, MA, etc.

[jillford64]

Don't know what it is like in Boston, but in California and Nevada some Adult Education programs (where students are not taking the classes for a grade) will hire you with a bachelor's degree and a TEFL certificate. Some don't even require the TEFL certificate. These jobs are part-time and pay by the hour.

[mdk]

In California that TEFL and $5 will get you a cup of coffee...but.... if you pass the CBEST test (if I recall the name properly) you can sub or you can probably get on with a provisional credential. Here in Fresno you can get all the Korean food you like without having to actually go there.

It's a thought, anyway.

P.S. Bulgogi ....mmmmmm!

P.P.S. If you can't pass the CBEST you could probably have a good shot at a mental disability rating.

[jillford64]

I disagree that a TESL certificate only is worthless inside the US.

It isn't easy, but it is possible to eke out a living teaching ESL in southern California (LA and Orange County) with only a TESL certificate. The problem is that all the jobs will be part time so you will have to work at several places and drive between them during the day. Some places I know of that will hire someone with only an ESL-cert: Private language schools (not private K-12 schools) will pay between $15-$20 per hour. Santa Ana College, School of Continuing Education pays $35/hour. I once applied for a job at an organization (sorry, I can't remember the name) that provides classes to service employees at UCLA that paid $50/hour. In Irvine, you can charge $50 or more for private lesson to managemers/engineers (and their non-working wives) who are from Asia and who work at pharmacuetical/biotech or other similar companies.

I suppose southern California could be unique. I don't know.

[naturegirl321]

[mdk]

I am temporarily back in California. It may be possible to pick up some privates, but you would be in competition with the local 2 year community college system I think. They only charge a nominal fee for the whole course. You would have to cherry pick people who had enough money and motivation to hire a private.

You must also consider that you would inevitably need a car. There is no public transportation comparable to Barcelona or Moscow. I am currently pulling down $32 and hour (not teaching) and an obscene amount of that goes to taxes and gasoline, car insurance, tires. It would only be worse south of Bakersfield. Everytime I fill up it is that much longer before I can get back overseas.

[rusmeister]

I had a similar problem - my MA and mega experience didn't help me at all.

I ultimately got my K-12 cert, then left the states anyway. I can teach anywhere now, and realized I don't want to teach in the US.

I do sympathize. The system of cert requirements is evil and the beneficiaries are not us and not the students.

[jillford64]

mdk: I lived in Fresno for a long time, which is where I assume you are based on a previous statement. I agree that you are competing with the local community college and getting good paying privates will be tough. This is probably the case anywhere in the Central Valley.

In areas like Irvine and the Silicon Valley, where there are foreigners working in a technical field, the market is better. Certainly in LA you need a car; do not know about the Bay Area.

[mdk]

Hmmm, I could see getting along in the Bay Area without a car. Maybe if you stuck to the Mission district. You could get around on BART if you weren't in a hurry and thus you could cover the east bay. Maybe some Afghans down in Fremont


You know, if you just wanted to teach English and were willing to take scratch, you could probably find work in places like Huron or Santa Anna. I guess it depends upon how badly you want to teach. I guess it would be sort of like the peace corps only here.

[Nutmegger]

Believe that there are other places other than the country which must not be mentioned that provide you with airfare and accomodation. Not as common, but check it out.

On the domestic side; perhaps freelance is your best approach. Start putting up posters, especially in neighborhoods where you don't hear as much English being spoken. Have a stack of business cards in your pocket and be ready to hand them out. See about the possibility of setting up a class like in the Simpsons, the Homer tells Marge's secrets one, and advertise around university campi as well.

You'll probably have to work sales while your business develops, but you should be able to whittle down the hours selling while you build up your teaching English hours.