Job Discussion Forums

[ladylavende]

I will be graduating in May with my M.A. in Linguistics and a TESOL certificate from my university. I'd really like to get some international teaching experience, and I was hoping to do so in Europe. I know, I know, it's not easy for Americans to find work in the EU, but I know it's not impossible, and I really want to try for it. I actually taught in France for a school year a few years ago (through a special assistantship program for Americans), so I've got a little experience abroad, plus my extensive training for my M.A. and certificate and the teaching I've been doing for the past two semesters.

My question is: Where should I apply? I think I've got better than average credentials, and yet I still feel like I'm not qualified enough for some of the dream jobs (working in international schools, for instance). I'd prefer working with adults, but I'm open to working with kids (my time in France was spent with high school students), and I'm willing to work just about anywhere in Europe. One problem: simply packing it all up and moving to, say, the Czech Republic, and job hunting once I get there simply isn't an option for me. I need a job before I go, and I know that the best places don't often recruit abroad.

So, can anyone point me in the best direction? I've been reading all your posts, which have been extremely helpful, but I can't seem to find too many people on this board with the same situation as me. Help!

[spiral78]

OK, this post is cast in general terms throughout. That's because you've posted in the General Europe forum, and generalities are essentially all we can offer unless you zero in on some country/specific region. (Caveat coming before I get slammed for offering generalities!)

I have similar qualifications (BEd + MA TESL/TEFL), but 12 years of experience on top of it, along with a few other miscellaneous related accomplishments added to my CV.

From personal experience, I can tell you that qualifications (and experience) are not usually enough to unlock Western European countries for an American. It usually takes a local reputation, local language skills, and local contacts, even in those countries where a school actually DOES have a legal right to apply for an exception to EU-only hiring laws.

Just getting started, you are most likely effectively limited to the 'new' EU member states. You are right, most reputable schools do not hire from abroad. The DOS wants to see you standing in his/her office, CV in hand, looking professional and reliable, before committing to anything.

Reading between the lines of your post, I'd be a bit worried that you are thinking of relocating to Europe without much financial cushion (is this why you 'need' to have a job lined up in advance?). If so, seriously think twice. You have time - the hiring season is late August through September, with most contracts running Sept/Oct through June. Work is thin on the ground in July and August, and what's around normally goes to teachers who were here and worked the regular contract through first.

Consider your start-up costs: flight tickets (schools in this region don't pay for this). Most schools pay monthly, at the END of the month worked. Most landlords want rent monthly, at the BEGINNING of the month. You will likely also have to pay a month's rent up front as a security deposit, and may need to pay up to a month's rent to a real estate agent, who finds you a flat and negotiates a contract in the local language (not so easy to do on your own:)).
When you are abroad, a little bad luck can go a long way ...make sure you always have access to enough money to keep you safe!!

On the positive side, I think you could apply at international schools, though openings are relatively rare.

Teaching children is becoming more common in countries such as the Czech Rep, and this may be one of the contexts where qualified teachers are hired from abroad, and where your credentials might give you an edge over teachers with basic newbie qualfications currently in the country. Search on the Czech forum - at some point in the past there were a couple of posts about such a school in Prague.

I would personally limit my search in this area to countries where I could get legal working permits - don't get into an illegal job teaching children in Spain, for example. The potential repercussions are pretty high these days.

If you're willing to incur the start-up costs, and target countries where you can work legally, you'll certainly find something. You're not likely to make much extra money, but you can get a start, at least.

[SueH]

Just to add personal experience to a model answer from Spiral!

I'm EU so no issues on that score, nor do I need to work full time although now the sterling is down against the euro I need to work not quite so very part-time! I would comment on set-up costs though. Here in Italy, for example, rental advances can be 3 months rent. In addition pay can even be at the end of the semester, although that was with local state schools, and I've had even more delays with training organisations. It's taken me time to make the contacts to get that work.

I'd try the international school avenue although maybe the CR might be a possibility. Certainly in many countries the age of starting English in schools has gone down but the supply of local teachers with adequate English hasn't.

[Nmarie]

With a Master's, French language skills, experience in France, and an enormous amount of LUCK, you could possibly snag a lecteur/lectrice post in a French university. It is basically an assistantship, except more money, more responsibility, and no centralized program through the Embassy in Washington. Apply directly to the universities. Many of these posts are reserved for doctoral candidates on exchange, but not all. No problem being American - they give you all the necessary documents to obtain a temporary work permit. I was a lectrice at two different universities - by applying independently, and with no administrative EU ties at the time.

Like the assistantship program, the job is limited to two years (if renewed after the first year).

[hollysuel]

Are you by any chance going to the TESOL conference in Denver at the end of March? I haven't looked at the job postings, but that is how I got my foot into Europe back in 1998. I went to the TESOL conference when I was finishing my MA TESOL and thought I would end up in Asia or the Middle East, but got a job offer in Finland as well. Ten years later I am still here... Might be worth a try... I do agree with the other posters that it is very difficult for non-EU to teach here legally! (Guess I was just lucky)

[ladylavende]

There's a lot of great advice here; thanks! I know Western Europe is pretty much out... though the lectrice idea is tempting. I gave up on finding a way back into Western Europe a long time ago.

When I say I "need" a job before going, that's frankly because I don't have the guts to just show up abroad and hope I find something. I have some money saved, so I'm prepared for the upfront costs.

I think I will start applying to some of the international schools. I feel like the pay would be better at those places and they'd offer a little more job security than the language schools I've seen scattered throughout cities like Prague and Krakow. But are any of those language schools worth it? Or should I just go visit the country specific boards for that kind of question? I posted here mainly because there isn't a country I'm particularly leaning towards more than any other.

[spiral78]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'worth it.' But private school jobs generally pay subsistence wages - enough for you to live ok and enjoy the country, but not to save up or travel extensively or pay off debts back home. They tend to be kind of dead end, in the sense that, as a teacher at a private language school, your income opps will always be limited. One can possibly move up to DOS or teacher trainer positions, if that's where your interests lie.

Maybe you're already aware, but private language centres normally cater to businesspeople in their offices. So, you're facing commuting around all day to your students, and will often start early and end late, with a gap mid day. Don't imagine the bulk of your work being in some nice classroom at a school.

If you want advice about some specific shools, I suggest you post on the country-specific forums.

[ladylavende]

What I mean by "worth it" is simply: will working for one of these schools look good on the resume when I'm applying elsewhere? Can I take my experience at one of these language schools and use it to impress better employers in Europe or back home in the States? I think I'd ultimately like to wind up back in the US someday, but I know that having international experience would be a big bonus for me.

[spiral78]

Private language centres are essentially entry level in the field. Better than no experience on your CV, but it's probably not going to help you much in terms of moving up, at least not in my opinion. There are too many thousands and thousands of newbie teachers with exactly this on their CVs for it to especially impress those who hire for universities or international schools.

If you're going back to the States and you think some newbie level international experience on your CV will look good to US employers, go for it. I myself don't have any experience in the US ESL market. I know that at the university where I taught in Canada, this kind of private language school experience overseas wasn't especially highly regarded, but the market may be different there.

[Jj99]

Does anybody have any information about teaching in Kristiansand, Norway?
How's life there? Cost of living?