Dreaming of a life less ordinary teaching English overseas... but don’t know how to make it happen? Well stop dreaming and start doing! The Six Steps to Finding Your First Teaching Job will give you the lowdown on how to go from reading this to stepping into your very first classroom. You can get lots more information about teaching abroad here: http://www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-jobs-abroad

1. The Six Steps
to finding your first TEFL teaching job
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2. www.onlinetefl.com
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3. So you’ve heard all the great
things about teaching English
overseas – the incredible
new experiences, challenges
and friends that are out there
waiting for you. But how do you
go from reading this to stepping
into your first classroom?
All it takes is six easy steps…
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4. 2 3 Make the Decision
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Do
Be sure that this is the right thing for you. Teaching is
amazingly rewarding, but not for the faint-hearted!
Make the decision to go. This may seem obvious but
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half-hearted attempts are doomed to failure, so make the
decision and go for it!
Decide where you want to go – different countries offer
different salaries and experiences. Check out the TEFL jobs
section at www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-jobs-abroad or chat to
other TEFLers on Chalkboard (www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-
chalkboard) to get an idea of where would suit you.
Don’t
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Think that living and working abroad will be the same as
living at home. It rarely is. Be prepared for some culture
shock and some very different ways of doing things.
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2 Get Some Training
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Do
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Get the confidence to step into your first classroom as a
teacher with a comprehensive TEFL course.
Boost your earning potential by completing the industry
standard of 120 hours of TEFL training or more.
Take your TEFL course with an internationally-recognized
and accredited provider.
Make sure you do a course that suits your plans. Request
a consultation with a TEFL expert to get advice on the right
course for you: www.onlinetefl.com/consultation.
Don’t
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Make it up as you go along in the classroom. Your students
deserve more than that.
Just take any old course! Sadly there are a lot of cowboy
course providers out there, so check your certificate will be
worth the paper it’s printed on before signing up.
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6. 2 3 Find Your Dream Job
4 5 6
Do
Consider a paid teaching internship (www.onlinetefl.com/
teaching-overseas). They’re a great option if it’s your first time
teaching overseas, as you’ll get full training, a reputable five-
month placement and 24/7 in-country support.
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Let your course provider do the leg-work for you. Many have
free job-placement services or relationships with schools
overseas. Make the most of these!
Use your mouse. Job sites like www.tefl.com and www.
eslemployment.com list vacancies from schools all over the
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world. It’s also worth joining TEFL communities like TEFL
Chalkboard (www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-chalkboard) and Dave’s
ESL Cafe (www.eslcafe.com) to network with other teachers.
Try looking for a job when you get there. Pavement-pounding
and using the local English-language newspaper are both
good places to start, but you will need guts, and a bit of a
financial buffer in case your job hunt isn’t initially successful!
Check your school out thoroughly before you apply. There
are lots of sharks out there who seem unable to pay on time
and love to over-work their teachers!
Keep your expectations realistic when applying from your
home country. Many schools experience lots of no-shows
from teachers, so they may offer the same position to many
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applicants just to be sure that one turns up at the beginning
of term.
Boost your confidence and CV/resume by volunteering in
your own country before applying for jobs.
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7. Don’t
Automatically accept (or apply for) the first job that comes
your way. Research the school thoroughly first. There are
loads of jobs out there, so make sure you choose the right
one for you.
Think finding a job will be instant. While there is massive
demand for TEFL teachers in some countries, finding work in
the more popular destinations can take time.
Sign your contract without checking it. Things like working
hours, standard of accommodation, holidays and the amount
of preparation you’ll need to do can make or break your
experience of teaching abroad.
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4 Apply and Sell Yourself
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Do
Make your application relevant. While you may not have
teaching experience, you’ve probably got great interpersonal
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and communication skills. Make the most of these and
mention specific examples.
Make your CV/resume neat and concise – employers aren’t
interested in that spelling contest you won aged six.
Include a cheerful, professional photograph – one that gives
the school confidence that you are not going to walk into
school hungover every day.
Include details of which TEFL course you’ve studied.
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Don’t
Use holiday snaps or old passport photographs. You only
have one chance so make it look professional.
Use complication language in your application. Remember
that the person who’s reading it may not have English as their
first language.
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9. 2 3
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4 5 Give a Good Interview
Do
Be cheerful and polite. First impressions are the most
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important and being cheerful is one of the most important
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attributes of a successful teacher.
Speak sloooowly and clearly, especially if you’re doing a
phone or Skype interview. You risk not being understood
otherwise.
Be honest with the interviewer – they know what they are
talking about. If you don’t know, say so, but also say that you
are eager and willing to learn.
Make sure you are well-presented at the interview. This is
vital in more traditional countries, so pack at least one set of
smart, wrinkle-proof clothes.
Show an interest in and knowledge of their country. It’ll give
the interviewer confidence that you’re not going to do a
runner when you get homesick.
Be prepared to give a short practice lesson – this is a part of
many face-to-face interviews.
Don’t
Turn up to an interview looking like you just got in from a
night out.
Give mono-syllabic responses – it shows a lack of
enthusiasm.
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Accept the job there and then. You might want to consider
other offers first. It’s also a good idea to speak to other
teachers in the school or teachers who have taught there
previously before accepting.
Flick to the end of this guide for some interview questions
you might be asked and some you might want to ask your
interviewer.
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10. 2 3
4 5 6 Get Out There
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Do
Invest in a cheap netbook or take your laptop with you –
you’ll find it invaluable for planning lessons and keeping in
touch with friends and family back home.
Take some smart clothes for teaching; we’re not talking suits
and ties, but certainly smart casual and not too revealing.
Teachers are very well-respected in most TEFL destinations,
so it’s important to look presentable.
Take out original certificates, including your TEFL certificate
and degree certificate if you have one.
Arrange the correct visas and work permits. Your school
should help you with this, but be wary if they’re asking you to
work on a tourist visa.
Take some teaching resources with you. Don’t worry about
stuffing your suitcase with heavy books though – i-to-i
has loads of resources which can be added to your online
learning account. Visit www.onlinetefl.com/complete-tefl-
teacher-kit for all the details.
Learn as much of the local language as you can before
stepping off the plane – it’s just simple courtesy to say ‘hello’
and ‘how are you?’ to your new boss in their language (even
if you don’t understand the reply!)
Don’t
Step off the plane dressed in cut-off jeans and ripped
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t-shirt if you’re being picked up from the airport by your new
Expect everything to run like it does back home – sometimes
you just have to be patient and go with the flow!
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11. A Few Interview Questions
You Might Be Asked
1. Which levels do you prefer to teach?
Schools generally want to hire flexible teachers who can cover
a range of language levels – this makes it much easier for them
to timetable and cover classes. You need to ensure the school
knows that you are aware of the fact that all language levels have
their own unique and interesting challenges and, ideally, you are
happy to cover all.
2. Do you prefer teaching adults or children?
In most cases schools are looking for teachers who can cover
all age groups. However, some specific roles are for a particular
age group so you do need to bear this in mind.
In general, teaching both adults and children is very enjoyable
and both have different needs. Younger learners tend to need
more variety and a faster paced lesson whereas adults can
remain focused for longer periods. However, it is important to
remember that all learners do benefit from a variety of activities
during a lesson to maintain interest and to cater for all learning
styles.
3. Do you prefer to use text books or your own materials?
Which text books have you used before?
Schools around the world vary on their approach to text books.
Some like teachers to follow a set course through a text book,
others prefer you to teach specific language points and use a
variety of materials. There are some key text books in common
use around the world. The Headway series is probably the most
popular of these. Effective teaching will almost always mean
combining your own materials and plans with those provided
by text books. An interviewer will be looking for someone who’s
able to do this. Your i-to-i TEFL course will give you guidance in
how to get the most from your text-book.
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12. 4. Have you ever taught, and do you know anything about,
examination classes?
There are a variety of core exams that students around the world
study for. With young learners, the Starters, Movers and Flyers
exams are becoming increasingly popular; with older learners
TOEFL, TOEIC and IELTS are all major internationally recognized
tests. Your course will cover different examinations and we
would suggest that you do a little research on the different
exams being used by the school that you are applying to. As
with most areas of teaching, schools are looking for teachers
with flexibility and willingness to cover a range of classes and
you should always make it clear that even if you haven’t taught
a particular exam course before that you would welcome the
challenge and opportunity to add this to your range of skills.
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5. How would you interest a group of teenagers in the
classroom?
You need to combine different interests with a clear task focus,
otherwise discipline and attention can become a problem. Topic
based lessons about subjects that interest teenagers often work
well as the content can be directly related to their own lives.
However, if you are thinking of using music as an activity try to
make sure it is music that appeals to the group rather than just
to yourself!
6. How would you settle a group of lively (rowdy!) students
at the beginning of the class?
All teachers face a rowdy class from time to time and it’s usually
little to do with you personally. However, be firm and continue
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with the lesson - shouting is not a good idea and tends just to
make things worse. You should remember that most language
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schools are businesses and they depend on student fees for
their existence. In many cases excluding a student may not be
an option. Keeping the pace of activities high and having some
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optional ‘warmer’ activities always prepared means that you can
quickly do something different to break up the rowdiness and
then return to what you were teaching. Always ask the school
what discipline procedures are in place and above all when
faced with a rowdy class, KEEP YOUR COOL.
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13. 7. Is this your first visit to xxxx? How will you adjust to life in
another country?
Many recruiters will be concerned that you may suffer from
culture shock/home-sickness and end up leaving the school/
country. Be as honest as possible and don’t just say “Oh I’m
sure it won’t be a problem”. If you have prepared properly for
your interview, the fact that you have researched the country
and can even identify some aspects of life there that people
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commonly feel challenging will help to re-assure the school,
even if this is your first time working overseas. Wherever possible
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cite examples from other travel experiences and how you have
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coped in the past.
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14. Questions you may
want to ask
★ Ask about levels, books used, ages, discipline structure etc.
★ How structured is the course/curriculum? How flexible is it? Is
there much autonomy for the teacher in the classroom?
★ Ask about the length of the contract. This could be from five
months to a full year.
★ How many contact hours does the contract ask for? There
are a range of contact hours expected, from around 15-20
in some establishments to over 35 in others. Remember that
you will have to plan for lessons as well as teach the classes.
★ Ask about what sort of on-going training (INSET) and teacher
development is provided. Good schools will often host
weekly or fortnightly training and development sessions
which is a great way to develop your skills and learn from
others.
★ Ask about dress code, working hours, climate, the local life
and what activities you could be involved in after-school
hours.
★ Ask how large the school is, how many teachers there are
and if there are any other English teachers. Have any English
teachers been there longer than one year?
★ You should ask about payment in the interview (especially in
a phone interview)
★ Ask to see the contract before you fully commit. This should
be in English. You could always take it to the local consulate
of that country if you need to.
★ You should also ask about the benefits, including time off,
holidays and any bonuses to cover the cost of your flights.
Accommodation is very important; ask whether it’s included
in the deal, if not ask how best to find it (get contacts, web
addresses etc) and how much it might cost. If it’s included
check that it is furnished.
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15. www.onlinetefl.com
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