| Teaching English as a Foreign Language after | | | | Many people head off to teach for six months or a |
| graduation can improve your job prospects and give | | | | year and never come back: they find new |
| you loads of transferable skills that are in demand in | | | | opportunities and follow a new path in life. For example, |
| the domestic jobs market. So, even if you're not | | | | one of the guys from the office just came back from |
| thinking of teaching as a long-term career, spending | | | | Ko Lanta in Thailand. While he was there he met a |
| time teaching abroad can be really beneficial to your | | | | Canadian woman in her late twenties who went to |
| future career. | | | | South East Asia to teach English after she graduated. |
| Improve your communication skills | | | | She now owns a one of the island's top bars and |
| When you teach abroad you'll spend much of your | | | | travels around Asia when the tourist season is over. |
| time standing in front of a class or preparing lessons. | | | | You never know where TEFL may take you until you |
| This will improve your communication skills and your | | | | take that all important first step! |
| confidence in presenting to a group, both of which are | | | | How will TEFL help back home? |
| really useful in all forms of business. And because you'll | | | | Imagine it for a second. You arrive in a small city in |
| probably be teaching in a non-English speaking country, | | | | South East China for the first time. Everything is |
| you'll also learn to communicate effectively with people | | | | foreign. You don't know a soul for a thousand miles. |
| who don't speak your language - a really useful skill if | | | | You don't know a word of the language. You're not |
| you planning on a career in multinational business. | | | | even sure what to order in the local restaurant. Now |
| A challenge like no other | | | | jump forward a few weeks. That foreign city is now |
| From the second you step off your outbound flight until | | | | home. You hang out with all the other TEFL teachers |
| the moment you say a tearful goodbye to your | | | | at your school. You pick up the evening newspaper |
| students, you'll be challenged almost constantly (don't | | | | for the old guy who lives next door. You can order a |
| worry, it's not as scary as it sounds). You'll need to | | | | meal and have a short conversation in the local |
| learn how to function in a foreign country, how to | | | | language. And you're on first name terms with the |
| navigate your way around a new city, how to build | | | | family who own the local restaurant. That is what |
| new working relationships and how to function outside | | | | teaching overseas gives you: independence, resilience |
| of your comfort zone. If you write your CV properly, | | | | and the belief that no matter how big the challenge, |
| future employers can't help but be impressed. | | | | you'll do alright! |
| International networking | | | | Improve your CV and impress employers |
| While you're overseas you'll cross paths with people | | | | A quick question! If you were an employer whose CV |
| from all walks of life: from foreign tourists and | | | | would impress you more? A university graduate with |
| backpackers to local businessmen and university | | | | 12 months' unrelated experience in a junior role in the |
| professors to government officials. If you make the | | | | UK or a graduate who's a fully qualified English teacher |
| effort to stay in touch, there's every possibility that | | | | with proven presentation and communication skills and |
| something may come of it. Life throws up all sorts of | | | | 12 months' experience of living and working overseas? |
| opportunities, it's just a question of recognizing them | | | | For most employers it's a pretty obvious choice. |
| and using them to your advantage. | | | | Are you living and working overseas? Leave us a |
| Open new doors and broaden your horizons | | | | message below and let us know how it's going. |