So, you think you would like to teach and live abroad, good for you. Stepping out of the bubble of your home country can be a scary and exciting prospect. I am sure that you are reading this to get as much insight about working and living abroad as you possibly can before leaving the comforts of home. I hope that in this series of post, we will be able to help you achieve a level of comfort that will set your mind at ease and help you through the initial culture shock of living in abroad.
I am sure that you are asking what makes us experts? Let’s start by saying that “WE ARE NOT EXPERTS!”. We simply have 6+ years of experience. I (Karen) have helped dozens of people find jobs in China and Thailand over the years and thought I may be able to help a few others if I simply wrote down the things I have learned. So, let’s get started.
Today, I am going to talk about the first steps to finding a teaching job abroad.
Here are the things you will need:
- A general idea of which part of the world you want to live in. For example, we are currently looking for schools in Latin America. That includes Central and South America. So, that’s where we are focusing our energy when we search. If you are unsure where you would like to go, I recommend doing a little research on places you’ve always wanted to go and see if ESL teachers are needed there. (I’ve always wanted to live in England, but let’s face it, they already speak English.)
- You will need to check to see what the teaching requirements are for the country or region you choose. (Some countries will say they want a teacher that has a BA, a teaching certification from their home country, a TEFL certification and 2 years or more of experience.) While some countries list certifications and degrees, other countries aren’t as strict.
- Scan all of your certificates, diplomas and degrees, letters of recommendation, awards, etc. and have them digital. Scan your passport too. I always recommend you save them to a cloud if possible so that no matter where you are, you have access to them. (I also keep a copy of my passport, well the family’s passports, and current visa on my iPhone and my iPad. It’s good practice just in case you lose them while you are traveling, or you need to send them while you’re away from your laptop.) When you start applying for positions, you will be required to send the image of your credentials. It is normal to be asked for a copy of your degree.
- If you do not have a degree, start looking at Online TEFL programs. Most countries require at least a 120-hour certification. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. There are many programs to choose from and some of them can be quite pricey. There are programs that will “guarantee” a job placement at the end of their course. I have not heard many good things about those. They tend to place you in schools that want to pay very little compared to what you could find on your own. While some programs can be expensive, I have even seen programs who list on Groupon and therefore offer their program for pennies compared to paying for it without the Groupon. There are many affordable programs out there. You just have to look. I would like to point out that if you are doing an online course, one program isn’t better than the other. I have personal experience with i-to-i.com. They are a very good company with an amazing reputation, but they are expensive and give you time restrictions on how long you can spend on the course. You are also restricted because you have to wait for someone to mark your work and return it to you. I also have experience with ESLInsider.com. The program was much less restrictive, gave first hand classroom examples and suggestions and you could take as long as you want to finish the course. I finished it in a total of 5 days. A friend was in a rush to get the certificate to his new school and finished it in 27 hours. Choosing the right fit for you is something that I can’t help you with.
I will add a list links below to companies that I have experience with or that have a good reputation. - If you don’t have your passport already, now is the time to apply. Many companies will request that you send the first (photo) page of your passport as well when you apply. Don’t let not having a passport deter you from applying. Simply explain that you are waiting for your passport to be returned or that you have just applied.
- Start creating profiles on teaching websites such as SeriousTeachers.com and Dave’s ESL Café. If you would really like to get a job quickly, those are good places to post your resume and start a profile.
- Start saving your money. You may be required to pay for an entry visa depending on the country you choose.
We had no idea how quickly the process would go. If you plan to move abroad for a year and come back, maybe storing your things would be a good idea. We didn’t plan to return to the states so we sold all thing we didn’t need. (House, cars, motorcycles, furniture, etc.)
Most school outside of the US pay once a month. That means that you will need to have some money with you when you arrive to live on for the first month you’re there. - If you’ve chosen a country, check to see what sort of medical documentation they may need for the visa process. You may be able to download the form from the internet and have your doctor fill it out pretty easily. Some countries don’t require a medical check prior to entry, others do.
- If you are someone who does vaccines, make sure you are up to date. Make sure that the country you are planning to move to doesn’t require you to have certain vaccination prior to arrival. (I’m thinking of countries who require Yellow Fever vaccines and places where it’s a good idea to get the Typhoid pills or Malaria vaccine before you leave.)
- MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS CAN GET VISAS THERE! There are a few countries (as of Jan 2018) where Americans cannot get a visa due to political reasons.
Americans cannot visit
- the Central African Republic
- Eritrea
- Libya
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
- North Korea
- Angola
- Algeria
- Cuba
- Syria
- Somalia
- Afghanistan
- Iraq
- Turkey
Below you will find a list of job search sites we use. I will also include a few TEFL websites.
https://www.laowaicareer.com/ (China specific)
http://www.teachers-latin-america.com
https://www.teachingnomad.com/
https://www.ajarn.com/recruitment/browse_jobs/index.html (Thailand specific)
https://www.indeed.com.mx/ (Mexico)
TEFL course information. I’ve included an article that gives more in depth information about some of the options available.
http://www.course.eslinsider.com/
https://www.i-to-i.com/tefl-courses/
https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/work/tefl
https://www.goabroad.com/articles/tefl-courses/7-best-online-tefl-courses
One last word of warning,
NEVER PAY TO GET A JOB! There will be companies that offer loads of “great” perks, but you will have to pay x amount to get into their program. They are a scam. Do not fall for it.
Next time, I will talk about what to look for in a contract, what to ask for in a contract and which type of visa you should receive.