| Every year thousands of adventuresome souls leave | | | | be sure you are properly equipped. |
| their home country for six months or more to teach | | | | 5. Housing / Lodging |
| English abroad. Yet the search for TEFL jobs | | | | If you ask any person that has been involved in |
| (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) has unique | | | | teaching English as a foreign language abroad, the |
| characteristics versus home-country employment | | | | comfort in your living situation is paramount. Some |
| searches that may be more familiar to you. | | | | teachers prefer to live with a host family to practice |
| Following are 10 ideas and recommendations on how | | | | the native language; others desire to live alone or with |
| to best manage the search and successful placement | | | | other teachers. Be sure to find out in advance what |
| process. | | | | your options are for housing, and in fact if you have |
| 1. Cost of Living Abroad | | | | options. If you don't ask beforehand you may find |
| Teaching jobs abroad normally post salaries using the | | | | yourself shoved into a host family or a brick-walled |
| local currency. While using the Internet is a rather | | | | dormitory. Both extremes could be okay for you, but it |
| simple task to look up an exchange rate and | | | | is important that you know before--and (most |
| determine the salary's value in your home currency, | | | | importantly) if you have options to change if you are |
| this isn't necessarily meaningful. Once you've | | | | not satisfied with your original housing. |
| converted the currency, the salary may seem a bit | | | | 6. Visa Processing. |
| high or low at first glance, but you need to understand | | | | Every country will have different processes for |
| more. What you need to know are the costs of living | | | | allowing entry to foreigners. Your TEFL job / TESOL |
| in your targeted country. Ask your third party recruiter | | | | job will likely require some non-tourist visa classification |
| or prospective employer to provide you with a Cost of | | | | to remain in the host country for an extended period |
| Living Guide, which should include a sampling of all the | | | | of time (for example, more than 90 days). Work with |
| items you'll be purchasing during your work abroad: | | | | your teaching institution or third-party recruiter to |
| housing costs, a bag of oranges or bananas, the cost | | | | understand what type of visa you will need, and if the |
| of a haircut, public transport costs, phone rates to call | | | | teaching institution will pay for it. Additionally, always |
| home, and many other items. | | | | check with the foreign Consulate in your home country |
| 2. Academic calendars | | | | to understand the country-specific requirements for |
| Schools' academic calendars may vary depending on | | | | long-term stays (e.g., police clearances, medical checks |
| which hemisphere you are coming from and going to. | | | | verifying that you don't have communicable diseases, |
| For example, a Canadian teacher who desires to start | | | | etc.) |
| teaching in South America starting in the Canadian | | | | 7. Monthly Salary |
| autumn (September), needs to take into account that | | | | Make sure you understand what the monthly salary |
| South American schools are already mid-way through | | | | will be and for how many weekly or monthly |
| their Spring season semester. Thus, schools may not | | | | classroom hours you will be responsible for teaching. |
| be hiring teachers in September. | | | | Additionally, be aware that some Non-Profit |
| 3. Interviews - Presenting Yourself | | | | Organization (NPO) recruiters may scoop up nearly |
| Most likely you will not have the advantage of having a | | | | half of your salary to cover their costs for services |
| face-to-face interview with your employer prior to | | | | they provide you. This is not necessarily a bad |
| arrival into your targeted country. Your future employer | | | | business practice, but highly recommended that you |
| will depend heavily on information in your resume / | | | | understand these financial details prior to committing to |
| C.V., written answers to essay questions, and past | | | | a work contract. |
| employment and/or personal references you provide. | | | | 8. Freelance Work |
| Additionally, you may be asked to have a telephone | | | | Some teachers want to pick up extra teaching hours |
| interview. | | | | doing freelance work such as private tutoring sessions. |
| It can be easy to forget the obvious. For example, in | | | | In general, if you are granted a work contract and |
| the case of telephone interviews, your prospective | | | | associated visa with a teaching institution, the |
| employer will not only be inquiring about your | | | | agreement may not allow you to legally obtain side |
| credentials but also listening intently to your speaking | | | | contracts with other teaching institutions. If you choose |
| skills and how well you might present yourself in front | | | | to do freelance work being paid "under the table" it |
| of their students. Given this will be an international | | | | should be with caution so as not to put at risk your |
| phone call, make sure that you have a clear phone line | | | | original work contract. |
| (particularly if the phone interview is on your cell phone) | | | | 9. TEFL Certification / TESOL Certification |
| and without background distractions. | | | | Is this a requirement for you? This is a difficult question |
| Furthermore, if you are asked to provide written | | | | to answer as it widely varies depending on the |
| answers to essay questions as part of the application | | | | country, the country's demand for native |
| process, do not underestimate how heavily those | | | | English-speaking teachers, individual teaching institution's |
| answers might be used to evaluate your suitability for | | | | requirements, and other factors. To learn more about |
| the teaching position. | | | | certification requirements, utilize discussion boards and |
| 4. Recruiter / Placement Agencies | | | | consult with third-party recruiters to understand the |
| It is common to utilize third-party recruiting agencies to | | | | needs of the local market in which you have an |
| assist you find the optimal placement. Good agencies | | | | interest in teaching English. |
| are worth their weight in gold even though they may | | | | During your research process, should you discover |
| charge you $900 to $2,800 U.S. for their services. A | | | | that TEFL certification is in fact required, your follow-up |
| good agency should provide you with (at a minimum): | | | | inquiry should be if an online TEFL course is sufficient |
| - an office staffed with person(s) in the country in | | | | or if you need practicum-based courses. |
| which you plan to teach, | | | | 10. Medical Coverage |
| - screening of the best teaching opportunities with a | | | | Even though you may be perfectly fit and healthy, you |
| monthly salary that is competitive and will cover your | | | | should (at a minimum) have an emergency medical |
| basic living needs at the local standard of living, | | | | coverage policy during your teaching tenure in the |
| - assistance in finding affordable lodging, | | | | foreign country. While there are a number of choices |
| - experienced in-country coordinators to provide | | | | available to you for this coverage, consider the |
| support and services during your stay, and | | | | insurance company's deductible, the policy's amount of |
| - pre-departure information to ensure your are | | | | coverage, and how and to whom you will make claims |
| prepared for your trip and other recommendations to | | | | should you encounter a medical expense. |