Job Discussion Forums

DaveW125 · Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 54

Hi,
im currently teaching in South Korea but am looking for something a bit different for my next job. Ive been thinking about trying to obtain a teaching job on one of the asia/pacific islands, however with of 20000 to choose from its a bit of a hefty task. Does anyone have any info on how easy it is to get jobs on these islands, salaries etc.... or maybe just point me in the direction of a good website.

any info would be greatly appreciated!!

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

China China China

Shan-Shan · Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 1074 Location: electric pastures

Sgt Killjoy · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 438

Yeah, you can still find ads for funky destinations, you just gotta do a lot more looking. With a larger pool of teachers willing to work in funky jobs, the funky destinations have to do less advertising.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

Beijing

Sgt Killjoy · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 438

ww, why do you say that? Both of us have been in this business for awhile. What's happened is that the career has opened up its doors to a lot more people and this has depressed salaries. You can blame the internet for doing that. Plus every joe bloggs thinks a 4 week certificate course makes you a some kind of professional teacher.

Now just suppose this is true:
Before, there were two camps, the real professional(MA and Phd) and the cowboys(maybe a 4 year degree but maybe just a BS in BS). The cowboys could make money and do good. They worked in the institutes and if they were good, they could move into higher paying positions and maybe even surpass the real professionals in earnings. The cowboys were never under the elusion they were real professionals and taught English for the money.

Now, it's all changed. You still have the real professionals at the upper echelons. You still have the cowboys with no qualifications, but now you got a huge middle area with all manner of people who all have a 4 week or maybe even an online certificate and they think they professionals. They're marketing themselves as such.

The cowboys have been left in the cold. Institutes have hired these new "professionals" and it works good. It works because most Asian countries work on face. At face value, these are better teachers and are willing to accept less salary because they are in it for the cultural experience. After a few years, they go back home and show pictures about their wonderful experience and then get down to building a career.

The cowboy teachers? They're relegated to lower and lower paying jobs. The ironic thing is that these cowboys teachers were a mixed bag. They're some best and worst TEFL teachers.

So what to do if your a cowboy? Get out and get to a place where the 4 week certificate crowd either hasn't trampled or where institute owners want cowboys or just go where the 4 weekers are too scared to go.

The funky destinations.