Job Discussion Forums

[Linda T.]

Hey guys . . . well the time has finally arrived for me to start actively seeking employment as an EFL teacher in Mexico (to begin working in September). Any advice (or encouragement?) would be most welcome.

Working for me are: 1. I have my TEFL Certificate (from ITTO GDL in 2006); 2. Will earn my BA in Communication next month; 3. Will be teaching ESL to young adults from all over the world for my third summer here in the states before heading off for Mexico; and 4. Have a totally awesome letter of recommendation from the academic manager at the school where I teach.

Against me are: 1. My age (almost 57. Although it doesn't give me any problems whatsoever health-wise or in terms of getting along well with my significantly younger co-workers, fellow university students, or my own students, according to some of the job announcements, it appears to be a problem for some employers in Mexico; 2. My university takes 3 months or so to issue my diploma so, while I could get some type of letter from the administration stating that I have earned it and could probably have that notarized, I won't have a diploma to show them (other than 2 AA/community college degrees); 3. I'll be doing my job hunting from the states because I can't afford to support myself for however long it might take to land the type of job I am looking for (which is to teach adults and/or teens in a private language school or university at a salary high enough to meet ALL my living expenses).

So, guys . . . what are the odds for getting the type of job I seek and, any advice for maximizing those odds???

[MO39]

Hi Linda, a hearty welcome from someone in her early 60s (me). I really don't think that your age would be a problem at any of the many language schools in Mexico City, which is where I am.

However, it would be almost unheard of for a language school to hire you before you get here. If you contact a school and the powers that be are interested in possibly hiring you, the most you will get is an invitation to set up an interview once you're in town.

I don't know if well-paying universities (there are lots here that don't pay very well) in this area would hire you sight-unseen. If you contact a university and they seem to be interested, make sure that they want you for their university-level students because most of them also have prepas attached to them and sometimes don't differentiate between the two parts of their institution when sending out feelers to prospective teachers. I once almost took a job with the Tec de Monterrey in Toluca till I found out that the position involved teaching at an associated prepa ilocated in a small boring town outside of Toluca proper.

Anyway, good luck and feel free to ask us friendly posters on the Mexico Forum any questions you need answered.

[dixie]

[Linda T.]

Thanks Mo39 and Dixie. Glad to have the concern over age and being able to make a living (yeah . . . single, Dixie) somewhat laid to rest, but it IS distressing to realize that my chances getting hired from here (the states) may be slim to non-existent. Any of you had much luck getting hired before you got to Mexico? If I absolutely HAVE to be there to get hired, what is the best time to come to minimize the days/weeks of joblessness (and how do you get yourself to refrain from accepting the first job offerred regardless of whether it's really what you want or not???).

Oh, and thanks Mo39 for the advice about the university association with Prepas. I definitely do NOT want to work for a prepa (the reason will be obvious to any regular readers/posters to this forum).

[MO39]

I can't speak about university jobs since the last one I had here was in 1980. However, I would suggest that if you opt for looking for work at a language school, it might be best to write to a few and ask when they'll be hiring for the fall. It's possible that they might hire you in June, for example, but classes wouldn't begin till September, in which case you'd need to bring enough money with you to tide you over till you got your first paycheck, which probably would be a month after you begin to work.

[dixie]

[Linda T.]

Sorry for the confusion, Dixie. Yeah, I mean a language school. I prefer to work with adults and teens, but understand that I might have a single class of kids which would be fine with me as long as the bulk of my students were adults and/or teens.

[dixie]