Things to Consider | Professional | Financial | Cultural | Location | The Job Search | CVs and Interviews | Contracts |
TEFL Around the World

You've got your TEFL certificate, now you want to get a job teaching English. There are so many choices, so many options – how do you make sure you get the job that you want. Whether TEFL is a short-term option for you, or a long-term career option, look through our 'finding a TEFL teaching position' section to help you land the job of your dreams.

Things to consider before applying for a TEFL position

Before you apply for an English language teaching position there are a few things you might want to consider. By taking into account some of the following factors you should end up in the position (or country) that suits you best.

Factors to consider when choosing a TEFL position include:

• Professional
• Financial
• Cultural
• Location

Let's have a look at these factors and see what we should take into account before accepting a TEFL teaching position and what we should be asking questions about at an interview.

Professional

Are you fresh off your TEFL course and have no previous teaching experience? Do you have some teaching experience but have just completed your TELF course? In both situations you will want to take into account how much professional support you need when you begin teaching. You will want to find a school that provides both academic and professional support.

When you start work, you will probably find that your TEFL course provides you a good foundation as a teacher but it probably didn't cover all areas (e.g. young learners or business English). Will you be looking for opportunities for professional development at the school you choose? Is there a clear career path if you are thinking of making a career out of TEFL?

You will need to know if the school you are going to be teaching has resources. Some of the things you might expect (but not always find) might include: a teacher's room (with internet access), a resource library, TV with DVD players, audio equipment (tape or CD players), regular observations (of yourself with feedback and that you can observe other teachers), regular workshops and regular teacher's meetings.

As a new teacher it is also helpful if the school you are going to be teaching at has a support system e.g. head teachers, director of study etc. If things get sticky, it's nice having someone to turn to.

Financial

Teaching salaries are low compared to other industries. If you're going to teach abroad, don't expect to get rich. Although salaries might be high by local standards (especially in Asia but not so much in Europe and North America), they won't be comparable to salaries in the west. If your aim is to teach and save, then think about which markets you should be looking at. For new teachers places like Japan and South Korea offer opportunities to earn and save. For teachers with some experience, the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states) might be the place to go.

Other things worth asking about when applying for a job are some of the 'extras' that are sometimes offered with teaching contracts. These might include:

• flight cost reimbursement
• visa/work permit cost reimbursement
• paid holiday
• end of contract bonus
• accommodation allowance
• accommodation deposits
• free medical insurance

Not all schools offer the benefits listed above but there is no harm in asking about them.

Another area where schools tend to pay more money is for teaching 'specialised' classes. At the more lucrative end of the scale are business English classes, while extra money might be paid for teaching young learners or teaching test preparation classes (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC).

If you've accepted a teaching position abroad, make sure you've got enough money to survive until you receive your first salary cheque. It might mean having enough money to cover expenses from anything from 4 to 6 weeks. Remember that you might have to come up with a deposit on your accommodation equal to up to 3 months rent!

Cultural

If you've accepted a teaching position in a far away country, make sure you do some research before you set out. At least with a bit of research you should be able to avoid the worst aspects of culture shock.

If you don't speak the local language, think about where you are going in the country of your choice – big city or the countryside. In a big city you might well be surrounded by other native speakers of English, in the countryside you might be the only foreigner in town. Make sure you know which you prefer as it can sometimes be difficult to change locations once you arrive in country.

The country you choose may well have a completely different system of values and beliefs to your own. Remember you aren't there to change these values and beliefs but you are there to teach English. Bear this in mind when choosing a country to work in – don't expect everything to be the same as back home.