subject: 5 Tips On Finding Esl Jobs [print this page] The great thing about becoming an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher is that you can teach in a variety of places over the course of your career. You could start off teaching in China and then move to Japan, Vietnam or Korea later on in life. You could also venture into a European country like Russia or France for a while, depending on your teaching qualifications. This is a job that changes every day and allows you to evolve with it if you wish.
1. You should begin your quest of becoming an ESL teacher by getting the proper certification. While it is possible to find teaching jobs without this certification, it is definitely not recommended. If a company will hire you without any certification or experience, it does not say much about that company. In most cases, the training company that gives you your certification will help you find a job by giving you contact information for reputable schools and providing you with a reference.
2. Once you have found the right teaching English as a second language certification, you can begin looking for employment. As mentioned before, teaching jobs are available in countries all over the world, so you will have a number of different things for which to look before making a final decision. For example Japan pays a higher salary than a country like China, but also has a higher cost of living.
Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world so while you might make a good salary, you might not have money left to do anything while you are there! Many places in China do not pay as much, but they do provide you with free housing, which means that all of your money can be used for other things.
3. South Korea is currently a huge market for ESL jobs because it is becoming a more industrialised society. Many schools in South Korea will pay for your flight and accommodation, while providing you with a great salary. In the end, you will have to do your homework to figure out what you want out of a teaching career which will allow you to select the country that provides you with everything that you need.
4. You should also check the working hours and conditions of employment, including paid holiday entitlements and what type of visa you need, as these vary between countries.
5. Make sure that you research all the schools which you are applying to before accepting any job offers, and weigh up the pros and cons of each in the same way as you would when applying for jobs in the UK. It is advisable for you to go through an proper ESL teaching agency or receive your job leads from the training company at which you earned your certification.
Keep in mind that different countries have different criteria for their teachers, so make sure that you are correctly qualified before getting your hopes up about teaching in a particular country.
