| Attending an international teaching job fair can be very | | | | International School. |
| stressful. Whether it is for your first teaching job | | | | 2. Know what your next move will be if you do not |
| overseas or your tenth, international job fairs can play | | | | get offered an international teaching contract this |
| havoc with your nerves. This stress can affect your | | | | academic year. |
| ability to show your best side to recruiters, so | | | | When I attended my first international teaching job fair I |
| eliminating it is a priority. One sure fire way to reduce | | | | had two backup plans in the unlikely event that none of |
| or even remove the stress you feel is to have a | | | | the school directors offered me a contract. I did not |
| backup plan. | | | | have to implement either of them, which is a shame in |
| Your backup plan can take many guises. Here are | | | | some ways, because my backup plans were almost |
| two that I have used successfully in the past to make | | | | as exciting as teaching abroad in an international |
| attending overseas teaching recruitment events more | | | | school! |
| bearable: | | | | Here are some backup plans you may wish to |
| 1. Plan to attend more than one overseas recruiting fair | | | | explore... |
| There are more than ten job fairs each year that are | | | | > taking a year out and travelling around the world - |
| dedicated to international school teacher recruitment, | | | | you can find places you would like to live along the |
| and you can apply to attend more than one per year. | | | | way and begin relationships with recruiters by visiting |
| You can even attend more than one organized by the | | | | them at their schools. |
| same recruiting agency. | | | | > volunteering with an organization that teaches |
| Not every international school attends each fair. You | | | | refugees or works with local teachers to improve |
| can meet directors from many different international | | | | methodology and pedagogy - this is an excellent way |
| schools if you go to more than one job fair. One way | | | | to gain international experience which will make you |
| to ensure that you get maximum exposure to | | | | more attractive to international school recruiters. |
| recruiters is to apply to attend more than one fair. | | | | > signing up with the Teachers on the Move, a |
| The different job fair organizers; Search Associates, | | | | company that finds temporary teachers for |
| CIS and ISS have different schools recruiting with | | | | international schools to cover for maternity or long |
| them, so mixing up your job fair registration and | | | | term sickness positions. |
| attending more than one job fair can increase your | | | | > applying for a teacher exchange program such as |
| chances of finding the perfect overseas teaching | | | | the JET program that places teachers in Japanese |
| position for you. | | | | public schools, or the VIF program which places |
| Many of the job fair organizers offer job fairs in the | | | | overseas trained teachers in American public schools. |
| same locations back to back, so you can fly into | | | | Once you have made your decision to attend a job |
| Bangkok or London for example and attend two job | | | | fair and received your invitation, you need to prepare |
| fairs organized by two agencies in a single trip. Full | | | | for an intense two days in a pressure-cooker |
| details of the dates and locations of the job fairs | | | | environment. Careful planning prior to the event and |
| organized by the three big organizers are available in | | | | conscious networking at the event are the keys to |
| The Complete Guide to Securing a Job at an | | | | landing a great teaching job abroad. |