| Teaching Jobs Overseas Topics: international teaching, teaching overseas, teaching abroad, American and international schools, overseas jobs, international employment, etc. | |
The school is Chatsworth International school in Singapore. February 2009
A: Hi Agnes,
Sometimes the process of getting a good international teaching placement is long and protracted, even for guys like me who have lived and taught overseas for years. But persistence pays off and so does being registered with Joyjobs.com! Just when I thought the 2008-09 school year was going to start without me, I landed a chemistry teaching position with the American School of Kosova in Pristina. The only website posting any notice of this vacancy (as far as I could tell anyway) was Joyjobs.com I don't mind saying that it feels mighty good to be the reason why the notices posted by ASK have changed from, "Chemistry and Biology Teachers Needed" to, "Biology Teacher Needed" in the space of a few short days! The fact that you keep such thorough tabs on the latest teaching vacancies (to say nothing of all your terrific tips and advice on how to get a top teaching position overseas) makes Joyjobs.com the go-to place for finding quality teaching employment at any time of year. I look forward to my new situation in Pristina and to telling you more about it. HIP HIP HOORAY for Joyjobscom! —Ben D Morris Thank you, Ben! —Igor, August, 2008
I know requirements vary from school to school but how difficult is it going to be for me to get a teaching job in ART with a BFA, MFA and 15 years of teaching on all levels. I am married with no children and my husband works in Iraq so I wonder if I would be an ideal person to fill any position anywhere? I am jumping in quickly, getting my resume and other information needed for your website and it is June 30. I have put my resume in to DODDS. But I am wondering if I have a chance to get a teaching job sooner this way? by September 2007? Or do you think without the certificate, I might be on the back burner? A: Hi Jill, You should watch closely the current vacancies. Every summer we post quite a bit of unexpected and emergency openings (people cancel contracts, get pregnant, change their plans, change their mind, get sick, receive better offers, etc. etc.) With your experience you should be able to find some options. Most schools say they "require" certification. However, in real life uncertified teachers are hired just as well. The DoDDS system is hard to get into, and it takes time - so be patient. You are more likely to land a job through us - via email and a telephone interview this summer. If nothing turns up - simply follow the regular recruitment schedule for 2007-2008, you should have no problem finding work. —Igor, June 30, 2007  Hello, I am lucky to have dual citizenship, USA/EU. I would like to know when I look for an overseas job in Europe, (I live in the USA), should I mention I have a EU passport?Would a salary be lower getting hired as a EU citizen versus an USA citizen? A: By all means, mention that you are a EU citizen! This is the number one condition of employment at many European schools. (They receive quite a bit of applications to choose from; so most of these schools would not even bother to go into the trouble of sponsoring a work visa.) The salary... We in the USA tend to think solely in terms of the dollar amount. Internationally, it is a little more varied. Typically, the salary would not depend on your passport. What is different is your tax situation. As a EU citizen you would be taxed in full, while your American colleagues would not have to pay the local taxes. At least for the first 2 years of their contract. Equally, they would owe nothing to the IRS. In other words, you would have the same salary but they'd get about 30% more because of their tax-free status (provided they are hired.) Also, it is important to note that there are other forms of compensation, that are equally important - such as free flights, housing, insurance, utilities, etc. These take a big chunk of your income if you have to pay for them. Most international schools provide for these unless you insist on going to the EU where you are likely to have to pay for your apartment and other expenses. —Igor, June 2007
A: Move on. Any school that shows such profound lack of responsibility (or organization) is probably not a good choice. —Igor, April 2007
If you need help writing CV's, you really shouldn't be allowed to teach. Hopefully this comment will balance the previous sycophantic remarks, but i very much doubt that it will see the light of day. <anonymous> a.) are British; b.) have a UK qualified teacher status; c.) are solely interested in what the British schools offer publicly; d.) know how the international market works. Preparing a CV and being a good teacher are two separate issues. CVs are about marketing and self-promotion. Good teachers do not always excel at that. Yes, we provide CV templates and samples as well as personal email support. But what people find even more valuable is that their CVs go online as professional and attractive webpages, accessible by any international school on the planet. (The Times Ed. Suppl. would not do it for you.) International relocation is a big commitment. In real life, information often saves you thousands (interviews, hotels, flights, clothes, etc) - by eliminating the dead-end leads. That's why it is not uncommon to keep several subscriptions to various resources. (By the way, they are all tax-deductible as your "job search" expenses.) —Igor, April 2007
A: A TEFL certificate that is good for teaching adults at a language school will not qualify for an ESL classroom position at a reputable K-12 international school. There are various situations, including those when a certificate is not required. This might work if the teacher has substantial classroom experience at the same age level and curriculum type. The other situation is applicable to certain private proprietary schools. For example, when a local entrepreneur decides to open an "international school" for local students. Until they acquire proper accreditation and certification as reputable established schools they will have trouble recruiting equally qualified teachers. You've taught in China, you know it's a booming market for such enterprises! —Igor, March 2007
Billy adelaflute@hotmail.com February 2007 My partner and I are both deputy principals (of primary and intermediate schools) in NZ. We are both currently working on our Masters and have been teaching for 10 and 18 years respectively. We are gay women - what is the chance of us picking up jobs at all (or together)?We have heard many stories about the conservative nature of international schools. Thanks Sue
Are there jobs that teach English as a second language that I could apply for? Your suggestions are most appreciated!! Thank you for your help so far!!! I am determined to get a job and will work hard with your help. Thanks again. Michale Marlen marlenm@ecsd.net A: Michale, unless you hold a EU passport the Italian schools will not be able to hire you! At least legally - and most Italian schools will not take the risk. You must have a work permit (visa) BEFORE you arrive in Europe, otherwise your options are limited to private tutoring (we had this experience in Spain). —Igor, November 2006 Hello Pam and Igor,A: Hi Sarah,
I got the job from Stuttgart from the Joy jobs web site, the first week that I completed my file with you... Thank you , as you have given me much more personal, fast attention than any other recruitment agency I have been with. —Igor, June 2006
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had some advice as to what I should be focusing on, or otherwise monitoring. I am getting a cert. in elementary education, with a focus on science and technology. I know reading and math skills are the main focus right now, as well as discipline in the classroom. In addition, I have an MSW, and have been a child and adolescent therapist in my prior career. However, I needed a change. I have heard that schools do have counselors and social workers in them, but I am not aware if they are recruited as the teachers are. In addition, i am also very depleted by the field in general, and not sure if a position as one would be one I could give my all to. A man has to know his limitations. Anyway, if anyone could be so helpful as to give me any more pointers and guidance re: how to make this major career shift happen sooner and more successfully, I would be ETERNALLY grateful! Steve Y
I have traveled alone in many parts of the world and love getting involved in the culture. I am single, age 63 and ready to retire from 20 years working for the State of New York. I am presently a adjunct professor at Forham University teaching advanced clinical work in addictions on the graduate school level. I have a Masters degree in social work and am licensed in New York as a psychotherapist. I have many years of experience giving workshops to the community and staff on various subjects, have done a lot of public speaking in my 20 years on topics involving social problems. I have a many years of experience in counseling individuals. Much of my expertise is in the area of addictions treatment. I would like to teach on a university level and my degree is equal to a masters in sociology and could teach in any area of human behavior and psychology. Do I have any options in any of these areas for teaching? I do not have a teaching certificate as that is not required to teach at university in the United States. I would consider teaching on a high school level but think my credentials may be more suited as a guest professor. Any advice. I would join this website if there was any possibility for finding a job. Thank you. sharoncsw@aol.com February 2006 A: Most countries have age restrictions when it comes to work visas, however, it depends on the specific country and position. Age is not a large factor for Guidance counsellors. Especially in the middle east where age commands respect. Applying is as easy as sending your CV by email. If you have time - why not give it a try? You have nothing to lose. —Igor
I read that one person was discouraged because she didn't fit the profile. Like I tell my students - continue to work on it and keep trying. January 2006 | 
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A: Hi Dale, No, it's not too late. In fact, most schools are only starting to estimate their recruitment needs for 2006. A lot of people begin in the spring and even summer - and still get hired. I have no information on a New York fair. The ISS February IRC is scheduled for Boston, Massachusetts. Igor - November 2005
I have one question. One of the regions I am interested in is South America. I get the feeling that the schools there might be bilingual. How important is it to speak Spanish, which I don't, for teaching in an international school in South America? Thanks again for all your help. A: Hi Tom, Thank you for your kind words about The Insider Secrets (by the way we are preparing an update to be released this fall). Regarding the schools. Much depends on the composition of the student body. There are indeed many schools that enroll primarily local children. There are also many international schools that serve the international community at large or North American students specifically. Speaking Spanish is seldom a requirement in either case, however. From our experience in Spain not knowing Spanish actually stimulates the students to use English. As soon as they figure out that you can speak Spanish they will communicate with you only in Spanish. Some people take advantage of the situation. They speak Spanish as much as possible in order to improve their Spanish skills (instead of doing their job - that is teaching English!) Of course, if you teach Math, Science, Music, PE, etc. and the students are predominantly local - then knowing Spanish becomes more important. However, this is seldom a critical skill because the schools do not hire foreign teachers to teach a local curriculum. On the contrary, it's a North American or British National Curriculum. Do not worry about it. -Igor, September 2005
* To the folks looking at Korea, I agree with some of the advise above. I will say that I have many friends that have been happy teaching in Korea. It's not about the people as much as it is about the SCHOOL! So many Asian schools do NOT have a good international reputation when it comes to taking care of their teachers. * To Betsy who only wants to go to Latin America or Europe because of church services ... you will find Christian church services in many parts of the world. I taught in both Kuwait and Qatar in the middle east, and both had a wonderful church service every week. It wasn't often on Sunday because Sunday is a work day there, but that didn't make it any less meaningful, and Christianity is shared among many cultures. * For the person concerned about what to wear in interviews, I actually disagree with your advise on pant suits. I've been to many job fairs over the past couple of decades, and in speaking with administrators, the great majority are more impressed by women who are wearing a suit and, unfortunately, heals. (No, I don't typically wear these as I'm a Physical Educator and Technology person!). One ISS fair I went to, I had 12 interviews! My friend had 4 and actually accepted a position on day 1 in the first hour. We both had suits made for us in Kuwait, while our 4 colleagues didn't get more than 2 interviews each, and 2 of them didn't get any. We believe it was partially because they were wearing only the dresses and pants they normally wore to teach in! * To anyone looking at hitting the job fairs for teaching in American-based curriculum schools overseas --- the past decade has hit some fierce competition. Many overseas schools have been hiring Canadians for a variety of reasons versus Americans. Also, it used to be the ISS Boston was the first fair, then it became Search Associates Boston followed by ISS Boston, but NOW it has become Canada first! A lot of folks are now hired before the ISS in Boston, and unfortunately, by the time you get to the 2nd or 3rd Search and ISS Fairs, and UNI, about 80 percent or more of the jobs are gone! GO EARLY! Especially with the instability of the political atmosphere these days, schools want to start early on recruiting. -Posted by: blaklisa@yahoo.com August 2005 A: Timing and interviews - I agree with you 100%. Getting interviews is paramount so I would not rely on chance. Have your CV, photo, application letter, etc. posted on JOYJOBS.COM and start communicating with the schools in advance. Lock on the vacancies BEFORE you arrive at the fair. If you are new to the international school scene - it might be your only chance to get your foot in the door. -- Igor
Point being: you are judged by who you are as a person. Even in the countries neighboring on Iraq (Kuwait, etc) - there are currently dozens of flourishing international schools with the students and teachers coming from the USA, UK, and other western countries. Korea is way more secure than any state in the USA - there is virtually no violent crime, strict gun control laws, etc. Respect for teachers is part of the culture. If you are interested in the international school circuit (K-12) - summer is the best time to start your search.
Way tooooo great!! A: Many people sign up for member's access but never send us their information. So we can't build a webpage for them. Big mistake! The schools are now used to webpages instead of simple email applications. I am glad you took the time to submit your resumes for posting! Good luck.
Just want to thank you for your site--two years ago I joined when the prospect of teaching internationally seemed an impossible dream. After working two years locally and finding it difficult to get steady work due to declining enrollment/oversupply of teachers, we signed up for the Queen's fair in Kingston, Ontario. We printed up your guide and carried it with us through the weekend. As a result we were very well prepared. The fair was stressful, but we were well prepared, and by the end of it we had 3 job offers. Never thought we would have a chance to finally write and say THANKS for your advice--we are finally going to live our dream Nelson, British Columbia gpeake@netidea.com After reading Chapter 8 of the Guide, I noticed that you recommend for women to not wear pantsuits. Can you explain? A: Of course, many women can wear anything and look fabulous. But I have been a part of many interviews and in many cases the pant suit (meaning a matching jacket and pants) is often regarded as the "power suit." The candidate walks in wearing some oddly colored pant suit (lime green, baby blue) and it is too much. The initial impression might work for you but the visual first impression you make counts for much of the entire interview -- in the first 5 seconds. Given this, there are so many other things you can wear to create a great impression without looking like an executive. I often think that the candidate has this power suit that she wears only for interviews and that it hangs in the closet until the person is going out to better her situation. The power suit rarely looks as though it is worn at other times. Don't try to force yourself into a suit or power suit that isn't a part of who you normally are. And the same goes for wearing heels. I cannot wear them and will not try to force myself into them for something as important as these interviews. If they are comfortable for you, yes, wear them, but don't force yourself to wear something uncomfortable. Women who don't normally wear heels (like myself) often give themselves away when they try to wear them because they simply aren't comfortable!
A beautiful contrast. However I feel I would like to move again. Any ideas!!. I am very interested in Malaysia. A: We keep receiving negative feedback from the Middle East, citing the students' negative attitudes. Lack of respect, especially for young teachers appears a major problem. To those who decide to work in the region my advice would be to steer clear of the schools that cater to the rich local families. Many of these kids are spoiled and have no respect for anyone. Because the schools depend on them financially you are not likely to receive much support from the administration should a problem arise. For Malaysia, simply contact the schools by email and fax. There are openings every year. -- Igor Jan 14, 2005
We have reactivated our ISS files and we are now down to our hardest job search decision. Should we spend the $1000+ to travel to Boston for the first ISS fair or can we save some money and attend the Seattle fair with a decent shot of landing two jobs. We are open to teaching anywhere but the middle east. - D.H. A: Our approach is to communicate with the schools in advance - to make sure you are going to meet with the schools that are interested in you. Otherwise, attending any job fair is a risky business as you would have to compete with other candidates for cold interviews. Contact the schools of your interest now - make sure they are coming to Seattle or Boston before making a decision. ii// |
| Dear Pam and Igor, I've been a member for a year and have found Joyjobs invaluable. My membership expires this month and I would like to renew it. Can you tell me how pls. I cant find information on the site about this . Hazel A: There is no recurrent billing. If you decide to continue using the site, simply sign up for a new account. You can use the same password. If you have your resume/CV on your JOYJOBS.COM personal webpage it remains unchanged. (Of course, you can update it at any time) -- Igor
A: Hi Kerry, The majority of vacancies are for teachers. However, openings for speech pathologists, special ed teachers, learning support specialists do exist. They are just not so common. .. or should I join some other job website? We are not aware of any SLP-specific websites, sorry. This is just too small a market for a separate project. You need to apply to a wide range of schools. I'd recommend a speculative job search, not just responding to ads. Good luck - Igor
I have recently become a member and am amazed at the wide range of teaching jobs there are available. I know I want to teach in central/latin/south america as I have travelled there before. Can anyone give me some insider hints on teaching in Quito and/or Caracas as job placements here always seem too good to be true! A: Hi Rachael, Use the Directory for the application process and other details. Watch our job logs for specific vacancies. Otherwise, the recruitment process is the same Best - Igor [ 25 Jan 2004]
A: Dear Federico, Thank you for taking the time to update the information. As you understand the post you refer to is in the TalkBack archives. We do not alter any past messages - they are our living history, both good and bad. I am really glad the situation has improved. The whole purpose of these postings is to make sure that the problems are addressed. Best wishes, Igor
A: Trevor, unless you have some special reasons to attend the AASSA I'd suggest focusing on a more representative conference, specifically - the UNI, ISS or CoIS. You should not worry about the lack of overseas experience. Your teaching credentials sound excellent. Good luck! -- Igor |
| Dear Pam and Igor, I have been a member of your site since 1999, and have always found your advice very useful. Following your advice, I was able to spend three wonderful years at an international school in Chile and am currently completing my second year at an international school in the Caribbean. I am planning to attend a job fair in February, but I have some concerns about which fair to attend. (In the past I have attended the ISS Boston Fair and the AASSA fair.) I am interested mainly in schools in Europe (particularly Eastern Europe), so I am strongly considering attending the COIS fair in London. However, my concern is that it a fair mostly to hire for IB positions. Is this true? I'm single with no children, have my master's degree, and have nine years of middle school Eng/History teaching experience (5 overseas), but have never taught IB. Would I be wasting my time to go to London? My other option is the ISS Fair in New York. Which one do you recommend? Thanks for all the help over the years! A: IB is a popular program with international schools, so the schools are always on the lookout for IB teachers, regardless of the job fair. London is a major recruiting hub and all kinds of vacancies are offered. Pam was hired in London to teach elementary school in Bulgaria. Before that, she was hired at ISS New York to teach in Spain. So there are all kinds of options at all fairs. I'd suggest getting in touch with the prospective schools first. You should negotiate with them where to meet for interviews - in New York or London. Most directors attend several job fairs. Kind regards, Igor
Hi Grace, Drama/Theater Art teachers are hired by many international schools (but not all). Here's a sample post:
Candidates must be able to offer experience of teaching Theatre Arts for IB Higher level or equivalent. The successful applicant will be responsible for all drama events throughout the school, including play productions, theatre workshops & inter-school drama activities. Le Rosey is a well-established, International, co-educational Boarding School. The highest standards of Academic Excellence, Physical Development & Appreciation for the Arts are emphasised in preparing individuals for entry into the most competitive U.S. and European Universities. Dear Pam and Igor, As an experienced Secondary School teacher (7 years) in many disciplines from Food Techonlogy, Biology, Science, Humanities and Drama. I am looking at moving to France to live and to work. I would idealy like to work in an International School, however, am open to other suggestions. I completed TESOL qualifications as part of my DipEd. I am Australian, with EU passport. Appreciate any advice you can give. Regards, Jordi Hi Jordi, Although you have a EU passport you still have to apply for a French residence permit (carte de sejur) There are no work permits in France so a carte de sejur is all you need to legally live and work in this country. There are many international schools in France but obtaining the French working papers is the biggest problem for non-EU candidates. So consider yourself lucky. Your case is very specific so I suggest you get a good book (for example Living and Working in France by David Hampshire). Dear Pam and Igor:I am preparing for a job fair and updating my portfolio. I’ve read chapter three, it’s very helpful and happily I found that I have a good framework based on your suggestions. I do have some specific questions: How big is too big or what size? I have a lot of material. How recent should information be aka I have a lot certificates etc from professional development/ volunteering that type of thing, some go back a couple of years. Thanks in advance for your help.
If you have a lot of stuff one of the possible options is to divide your material into 2 packages: 1. Your main portfolio for the best (or most recent) material. Some teachers reported that their recruiters seemed to be overwhelmed by large collections. Keep it manageable!
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| Question Which job fair is best for an American experienced teaching couple? An early fair at the beginning of the recruiting season. Register in the fall. The best fair is the one where the recruiters are expecting you. Get in touch with the schools early to make sure they have matching openings in your areas. We want to go abroad beginning the school year of 2004-2005. Is it a good idea to go to multiple fairs? If you do your homework well you do not need to go to more than one fair. Otherwise, it may be necessary to attend several recruiting events. Late season fairs seem to be less productive for couples: it is more difficult to find 2 matching vacancies at the same school. Start your search now! Good luck,
My problem is that I haven't heard from ECIS. It has been over 2 months since I sent my information in. I know my references also sent their letters. I have 8 years experiences, great recommendations, and am a single teacher with no dependents. I have emailed them twice to ask why I have not received confirmation. I would love to go to the London fair and need to make reservations but have not received the invitation.
Also, get in touch with Sophie MacGregor at SophieMacGregor@ecis.org (she coordinates all new applications)- and CC your message to Jim McKay at jimmckay@ecis.org Email us if you still have no response. Kind regards,
My question is...do I have any shot at Latin America or Europe? I've been looking forward to teaching abroad for years now and now that my certification is close, I hate to wait any longer. However, I do want to teach in a country where I can go to church on Sunday. That's the only reason I limit my geographic area. Thanks in advance, Betsy
Of course, Europe and Latin America offer lots of opportunities every year. Your chances for employment will depend on your qualifications, experience and other circumstances - such as your family situation, citizenship, etc. Much depends on your personality and how you conduct your job search. We cover all these issues in The Insider Secrets to Finding a Teaching Job Overseas.
Since you are in Singapore your major challenge would be interviews. I suggest you apply to the schools directly: at this time of the recruiting season many schools interview over the telephone. Follow the directions in Step Four ("Generate Hot Leads") of The Insider Secrets to maximize your chances because not all vacancies are advertised. If you plan to visit the UK keep in mind that most British international schools arrange interviews in London (this information is usually included in job posts). Remember that the jobs go not to those who are better qualified or have more experience but to those who research and apply! A lot of good teachers miss out on great opportunities because they do not know how to conduct an effective job search. Simply being a good teachers is not enough: you need to know where your best options are and how to leverage your advantages. (A common mistake is focusing on one's weak points and potential problems). Fortunately, the information and tools you need are plentiful and available immediately. Best wishes,
I was excited about going to the upcoming job-fair only to receive a form letter stating that I was not the kind of candidate the organization was looking for. I am extremely discouraged with regards to my international job search. I was hoping to attend the two big east coast job fairs in June but I am hesitant to send my information to these agencies, as I am fearful that I will get the same response from these organizations as well. Is it possible to get a good contract without the assistance of these organizations? What can I do differently that might garner a more positive response from these type of services? I am studying the materials on your website and updating my information accordingly but beyond that, what is the best thing to do? Read Step Four - Generate Hot Leads in The Insider Secrets to Finding a Teaching Job Overseas. Remember that the so-called recruiting organization do not actually recruit anyone: it's the schools that do. The recruiting organizations only filter the applicants and facilitate interviews. Even if you pass the screening going to a recruiting fair without hot leads is a risky idea. Many candidates learn it the hard way. You go to a fair to finalize your job search. Not to begin it. Regarding the future recruiting events. First of all you need to find out why you were rejected. Were you too specific (like selecting one country?) Was there anything unusual on your application? This is essential to find out because you should have no problem based on the information you provided. Kind regards,
Dear Pam & Igor, My wife & I are looking to work in Saudi because of the taxfree status of work there. As a nurse I am able to get work without too much trouble but how can my wife who is a High School Art/ IT teacher with Special Ed qualifications (a total of 12 yrs experience) presently teaching in Melbourne, Australia? ctalty51@hotmail.com Good question. Surprisingly, there are lots of teaching jobs in Saudi Arabia. If you want so save some cash, go there. We have posted a lot of ads from this country. You can also go to our directory of schools (select Saudi Arabia from the list) and see what is available in the locations of your interest. Email to all the schools on the list. Both you and your wife will have plenty of opportunities in Saudi Arabia. But you might also want to look at other options. You can live tax-free in any part of the world. Kind regards, Igor
My fiancée and I just returned from our first job fair (ISS in Washington DC). We both agreed that the first thing that we wanted to do upon our return was email you and say THANKS! We were offered 3 jobs and accepted a contract in Zurich Switzerland. This would not have been possible without you INCREDIBLE site and resources! We felt VERY prepared during the chaos of the interview sign-up process (while many candidates appeared overwhelmed and confused) and even more prepared for the 6 interviews we attended. Thank you for all of the helpful hints and insider information! You have created a wonderful service that most certainly helped us pursue our goal of international teaching. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Respectfully,
Everything is close from Zurich: Milan is about 3 hours by train, so is Stuttgart. France is also next door, etc., etc. Here are some pictures of Zurich from last February:
(click to enlarge) Kind regards,
Hello all members, My name is Simonne Stewart and I am interested in a job placement in Mexico for 2002-2003. I am particulary interested in working in the Yucatan peninsula or Quintana Roo and would appreciate any job info from those of you already working in these regions. Kind regards
The only applications we are getting are from USA and they all ignore our request for UK only. It is not only the BC they need to know but also, my son speaks with a British accent, as do I and we had a nanny from Colorado. I dont think Americans realize just how different language usage and spelling is between USA and UK. It did not work out. Our son is already lingually challenged as he attends kindergarten in Greek, lives part of the year in Florence, Italy has a French father and a British mother. So we are requesting a UK teacher for very real practical reasons. Any suggestions how we can find this person? It is really a fabulous opportunity for someone. People save up a lifetime just to spend one week on this island - and we are offering a home here. It has the highest real estate and rental costs in Greece. So its not the kind of place that a regular teacher is ever going to be able to afford to live in otherwise. Nobody out there>???? we posted all details and pictures on our own webpage Pam and Igor, I am a Canadian/Australian citizen who has just completed a Graduate Diploma in Education (University of Melbourne). As I myself was educated in international schools, I am very keen to teach at them as well. I am willing to go anywhere. However, I do not have the 2 year experience as required by most recruitment specialists. How do I go about finding jobs. Thank you, Patrick Watson patwatson99@hotmail.com
There are also urgent vacancies that must be filled quickly, regardless of one's qualifications. Look through the "urgent" job ads at our members' site. As long as you are flexible you always have chances. You can also begin your overseas career by teaching English: we post a lot of vacancies that require only a BA in any area - you can start immediately.
mike edler
I left teaching after 8 years in 1988. Until now I have been a territory/sales manager with a global high tech corporation. I have previoiusly lived in Holland for two years playing and coaching hockey. I am considering going back to teaching and would like to go to Western Europe(prefer. Austria, Germany, Holland). What are my chances? I would appreciate your feedback as I would like to pursue this if possible. Regards, D. Fischer
What to do: learn about the overseas teaching market first in order to determine the type of schools you want to target and configure your job search strategy accordingly. Since you do not have a recent classroom experience focusing on Western Europe exclusively would be unrealistic. Keep all your doors open. When to begin your search? Yesterday! It is never too early but realistically, since we all like to procrastinate, start in the fall. The usual job search options are: The information and tools (step-by-step job guide, resume writer, job ads, your personal webpage, etc) are available to all registered members. Gook luck! --Igor
I began subscribing to your website in March of this year. I was feeling I downloaded and printed off your entire guide to getting a job overseas, and was positive I would have a great opportunity to find work. That optimism changed when I read that most International schools want only singles or married teaching couples without children. I was very disappointed, I am married to a non-teacher and have a one year old son. I posted my resume on-line and received a call from a school in Kuwait that was hiring. Everything was going along swimmingly with the interview until I said I was married with a child. The recruiter was very up front, and said they had found in the past that teachers with spouses who don't and can't work seldom remain in their teaching positions. As well, they only offer one bedroom apartments, too small for a family. I was very fortunate NOT to get this job because I found a job on the internet for a private girls school in Abu Dhabi. My instinct was that they would probably hire female teachers only, and I was correct. I interviewed for the position three times before I was hired. I signed my contract two weeks ago, and my family and I are looking forward to this adventure. This school provides free tickets for both my husband and myself, free accommodation and excellent renumeration. This school has been wonderful to deal with, everyone has been so kind and accommodating. Better yet, the United Arab Emirates is a country where spouses can find work, and is probably the most modern Arab country for Westerners. My message is for teachers who are married to non-teachers. Sometimes you just have to look outside the box to find what you're looking for. My getting this job was a combination of luck, qualifications and excellent references. ( I am an IT teacher with many years of experience). I also wanted to say that I read and took to heart everything you said about the interview. I was positive, upbeat and even though my present teaching situation is grim, I only spoke well of my administration, colleagues and teaching assignment. Best of luck to all your subscribers in finding their own overseas assignments, I believe it's unusual to get a plum position in only 3 months, but it isn't impossible. Even though I am extremely happy with my situation and new school, I wish to remain Anonymous
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A: Many candidates wish they had your problem: it is more common to have little or no material at all! 
