| ESL teaching jobs are a dime a dozen but there are 3 | | | | finished? |
| very important questions you should be asking yourself | | | | Some institutions will pay for your flight to get to the |
| before and while you are performing your search for | | | | position. Most Korean jobs are like this. Others will |
| the perfect ESL job. There are also 7 crucial questions | | | | cover the cost of your flight (to a certain dollar value) |
| to ask the institution that is considering you (or that | | | | AFTER you have finished the contract. But beware of |
| YOU are considering) before or after you have made | | | | this one. Sometimes they will try to find reasons to |
| contact with them. What you will learn here are those | | | | keep the money, similar to your landlord trying to find |
| exact questions. Let us read on and explore these | | | | reasons to not reimburse your damage deposit. But |
| questions and the reasons why I recommend that you | | | | don't let that deter you from your dream of teaching |
| ask them. | | | | overseas. Most institutions are honorable. |
| 1. Is the position in the country you would like to visit? | | | | 5. How many hours per week will you be expected to |
| If you are interested in China, be sure to just check out | | | | teach? |
| the ESL teaching jobs in China. Checking out other | | | | Be very, VERY clear on this one. Make sure you |
| positions in other countries will only confuse you. | | | | KNOW exactly how many hours you are required to |
| 2. Do you want to teach in the country or the city? | | | | work each week. I know of MANY teachers that |
| As I said before, there are millions of positions out | | | | have been USED by the administration where their |
| there. Are you considering an ESL teaching job for the | | | | contract said 25 hour work week and they ended up |
| money or for the chance to immerse yourself in a | | | | working 50. Your time is YOUR TIME! If it is not |
| different culture and have it funded by a teaching job? | | | | something that YOU decided to do, then that time just |
| If you are looking at an ESL job for the money, then I | | | | became THEIR time and your pay won't go up any |
| recommend you hit the bigger cities. For instance if you | | | | higher than what the contract said. Make sure you |
| are considering China, then I would only look at | | | | know HOW MANY HOURS and What the hours are. |
| positions in the bigger cities of GuangZhou or Beijing. | | | | 6. Are you living on or off campus? |
| Shanghai's cost of living makes it impossible to save | | | | Living on campus can be convenience or a nightmare |
| anything. The reason I say this is because cities tend | | | | for you and/or the school. By living on campus you |
| to pay double, sometimes triple that of their country | | | | usually have a 5 or 10 minute walk to or from class |
| counterpart because the cost of living is so much | | | | BUT this could also make it too convenient for your |
| higher than in the country. | | | | students to come knocking on your door. You will get |
| If you are looking to immerse yourself in the culture | | | | no privacy and are totally bound by their rules. On the |
| and your income should be just enough to support you, | | | | other hand living on campus usually will consist of |
| then I would recommend trying to find a position in the | | | | covering the cost of the accommodations, electricity, |
| country. The money won't be anywhere near what it | | | | water and food. That could be a big savings in itself. |
| would be in the cities but you will be FULLY | | | | 7. Are your accommodations shared or private? |
| IMMERSED into the culture of the country. You might | | | | As you can probably guess, living with a strange |
| even be fortunate enough to land a room with a family | | | | person could turn ugly or you could become best of |
| of nationals. Then you will TOTALLY experience the | | | | friends. But if you prefer to live alone, then do not even |
| culture first hand! | | | | consider the postings for ESL teaching jobs that only |
| 3. What qualifications do you need and do you have | | | | house you with someone else. They are now OFF |
| them? (IE: TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, etc...) | | | | your short list. |
| Each country has their own requirements and | | | | 8. What is your compensation for overtime? |
| regulations and they are quite different from each | | | | Make sure that your overtime rate of pay is |
| other. Some countries are VERY strict about you | | | | WRITTEN DOWN! Don't just go on what the ad says |
| having your Bachelors Degree in any major (such as | | | | or what the administrator you talked to said. |
| Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan) and some | | | | 9. Does the institution cover the cost of your housing |
| like China just look at your ability to teach and the fact | | | | food/transportation? |
| that you would be a "Native Born English Speaker" as | | | | This one is self explanitory. If they cover it, you save |
| they put it. Also, many countries will choose you over | | | | money. |
| others if you have some ESL training such as TESOL, | | | | 10. MOST OF ALL...What is your pay? |
| TEFL, CELTA, etc.. These courses can be had at | | | | With ALL these things, make sure they are on the |
| home easily and very inexpensively. I have seen signs | | | | contract you get sent to you from the school. Then |
| that advertise that you could have your TESOL | | | | when you get there, make sure that the contract on |
| certification over the course of a weekend. Those | | | | their end is the same as the one YOU have. There |
| ones I would be leery of. But generally speaking, you | | | | have been stories that after something has gone |
| can have your TESOL certification over the course of | | | | wrong and they check the contracts, it turns out that |
| a couple weeks and the cost varies from school to | | | | they are different. Something has been changed |
| school. It usually is below one thousand dollars at the | | | | without the teacher noticing it. |
| time of this printing. I highly recommend you start with | | | | All in all, its just a case of common sense and using |
| this as soon as you have made your mind up about | | | | your head. Most teachers, after finishing one contract, |
| teaching esl. | | | | end up going on and signing another contract. If not |
| 4. Does the institution cover your flight or reimburse | | | | with their existing boss, then with another one. |
| your flight costs before or after your contract is | | | | |