How and Where to Start
Teaching English Overseas?
What should
I do first?
Once you have finished considering all the issues
addressed on the Learn About TEFL page and made a
decision to look for a job and head overseas, it's time
to make a decision about where you would like to
work and how much you would like to earn/save.
You'll have to balance the two according to your
qualifications, area of the world in which you wish to
work, and the general availability of jobs in that area.
Training
You'll also have to decide if getting some training is a
good first start for you - or not. If you do decide to
get some training (good for you!), I would encourage you
to get that training overseas. There are several
reasons for this. First, it'll give you a chance to
live overseas and know better if you will like it
(very different from vacationing or traveling
overseas). Also, it will usually give you a chance to
meet people who are already doing what you want to do
and a chance to network for good jobs. Finally, TEFL
training overseas is generally cheaper than taking it in
developed Western countries and can be much cheaper by
the time you add in the cost of food and board during
training.
I
believe though that the biggest benefits are networking
and just getting a feel for life in another country.
Recruiters, or not?
One
major decision that you must also make is if you want to
use a recruiter or not. There are many people who are
absolutely adamant that you should never use a
recruiter. Some have had bad experiences with them,
others believe you will find much better circumstances
negotiating a deal on your own. Both ways are fine to
me - I've done both.
I
used a recruiter to find my first job. There were some
problems, but the recruiter took care of all of them for
me. It was very useful as I was not yet confident and
really didn't know much about the business - I was a
true newbie - and the recruiter took some of the
pressure off me. Know that there are some "bad"
recruiters out there - who just want to place you as
quickly as possible and get their fee from the school.
They won't care if you are a good "fit" or not.
Always talk to the teachers at a school before deciding
to go there - whether you use a recruiter or not. Are
there problems there - what are they? Are they happy or
not? Why?
Other Issues
Take a look at the other pages in this section about
freelancing, the types/ages of students you might be
interested in teaching, and whether to set up your job
before you go or not. They are all important - and all
addressed here.
The
directory for this section:
How/Where do I start? What to do
once the decision is made.
How do I find where I fit?
How do I find a financial situation that suits me?
How do I select a place that fits my lifestyle?
Should I get some training? How?
Where? What kind?
What about health insurance?
Should I freelance, take a part-time or full-time job?
What about corporate classes?
Should I teach kids or adults?
Where’s the best place for a “newbie” to start?
Can I set up a job before I go. Or
should I wait until I get there?
