Job Discussion Forums

thayes1987 · Joined: 24 May 2012 Posts: 2

I have a degree in applied psychology and I also have some voluntary experiance of working in a school in the UK.

were would i stand the best chance of getting a job with this background?

Im not really looking to save money, just have a good time while im there.

any advice would be much appreciated.

thanks

tttompatz · Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 2:06 pm Post subject: Re: were should i go?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

To compete in Spain and Italy and the rest of the EU, you'll need a teaching certificate, CELTA or equivalent - simply because most people on the job market have one, so anything less puts your CV at the bottom of the pile.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Constructive criticism here:
I hope you use spell-checker in your applications and resumes. I don't mind a bit of Internet-ese typing on these forums (lack of punctuation, no capital letters beginning sentences, mixing spellings of "i" and "I"), but misspelling words like "where" and "experience" when you contact an employer will be frowned upon.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

What Glenski said; also "voluntary experiance"? Typo notwithstanding....

No problem becoming a performing monkey in China, but....

bulgogiboy · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 803

Try Korea. Most schools want you as an English-speaking machine, and aren't overly concerned about the quality of your written skills. You'll also make enough money to have a nice lifestyle, and even save a few thousand bucks on top, if you want. You'll get plenty job offers with just an undergrad degree, and they'll pay your airfare out there too.

Best of luck.

KenMc · Joined: 31 May 2012 Posts: 7

Japan and Hong kong are also worth your time- the cities are modern, safe, and plenty to see and taste.

Aenglisc · Joined: 25 Jun 2012 Posts: 2

I am an Asian-American teacher who is looking for opportunities in Central Europe and Latin America. Is there racial discrimination in hiring practices like in Asia? I've had one firm in Asia that admitted they use racial quotas as clients expect Anglophones to be white. Is the same true elsewhere? I do not want to waste enormous amounts of time and money chasing for jobs where I have no or very little chance of succeeding.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

You'll be okay in Mexico.

tttompatz · Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:25 am Post subject:

Aenglisc · Joined: 25 Jun 2012 Posts: 2

No, I don't put Asian-American on my resume. There is absolutely no discrimination in public sector programs like JET or EPIK but once you hit the private sector that's a completely different story. Every company in Asia requires that I send in my photo which is how they screen out ethnic Asians or non-whites after they exceeded their arbitrary quota. It's illegal but difficult to prove in a court of law. Yes, I do have an American bachelor's degree and a Trinity CertTesol. I'm trying to see if the hiring practices of Central Europe and Latin America are fairer in that regards.

tttompatz · Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:33 am Post subject:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Aenglisc, I can speak for the Central European issue (not Eastern).

There is a bit of bias in some CE countries against teachers who look 'Asian,' but it's do-able for most people, in my experience. The bias against is mostly because there is a perception based solely on appearance that English may not be the teachers' first language. The Asian-American teachers I know who succeeded in the region did take a bit of crap, but felt it was within bounds.

As has been pointed out, discrimination based on ancestry (or other factors) is by no means necessarily illegal in the region.

Hiring conditions for the region are a bit tough in comparison to other places.
Most jobs are not found from abroad, and so there are up-front expenses in travelling to the region, picking a city, and handing out your cv/resume in person (nor will employers reimburse airfare, etc). There is competition in the job market (lots of teachers around) and so salaries are subsistence-level. Americans face further difficulties due to EU- hiring preference. It's far more complex in a legal sense for a school to hire a North American than a UK or Irish citizen, so you have to find someone willing to jump through the legal hoops on your behalf. Most candidates on the job market here have a BA + CELTA or equivalent; anything less will make it still more difficult to compete successfully.

As North Americans have 90 days in the Schengen zone (google if you're not already familiar) it's important to time a job search carefully. Peak hiring times are very end August/October, so coming over then maximizes your chances.