How to get a Job Teaching English Abroad
Teaching English abroad has never been easier. Quite frankly, the business is booming. In financial times such as these, more and more native-English speakers are seeking opportunities abroad, and teaching English is a great way to find work overseas.
For the purposes of this article, I will assume you already know, or have a good idea, where you want to go and will walk you through the steps and options for achieving this goal.
Without a Degree.
If you don’t have a degree, do not fret. While your options are greatly increased when possessing a degree, as some countries require a degree as part of the work-permit process, it is still very much possible to teach English abroad without one. Having a degree is usually preferred, but if other requirements are met, such as being from a native English speaking country, or having a certificate in teaching English as a foreign language, then the lack of degree can be overlooked.
Eastern Europe, South America and Southeast Asia are your best bets. It is really down to doing the research and checking the requirements. Some recruitment agencies and TEFL/TESOL websites offer information as well.
For more options, see the “Going it Alone” section further down this article.
With a Degree.
When you have a degree, the options increase as, simply put, you are more hireable. Recruitment agencies and large/chain schools will often turn away candidates without a degree.
TEFL/CELTA and equivalents.
Whether you have a degree or not, having a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualification is a major boost to your chances of finding the right job for you, and furthermore increases the ease with which you can do this. Online courses are available from sites such asI-to-Ior for a more prestigious and hands on qualification one can try aCELTA. Depending on your budget you can choose from a variety of courses. It is important to research the general minimum for your country of choice before choosing the course for you, as a general rule Asia requires more than South America or Eastern Europe, although plenty of jobs can be found in Asia with only a basic TEFL qualification.
Recruitment Agency or Go It Alone
Again this is down to personal choice, a recruitment agency such asReach to TeachorFootprintswill not charge you to use them, as the school will be paying the fee for teacher placement, and will do their best to place you in a good school suitable to your requests. It should be noted that recruitment agencies often waive their fee or offer a free replacement if the teacher doesn’t stay for a certain period of time, so they aren’t just going to throw you into a poor job for the sake of it, they want you to stay, so they want you to be happy in your placement. Further to this, agencies often have social officers or events held in countries abroad designed to help teachers find friends.
One thing to say about recruitment agencies is that they usually work with chain schools and large establishments. This means that the new teacher will have the self-assurance that they are being sent to an established school with far fewer risks, but the flip side is that finding an independent school by yourself can often lead to a higher salary.
In my experience, recruitment agencies are a great stepping stone for first time teachers who can then explore options further once they are more familiar with the country they are in and the ESL scene as a whole. They are also a great source of information about the country of your choice, and are a great time saver. Candidates accepted by a recruitment agency can be placed in a school in a mere couple of months!
Going it Alone
Your best starting point would beDave’s ESL caféas it is the best source for finding jobs abroad. Googling “Teaching English in X country” can be another great source as it can help you find websites of local schools and let you search for opportunities directly. Many big schools will not exclusively rely on recruitment agencies, so it’s more than possible to choose a school of your liking, or a number of them, and apply that way.
An alternative option is to arrive in the country of choice and get to know the area, search local forums, Facebook groups or ask around with other foreigners you meet, be it in bars, coffee shops, or other social areas. You can even try walking into a school and inquiring directly!
Additionally, finding work as a substitute teacher is quite easy once you are in the country, and can lead to more permanent jobs in the future.
As listed above, there are a number of ways to find jobs abroad and I personally know teachers who have found jobs using each one of these methods. I myself went via a recruitment agency and was in the country (Taiwan) within 2 months, it doesn’t have to be that fast if you don’t want it to be, the possibilities are endless!
