| You have decided on being an ESL TEFL TESOL | | | | 5. How many hours will I be teaching per week? |
| teacher so you are off on the job search. Aside from | | | | 6. What kind of medical/travel insurance is on offer? |
| the obvious considerations such as what country to | | | | 7. When are the starting and ending times for being at |
| work in and what TESL TEFL TESOL teacher training | | | | the school regardless of whether there is a class? |
| or qualifications (TEFL/TESOL/CELTA/DELTA) to | | | | 8. About how many school or community events a |
| obtain; there are other things a teachers should | | | | month are teachers required to attend outside normal |
| consider when looking at potential job offers. | | | | working hours (teachers' meetings, parents' meetings, |
| | | | | school festivals, seminars, etc.)? |
| There are many factors a teacher considers which will | | | | 9. Does the school have/provide ESL TEFL TESOL |
| affect whether they accept a teaching position. The | | | | student books or will I be required to make my own |
| most obvious factor would be the content of the | | | | worksheets? |
| position (i.e. what is going to be taught). What is the | | | | 10. Does the school have whiteboards or |
| school asking of you as a teacher? You must ask | | | | chalkboards? |
| yourself if the ESL TEFL TESOL teaching job is | | | | 11. Does the school provide all teaching materials |
| interesting and fits into your career plans as a teacher. | | | | needed? What are the items provided? |
| The person and ESL TEFL TESOL school you will be | | | | 12. Does the school require that I attend/teach a |
| working for is also an important consideration so you | | | | summer camp? |
| must take the time to talk to them either via email or | | | | 13. Is there a discipline policy? What is it and how is it |
| phone. It would also be beneficial to ask to speak to | | | | enforced? |
| other teachers from the school to find out their | | | | 14. What are the details of the teaching contract |
| impressions. Knowing what the job is and whom you | | | | "extras" such as:a. Resigning bonusesb. Biannual or |
| will be working with are the first step in deciding | | | | annual plane tickets to visit homec. Housing allowances |
| whether to pursue it further. | | | | (if no housing allowance then ask about help finding |
| | | | | accommodations along with cost in the area of the |
| Some may say that the most important consideration | | | | school)d. Internet access both in and outside the |
| would be salary and benefits but these should be a | | | | schoole. Raise schedules |
| secondary consideration to what you want to do and | | | | |
| who you will be working with. Regardless of the salary | | | | Searching for an ESL TEFL TESOL teaching position |
| paid, most people will not stay at a position where they | | | | is difficult. After spending many hours on a search, |
| feel unsatisfied or have no growth. In addition, the | | | | making a careful decision regarding a job offer is |
| people you work with or for have an enormous | | | | important. Getting a job offer does not necessarily |
| impact on your job satisfaction. However, when | | | | mean you should take the job. Most schools will not |
| considering salary and benefits, do not focus as much | | | | expect you to make a decision on the spot. You will |
| on the starting salary but rather on the potential for | | | | probably be given a few days to a week to make up |
| growth and increases. Does the school have growth | | | | your mind. If they are unable to provide you with the |
| potential for you as a professional? Do they spell out | | | | time to make a decision then you should not consider |
| cost-of-living increases and meritorious raises? | | | | this teaching job as a viable position. On the other |
| Benefits are other areas that can supplement a | | | | hand, if you decide to go with a school without finding |
| position where the starting salary is not as good as | | | | out the proper information, don't blame the school |
| you would have wished. Get a list of benefits from the | | | | when the position turns out not to be what you |
| company and formulate any questions you may have | | | | expected or wanted. Weighing the advantages and |
| regarding them so that you can better discuss the | | | | disadvantages of the job will help you make a more |
| position with management and other teachers at the | | | | informed decision, rather than deciding on impulse. |
| school. | | | | |
| | | | | When considering where in the world you want to |
| Another factor that may come into play with many | | | | teach, the big 3 for ESL TEFL TESOL jobs are: |
| teachers when evaluating a position is the ESL TEFL | | | | Asia: Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, |
| TESOL resources provided by the school for the | | | | Vietnam and Indonesia are the popular spots because |
| teacher to prepare their lessons. Teachers spend a | | | | they have so many ESL jobs available but there are |
| large majority of their time preparing for upcoming | | | | always positions coming up infrequently in places like |
| classes. This requires readily available resources such | | | | Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia though you must |
| as teacher edition books, computer, printer, internet | | | | be a qualified teacher to obtain these. You may even |
| access, and preferably a reference library. In addition, | | | | find positions for Cambodia and Laos but you should |
| there should be a work area set aside at the school | | | | look at the reputation of employers carefully due to |
| for teachers to plan and prepare. Whether the school | | | | lack of a solid legal system for recourse. Life can |
| already has a set curriculum/syllabus for the class to | | | | become very difficult “off the beaten path”. |
| be taught and ESL/EFL/TEFL student books because | | | | Europe: Everyone dreams of teaching in Greece, Italy, |
| the teacher may be asked to help to create these | | | | France or Spain but unless you are an European Union |
| resources (i.e worksheets) for your school year if they | | | | (EU) citizen it is difficult to obtain these positions. The |
| are not provided. I have known many teachers that | | | | more frequent positions are available in Eastern |
| have felt the need to move on because of the | | | | Europe in places like Romania, Czech Republic, |
| demands of planning for a school year without | | | | Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine and Russia. These |
| adequate resources. | | | | positions don’t pay very well compared to the cost |
| | | | | of living in some of these countries but they provide |
| To help you find that perfect (or near perfect) ESL | | | | lot’s of opportunity for travel while not teaching. |
| EFL/TEFL teaching job, you should ask these | | | | The Middle East: Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, |
| questions to all prospective employers/schools: | | | | United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the most common |
| 1. What is the salary? | | | | with Bahrain, Yemen and Qatar occasionally having |
| 2. How many months is the teaching contract? | | | | openings. Now there are also more teaching positions |
| 3. Do/Can you sponsor me for all paperwork, including | | | | available in Iraq. The Middle East is popular for the |
| teacher's license, work permit, and visa extension? | | | | money paid for teaching positions but don’t expect |
| 4. How soon can you get this paperwork processed? | | | | much of a social life due to cultural restraints. |