Looking for a Teaching Job Abroad? Pros and Cons of Using a Recruitment Consultancy

If you are thinking about teaching jobs overseas at an international school

, there are a number of channels you can use to assist you. Many teachers apply directly based on recommendations, through research or advertisements they see advertised on various teacher websites. An increasing number of teachers are turning to recruitment consultancies to help them find that dream job.

Let us begin with the advantages of such companies. Before relocating to another country to take up a new job there are lots of unknown quantities to deal with, particularly if you have never been to that destination. What is the culture like? Is it a place a Westerner can easily integrate into? What level of second language will I need? What is the school like? How can I be put in contact with other teachers currently working at the school? The list goes on. A consultancy should be able to answer all of these for you.

A reputable consultancy will have experience of recruiting teachers to that region of the world. Ideally they will have made a regional visit and visited some schools in each. Of course, given the number of international schools worldwide and the increasing rate, it is unexpected that visits can be made to all. This regional knowledge and the contacts of head teachers and teachers who have worked there, past and present is something they can also offer. The additional advice from fellow professionals with the experience you are looking for is vital.

You also have to consider how consultancies operate. To survive they require a database of good teachers that they can deploy to their clients. Reputation is crucial in the competitive world of recruitment and therefore it is their best interests to make the best possible match between client and candidate. Otherwise they run the risk of losing valuable clients and of course bad words spreading amongst the teaching community.

Recruitment consultancies can also provide you with advice regarding interview preparation by going over the types of questions that are usually asked by international head teachers. They can also provide you with general information about the country you are going to, the typical salaries and packages that are on offer and whether a visa will be required.

On the flip-side and there always is another side to the coin, what are the downsides to working with such consultancies. There has been a tendency for certain companies to be too eager about the fee by making a quick placement. Yes, this has happened and invariably it causes problems for teacher and school alike but as mentioned before they are unlikely to survive long in the industry. Consultancies usually employ sales people who may not necessarily have experience themselves as a teacher or living and working overseas. Always seek to ask the background of the consultants you work with to ensure that you are getting advice from somebody who has worked in education. After all they are a consultancy and how can one offer a full consultation without experience.

If you are looking for a new teaching job abroad, keep your options open, use as many resources as possible and advice from as many people in the know so that you can be sure that the experience you have is the one you throw your hat in for.

Looking for a Teaching Job Abroad? Pros and Cons of Using a Recruitment Consultancy

By: James Haston

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