| When several readers sent in "generically | | | | to get off your duff and do some marketing |
| similar" questions like the ones below, my | | | | research. Then market to the target markets |
| response was similar to each. It helped them. | | | | you find. |
| Perhaps it will help you too. Sooner or | | | | |
| later, we all leave our first ELT position | | | | - First, write a cover letter which |
| for "greener pastures". Sometimes we stay. | | | | highlights your technical background with |
| Sometimes we don't. Often we simply want a | | | | your teaching skills. Show how one |
| better salary or income to help support the | | | | complements the other. Focus on trade / |
| better life we were originally looking for. | | | | technical schools and / or technical career |
| Here are the situations, questions and my | | | | faculties in universities. |
| response. | | | | |
| | | | - Second, write proposals for teaching ESP, |
| "About teaching English abroad; I wanted to | | | | that is technical English to businesses and |
| ask you a couple of questions." | | | | companies in your target areas. Intensive |
| | | | English courses of from one week to one month |
| "I have a technical degree and years of | | | | might work best at first. Use the phone book, |
| successful experience but I find myself with | | | | chamber of commerce and periodicals for leads |
| a desire to do something different. I visited | | | | on companies to target. |
| my dream country on vacation and I fell in | | | | |
| love with the country. Now I am giving up a | | | | - Third, advertise in large local newspapers |
| good job in the USA and moving to abroad to | | | | using a small but highly targeted ad for |
| teach English." | | | | teaching business / technical English to |
| | | | high-tech companies and business |
| "I took the TEFL and have my certification | | | | professionals. Get some decent business cards |
| but I am finding that most schools want an | | | | too - with your full contact information on |
| Education-related degree and my technical | | | | one side and your services / expertise on the |
| degree seems to be hurting me despite the | | | | other. I'll bet you don't have good business |
| TEFL. I have found work with private | | | | cards at the moment, do you? |
| students but I am having a hard time finding | | | | |
| full-time teaching jobs in one of my more | | | | - Finally, you're causing your own problem in |
| desired cities. For me it's not only about | | | | part, which is good in that you can then |
| the money. I just want to teach at a | | | | provide your own solutions. Get to work. If |
| high-level school or university." | | | | you really get stuck and genuinely require |
| | | | additional help, let me know and I'll try to |
| Question: Do you have any advice? With my | | | | prod you in the right directions again. |
| TEFL and technical degree, I can't get a | | | | |
| teaching position at a bilingual school. | | | | I hope I've helped. What happens to you is up |
| It's depressing! | | | | to you - not me or anybody else for that |
| | | | matter. |
| Thanks for any help at all!! | | | | |
| | | | One final point: Don't give up. Keep plugging |
| Here's What to Do | | | | away. If it takes a couple of months or more |
| | | | to saturate the market sufficiently to start |
| I'm a little surprised at the "difficulty" | | | | getting relevant feedback, so be it. Do what |
| you seem to be having, but I'd like to | | | | it takes to succeed. |
| suggest a slightly different approach. You're | | | | |
| obviously not marketing to target markets | | | | The opportunities are out there. |
| that could most benefit from your multiple | | | | |
| expertise. If I may be a bit blunt, you need | | | | Now you just go out and get them. |