Congratulations! You have completed your TEFL course and received your certification. You now know everything about teaching English, handling horrible students, and filling in awkward silences with fun games. It seems that the world is your oyster, but you find yourself wondering, “Now what?”
Get a job.
It is easier said than done. For some reason, many of us think that getting an education is the only hard step on the way to a sufficient monthly paycheck. Unfortunately, that is not true. A job will not be waiting for you the minute you graduate, you need to go and find it. Indeed, many companies and countries are constantly looking for a good English teacher and they will be happy to take you. However, how do you find these companies? How do you decide that it is somewhere you want to work at? And how do you make them see your true potential and magnificent skills at teaching English?
First of all, breathe in and breathe out. Don’t let the anxiety get to you! This issue can be solved and we are going to help you.
Make sure you understand the restrictions of your TEFL certificate
There are different levels of TEFL. Depending on the job you want to get or where you want to teach, you need to acquire a certification with whatever level of TEFL is required. For instance, there is a difference between a Level 3 and a Level 5 TEFL course and some companies are very strict on what they accept. While both certificates allow one to apply to work online or abroad, Level 5 provides a more in-depth understanding of teaching and will let a person, even a non-native English speaker, teach in a more competitive environment like the UK, Canada, or the Middle East. Moreover, Level 5 is becoming a standard in the professional world, so most of the time in the job requirements, you will often find Level 5 listed as a requirement. Thus, make sure you understand the limitations of any TEFL certificate you get before you start looking for a job.
Decide if you want to be a freelancer or teach for a company?
Now that the harsh truth of the TEFL world is out of the way, we get to a fun part – dreaming. Where do you want to teach? Specifically, freelance or for a company?
Over the past years, digital nomads slowly but surely have started to take on the world with their Instagrammable work calls at coffee shops. Solo travelling with a laptop in your backpack with no return ticket and the map of WIFI spots became a haunting dream, followed by the dilemma of what would be better: settling at one place with financial stability and security or walking with no home but a great sunset through vineyards.
Both of the possibilities are great in their own way, but you should be conscious of the pitfalls. Our Article, “7 Challenges to Becoming a Digital Nomad,” lets you vividly see the ugly side of being a freelancer in a digital age. Lack of financial security, dependency on the internet wherever you go and danger of losing clients may not accompany the job in the company; nevertheless, you should understand that while the company provides stability you will have to deal with limitations, rules, and experience less of the freedom that freelance gives. In reality, there is no universal perfect decision for everybody, but knowing challenges and advantages, you can find the perfect answer for yourself.
If you do decide to join the digital nomads’ world, you can read more here: 7 Easy Steps to Being a Successful Independent Online English Teacher.
Look for companies
Now that you’ve decided you want to work for a company, we need to find them. Below are a couple of resources we have collected for you, categorised based on your personal preferences and requirements
- If you want to teach online, but lack a degree:
10 Companies for Teaching English Online Without a Degree lists potential companies that will hire you regardless of you having a degree or not. The only requirement is to have at least 120 hours TEFL certificate.
2. If you want to teach abroad:
The Best Websites for Finding a TEFL Job Abroad not only will present you with a great list of reliable job boards but also will talk you through the whole process of applying abroad from finding a job to getting an interview. It will also share helpful information on how to check if a job posting is a scam and inform you of the big language schools that are looking for English teachers all over the world.
3. Teach online in a company:
- Other resources:
- The TEFL Academy has an Online Jobs Board where you can look for one based on your preferences, country, and degree required.
- Teachlingo.com – you upload your video and CV on their platform, which allows you to look for job postings right there and apply with a single click.
- Google Search – you can find anything you want online, and if none of the resources above seem particularly interesting to you, you should know that this list is just a glimpse of the ocean of possibilities that the internet can give you. Just type in “Jobs for English Teachers” and dive in.
After you find the perfect role
After you found the job you were looking for, there are a couple of things left.
- Write Your CV and Cover Letter
Read more: “Tips to Write a Sensational CV for Getting Hired to Teach English Abroad”
- Get a Great Headshot
- Set Up Linkedin Account
- Apply to The Posting
- Prepare for the Interview
- Nail it!
Well done! You have reached the end of our article which means that you now know more and acquired the tools to find the dream paycheck. We understand that starting is hard and nerve-wracking. Nevertheless, if you take it slowly step by step using this guide and your charming self, you will find a job. We believe in you, and break a leg!
The post You passed! Starter Kit For Finding a TEFL Job appeared first on The TEFL Academy Blog.
