You’re TEFL Certified – Now What?! Six Steps to Help You Get Started on Finding Your First Teaching Job
You did it! You’re done with 11 weeks of TEFL certification coursework and you have logged over 20 hours of student teaching. Over the last few weeks of the course, you’ve caught yourself daydreaming more and more about where you could teach, who your students will be and how much your life is going to change once you get on that first plane. But first, you need to send out some applications – where do you start?
Step #1. Get Familiar with Your Job Search Guidance Manual!
The lifetime job placement assistance is a great place to start for alumni of the Greenheart Travel Online TEFL Certification Course. You receive your job search guidance manual after you’ve started the course and it’s a good idea to read through some of the important information like: how to format your resume and cover letter for ESL jobs, how to contact prospective employers, and what to expect for an interview. But, by far the most useful section of the manual is the country by country job profile.
The job profile separates the global teaching market into four section overviews:
- Europe
- Latin America
- The Caribbean
- Asia, The Middle East and Northern Africa
Each one of those sections offers an array of information about each individual country’s teaching market. From general information about the country and what you can expect to make, to advice on obtaining a visa and a list of preferred programs and job websites – these country profiles are ideal whether you’re unsure about where you want to teach or if you’ve already settled on where you want to go.
Step #2. Talk to your advisor.
Graduating TESOL class in Hua Hin, Thailand.
The job search manual can be a bit overwhelming with all the information it offers, and sometimes it’s easier to have someone walk you through your questions. Your advisor has taught or lived abroad themselves, and is available to talk over the phone, Skype or email to help you decide which country will be the best fit for what you want to accomplish abroad.
Or, if you know where’d you’d like to end up, your advisor is a great resource to talk through the little details; the pros and cons of public and private school positions, salary versus cost of living, as well as the culture and what challenges you can expect to run into as you adjust to life in that country.
Step #3. Join all the Facebook groups.
All Greenheart Travel TEFL alumni are able (and encouraged) to join as many country-specific Facebook groups as they’d like. Each Facebook group is filled with hundreds of alumni who are currently teaching English and are more than willing to offer advice about living and working abroad, or let prospective teachers like you know about job openings at their schools. Once you’ve accepted a job, the Facebook group will be a great way to connect with teachers before you arrive and arrange some meet-ups!
Some of Greenheart Travel’s most popular Facebook groups are as follows:
Step #4. Apply for those jobs.
You’ve finished your resume, talked to your advisor, narrowed down your job search to one or two countries, joined the necessary Facebook groups, and had a few private message conversations with alumni who are already teaching where you’d like to be. You have a strong grasp on the job markets of these countries, and you have a solid idea of how much you should expect to get paid. So, now you can start filling out those applications!
Depending on whether you apply for jobs directly or with a structured program, the application process could take anywhere between a few weeks to a few months. But, with some persistence and some patience, you’ll soon have multiple opportunities to chose from.
Step #5. Figure out the logistics.
Packing a suitcase for a Greenheart Travel program.
Depending on where you’re going, your arrival logistics and housing may already be set up for you. But, if they’re not, you’ll need to plan for your arrival.
How will you get from the airport into town? Can you find an apartment ahead of time, or will you need to book a hostel first and then hunt for apartments in person? Is there an orientation to help you get acclimated to the country, or do you start working right away? Google can only get you so far, so don’t forget to reach out to your advisor and the Facebook groups again for more tips and advice.
Step #6. Get on that plane!
Buy a ticket, throw yourself a going-away party, and pack your bags because you’re only a plane ride away from your new life as an English teacher abroad! There may be some bumps in the road when you first arrive, but once you get the hang of your school and your new job, you’ll find that this was one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.