Job Discussion Forums

[wwwordsmith]

Several general questions. Feel free to address any or all.

Anybody care to throw out a # as a realistic amount necessary to get abroad and get established until a regular paycheck can keep me afloat? This is in a scenario where I secure employment within just a few weeks of arriving overseas.

I know that Celta and Trinity, are a couple of the better teaching certificates to have. But what if I have a 140-hour i-to-i certificate with just 20 hours face to face in-class training; a business English specialist certificate from same; my bachelor�s in journalism; 10 years experience as a freelance writer/editor; and three years experience teaching ESL in the U.S.? I�m a native English speaker from the U.S. I�m in my mid-50s. Considering all this, am I in a good position without one of the upper-tier TEFL certificates?

In general, how far ahead should I begin correspondence and paperwork? How long does this complicated process take � in general?

What is the best up-to-date book about teaching in Europe and/or teaching overseas in general?

Thanks in advance for your consideration with any or all of this.

Wayne

[Glenski]

I would say that you should pick a country for people to help give advice to you about setup costs. I could give you figures for Japan, but you seem to be interested in Europe. Do you realize the severe limitations for work there for Americans?

As for certificates, people have different situations all over the world, so knowing where you plan to go specifically would help. Otherwise, I'd suggest looking at the plethora of threads here and elsewhere regarding how well "positioned" you would be with any particular cert.

Having a bachelor's in journalism usually means nothing either way to most EFL employers. They often seem to want anyone with a BA degree with any major. Again, where you plan to go may make a difference, as would knowing what sort of teaching you are shooting for (conversation school, public or private HS/JHS, international school, etc.).

Experience in freelance writing/editing is pretty meaningless to most teaching positions, too.

[johntpartee]

[naturegirl321]

Anybody care to throw out a # as a realistic amount necessary to get abroad and get established until a regular paycheck can keep me afloat? This is in a scenario where I secure employment within just a few weeks of arriving overseas.

Your i-to-i cert sounds fine. As to Europe, pick a country, laws vary. Your ESL experience is what? volunteer? full time? Primary school? University? Are you a licensed teacher?

Books go out of date quicly. the internet is the best, BUT, Susan Griffith has a couple of good books.

Paperwork varies. In some places you can get a job on Monday and be on the plan on Friday, in others, yo uhave to start the paperwork a good four to six months in adavance. As to money, I'd suggest at least 1K, but that depends WHERE you go and WHAT your employer gives you.

We need more info.

[spiral78]

Non EU teachers are eligible for legal working papers in most 'new' EU member countries. Western Europe is generally impossible, barring your ability to land a work/study program through a university or a working holiday visa - for which I don't think you'd be eligible, as they are usually limited to those under 35 or so. Well, or very swift marraige to a local

This means your options are the Czech Rep, Poland, Slovakia, etc.

In this case, i-to-i will put you at a disadvantage. I realise it has an on-site component, but I don't think that the 20 hours in class includes actual teaching practice with real students (does it?). This is considered key by reputable employers in the region. The biggest problem with a cert lacking actual supervised teaching practice in this region is that the area is a hotbed of CELTA and equivalent training centres. There are many, many new grads of these programs on the streets, and employers are not very inclined to consider potential newbie teachers with something less - no need. Employers in this region are generally quite savvy about the certs, as well, again because there are so many providers here.

As others, I don't think your other qualifications stand out particularly, though they are quite ok.

Jobs in this region are not generally found from abroad. You'll need to plan to have enough resources to get here, probably to take a one-month cert course, and to support yourself for a month or two afterwards.
Landlords normally want one month's rent as security and the month's rent up front, and you may pay the equivalent of a month's rent to an rental agency as well. Schools pay monthly, at the END of the month worked. Roughly, depending on the city/region you choose, you actually need several thousands in reserve at least.
Also, keep in mind that there is little to no work around in July and August. You might find something at a summer camp, but many teachers end up dry in this period, so you'll want to plan for worst-case and if you get lucky, good.

I think your best case scenario is to plan to come over for a cert course and try to get work lined up as soon as it's over. This is feasible - hundreds of newbies do it successfully every year. Time your course to coincide with a peak hiring period - normally late August through September. There is another small hiring wave in January, usually.
Another thing you'll want to do is to google Schengen zone. The laws that went into effect in Jan 2009 limit the stay in the entire zone to 90 days - after which you must exit the zone for 90 days. This means you need to get a work contract and start the work permit application process with the help of your employer within 90 days of entering the zone. It's do-able, but you'll need to know more about the legalities to time it for success.

Other posters are correct - when you narrow things down to a country, we can give more specific and useful advice. In your case, I think your best starting point is to find exactly where you CAN work legally and start from there. Europe is, as has been pointed out, severely limited for non-EU member citizens.

[spiral78]

Another point that bears repeating is that jobs in this region are not usually found from abroad. You will need to plan to come over and interview in person, in most cases. That means start-up costs.

Other parts of the world, where teachers are thinner on the ground, DO hire from abroad - and pay generally better than Europe, where wages are subsistence level. If finances are a consideration, you may want to look at Asia, I think.

[naturegirl321]

Sorry, I read 20 hours of classroom teaching. If you didn't teaching students, you'll be at a disadvantage.

[tttompatz]