A good contract depends on a good interview. How to have a good job interview? The best way to have a good interview is to have no interview at all. Few people enjoy this experience and it may also be expensive if you have to travel. 

The good news is that many schools offer interviews by telephone and some will not require any interview at all. 

Landing jobs by correspondence

1. Invest in a good TEFL certificate. This is a passport to many positions worldwide.
2. Unleash a targeted marketing campaign; focus on individual private schools that do not require interviews (use The Overseas Schools Directory - TEFL section to locate these schools.)
3. Many employers will hire you on the merits of your certificate, without any interview or they will interview you by phone or even email/fax -- but not all! 

Some large organizations interview everyone, regardless of their qualifications. If you want your job search to be stress-free, avoid them. How to find out? You will be able to learn about the school's recruitment procedures from the responses you receive. 

It is increasingly difficult to secure a contract exclusively by correspondence, especially at the high-end of the market. You must realize that the schools that offer contracts to someone they never met may not be the best in the industry. Otherwise they would not be so desperate! Always use telephone to follow up on ALL responses that express interest in you. 

Direct applications 

Most of us have dream destinations we want to go to. With the popularity of English it is possible to find a teaching job almost in every city of the world. Moreover, travel to your destination country is sometimes the only possible method to secure a job. 

Thousands of people from USA, Canada, UK, Australia and other countries are traveling overseas at any given moment. The language schools in the popular tourist areas NEVER experience a lack of applicants. Writing to them is usually a waste of time and money - as long as there is a constant stream of travel teachers they are under no pressure to reply. 

Organization and networking are the critical elements that determine the outcome of your job search. To multiply your chances do the following:

1. Upon arrival, get a good map of the city (many hotels will give you one for free).

2. Find a copy of the local telephone directory (usually available in your hotel room).

3. Use the directory to compose a list of prospective schools and their phone numbers. 

4. Call the school and ask for a meeting. Be prepared to leave a message, ask for a better time to call, etc. Follow up on all promising contacts.

5. If the school has nothing to offer always ask the WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO question to generate leads. 

6. Use every opportunity to strike up a friendly conversation - with the director, secretary, etc. -- and pick their brains. 

7. Mark the potential schools on the map. Use the public transportation map to plan your route.

8. Arrive early and follow all the interview guidelines that we describe later in the book.

Networking abroad

While you are in the city, find out about the expatriate clubs, churches, bars, etc. If you plan your trip in advance you should be able to find a lot of information on the Internet. If you did no research you will need to guy a local city guide when you arrive. A local acquaintance will be able to help, too. 

Go to the local expat church. This is one of those places where you can find a lot of useful information including employment ads. Smile and use your body language to indicate that you are easy to talk to. 

Interviews

As we mentioned earlier, many experienced teachers can be hired by correspondence solely on the merits of their resumes. In many cases, however, an interview is unavoidable. You should not worry about it, however. An interview has its advantages. 

1. First of all, the best jobs usually require an interview. By "best" we mean those that offer paid airfare, extended contracts, dependents, benefits, housing, etc. If a substantial contract is at stake the schools are less likely to offer it without a personal interview. An interview in some form (telephone/email) is required by the vast majority of employers and some even insist on in-house training, even if you have a recognized TEFL certificate. 

2. Secondly, every contact is a two way process. You are equally interested in the evaluation of the potential employer and what they have to offer. A face-to-face meeting with your recruiter is a great way to test for potential problems. 

3. A personal interview is an opportunity to win a contract over a more qualified and experienced candidate by demonstrating a better personal image (professional appearance, clear and correct speech, and upbeat personality).

4. Finally, in many situations, a door-to-door speculative search is the only available means. For example, if you are not a EU passport holder and you look for work in a EU country, it is counterproductive to send emails or faxes: the schools will not respond. You have to arrange interviews on the spot. 

How to Hit a Home Run

We are what we pretend to be.
-- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Have you ever wondered why some people get job offers all the time while others struggle with theirs? Here is the answer.

The Three Bases to Cover

To win any job offer, you need to cover the three bases:

1. Your teaching qualifications and visa eligibility. If the school responded to your MP you have already won this round. If you apply to schools directly, this is the most important stage.

2. Your personal appearance. Yes, it is EXTREMELY important. Lots of teachers suffer from dressing down and overall poor self-presentation. It is a really BIG opportunity for those who are motivated but may not have the best teaching credentials. Look good and act professionally and you will go far! 

3. Your speech. Yet another opportunity for a motivated candidate to win over those who believe their teaching credential is an automatic passport to a job. Practice the interview questions and self-presentation statement (discussed later in the Guide). 

BASE #1: Qualifications and Visa Eligibility

If your intention is to work legally, and you are not eligible for a work permit (work visa) in a particular country, you only have 3 options: 

1. Work illegally (sometimes it is the only option and many people work without a proper visa for years) 
2. Go to a different country
3. Change your circumstances to become eligible

Do not fall for ads that promise a work visa in a week. Refer to the Overseas Schools Directory for the specific country by country visa requirements to determine your eligibility.

Don't fix it if it ain't broke

When it comes to a personal interview, what is most important is that you MUST CONFIRM the recruiter's original impression that you fit the profile (otherwise they would not have offered an interview in the first place).  The best way to do so is not to ruin it. Again, avoiding mistake is all it takes. 

Play fair; do not use tricks. BRING ALL ORIGINAL CERTIFICATES, DEGREES, REFERENCES. 

In most foreign countries, the originals are absolutely critical. The documents must be signed and have official seals. Unlike North America, most countries do not have sophisticated computer databases and fast networks to verify one's credentials. They rely on the original paper documents: security features such as special paper and seals are absolutely essential. 

Read the above paragraph once again: it is THAT important. 

"The dog ate my homework?"

Some people try to use this circumstance to their advantage. For example, you can say that you left your certificate at home Or that you are waiting for a replacement copy. Yes, it might work in some cases, but you can't use it as a strategy for any serious job search. 

Similarly, the fake degrees and certificates that are available on the internet will not take you anywhere. Any recruiter will be able to determine it by asking you a few simple questions on TEFL methodology. 

BASE #2: ATTIRE

In the early 90-s a group of US teachers went to Eastern Europe to meet with the local teachers as part of the People to People exchange program. For their first meeting, the Americans showed up in jeans, sneakers and t-shirts. The locals wore their best suits, expensive jewelry and leather shoes. Both parties were embarrassed.

Oftentimes, you can beat your competition by simply avoiding the common mistake that plagues so many teachers overseas: casual (sloppy), unprofessional clothing. If you are used to your khaki shorts and a polo shirt in Kansas it does not mean it's OK to wear them in Prague. 

Oftentimes you are interviewed by a North American or British Director of Studies (DOS) and you should not worry about dressing up. But don't rely on it! When going abroad on job search trip, your business suit and shoes must be the first things to pack. As with the qualifications, your attire must confirm the recruiter's expectations. 

Now, what happens when your expectations are not met? Imagine you were a school director. You need to hire a teacher. In response to your advertisement you receive a well-written curriculum vita, a fine resume on quality paper, a very personable introduction letter - accompanied by professional photograph and a webpage. 

Naturally, you feel excited about this candidate and look forward to meeting him in person. You begin thinking about your new teacher and how to make him happy at your school, etc., etc. So you arrange an interview, thinking it is going to be a rather informal meeting and a pleasant experience. 

The candidate arrives half an hour late, breathing heavily. You notice that he made no special effort to dress up for the interview: no suit, no tie. Instead, he wears a tee shirt with a Budweiser logo. He searches his backpack for a copy of his resume, and finds nothing. So he sits down without an invitation, spreading his legs wide apart and complaining about the traffic and hot weather. 

He says, "I should have went to Madrid, they offered me a great contract!; How do you feel? Exactly, you go nuts. You feel insulted by his being late, by his sloppy shirt and jeans, by his lack of respect, by his bad manners (legs wide apart), by his obnoxious grammar. You feel cheated and show him to the door. Of course, this example is exaggerated, but you get the idea. 

"Us" and "Them"

In real life, the things that may get you in trouble are not so obvious. Every school has its level of expectations and requirements so the actual situation will differ. Regardless of the specifics, pay a special attention to the following: 

You and your photo must have a reasonable likeness. The director will not appreciate it if you show up 10 years older and 50 pounds heavier than in your photo. 

Your clothes must be formal, even if you apply for a temporary job at a low-key school. Proper dress is very important.

A lot of people use travel guides for packing ideas. Let your competitors travel "light," we wish them good luck. When they show up for a job interview in their comfy travel shirts and sneakers no reputable recruiter will take them seriously. 

Why are clothes so important? This is largely a cultural issue. Respect the cultural specifics and you will go far. To a foreign recruiter, your proper attire identifies you as "one of us" - rather than "one of them." Positioning yourself as someone who is part of the system is a very powerful call. Win their hearts and you will win their jobs, too. 

Base #3: "Speeching American"

A lot of good opportunities are lost every year because the candidates fail to demonstrate good English skills, specifically in the areas of grammar and pronunciation. Recruiters do not want any regional accents, slang and the like. Some people complain of the declining education standards in the United States: use the situation to your advantage by demonstrating impeccable English. 

Watch your language for common mistakes! To foreigners, these mistakes are especially noticeable. Most of us have heard President of the United States say, "There's differences" - but few have noticed the grammar mistake. To a foreigner, this is unacceptable. This is even more "unacceptable" if you are a teacher of English!

Most foreign recruiters have good English skills so don't rely on their incompetence!  

What many candidates forget is that the recruiter is continuously measuring you up against his standards. The interview may look like a nice chap but do not allow yourself to slip into a relaxed mode. SPEAK SLOWLY AND DISTINCTLY.  Slowly does not mean pausing between words as some people do. 

To speak slowly, you must enjoy your speech - the modulation of your voice, the way you build phrases, the pauses you make. You have to really like the way you speak! You probably know your weak points - practice to rid your speech from them before you go recruiting! Avoid all jargon, "ya knows" and "like's". 

Pronunciation is equally critical. Fast, incoherent speech reveals not only professional inadequacy but also insecurity and low self-esteem. Of course, you shouldn't sound unnatural and robotic. The point is that you must be a little bit more self-conscious than usual about your speech. 

It is fairly common for an interviewer to ask a candidate a few questions on grammar and usage. Most candidates have no problem with that. As far as your pronunciation is concerned, it is a constant test that continues throughout the interview. 

It is fairly common for an interviewer to ask a candidate a few questions on grammar and usage. Most candidates have no problem with that. As far as your pronunciation is concerned, it is a constant test that continues throughout the interview. 

It is always safer to sound a bit more formal, monotonous and accurate, -- rather than fast, incoherent and grammatically wrong. Don't try to be "cool" by using regional expressions and idioms. Especially avoid all expressions that use the notion of money (right on the money, put your money where one's mouth is, look like a million dollars, etc.). Outside North America, "money" is not an attractive word. 

Finally, be an actor! Treat your job interview as a show. This is your theater - enjoy it! Do not be shy to show your talents. You have a lot to be proud of, and this is your chance. Regardless of what the interviewer says, any interview is essentially a request for a good show. 

Look the recruiter in the eye. What she is trying to say is: Charm me! Show me what you can! Impress me! Give me a reason to like you and the job is yours!

So do not fail her expectations. Charm her with the deep modulation of your voice, proper tense forms and authentic pronunciation. Delight her with the clarity of your phrases. Fascinate her with your perfect grammar and good manners.

Remember that the recruiter always has to keep in mind her customers - the fee-paying students. She wants a performer, a people-person in her classroom. 

What you need to communicate -- indirectly, by your ways and manners --  is that you understand his/her concerns and are ready to meet the challenges of the job. This is what really inspires the recruiter. 

Leave your mumbling competitors no chances, even if their CVs are better. It is the personal impression that makes all the difference. Professional attire + professional speech = JOBS. 

You Win or Lose in the First Three Minutes!

Make no mistake here, the outcome is determined by the first 3 minutes. The remainder of the interview is much less important. Unless you reveal something extraordinary nothing is going the change the recruiter's first impression.

We have to say it again: 

YOUR APPLICATION IS ACCEPTED OR REFUSED WITHIN THREE MINUTES OF THE INTERVIEW!

Do you begin to understand why it is so critical to show up on time, have a professional appearance and speak clearly?

If your were offered an interview, you already have a certain amount of good will (otherwise you would not have been asked to come); so your main concern is not to ruin the good impression the recruiter already has.

How to absolutely nail the recruiter

1. Be on time. Arrive early enough to make yourself comfortable in the office. Talk to the secretary. It will also give you time to form an impression about the school. Being late is ABSOLUTELY out of the question, even in the countries where punctuality is not favored. It is virtually impossible to mend the damage caused by being late.

2. Shake hands well. A weak sweaty palm leaves a very bad impression. Make your handshake quick and energetic. 

3. Make eye contact.

4. SMILE.

5. Establish rapport - say something nice about the city/country/school.

6. Use quality accessories. Never use cheap broken pens, vinyl covers, etc. 

7. Have a handkerchief ready to cover your mouth and nose if you have to sneeze or clear your throat. Do not use your fist! (It is also a great tool to buy time when you have a hard question).

8. Keep notes. Show the recruiter the value of their words.

9. Sit properly. DO NOT: sit with your knees wide apart; cross your legs with an ankle on your knee, touch your shoes. 

10. Men should have their hair cut short 

11. No jewelry 

12. Do not blow your nose

13. No chewing gum/ soda cans

14. Say hello and introduce yourself first, in a clear and slow voice

15. Be and look comfortable and show that you enjoy the experience

Prepare and Rehearse a One-minute Introduction 

Most of your competitors won't do it. They will arrive unprepared, wondering about what is going to happen. They will wait for the interviewer to guide them. 

While it is imperative for you to play guest and allow the recruiter to take the lead, the secret of successful interviewing is in KNOWING WHAT TO SAY, irrespective of how the interviewer will structure their questions. 

It is incredibly effective when you introduce yourself, tell the recruiter about your background and experience, and ask them a couple questions. This approach will indicate that you are a serious candidate and you will be treated accordingly.

Since the whole result of the interview depends on the initial impression, setting the right tone at the beginning of the interview is critical.

It is not important how the interviewer will phrase their initial questions; they all have the same objective: to receive the initial feedback from you, in terms of your attitude, manners, motivation, responsiveness, speech patterns, possible impediments and so on.

They will want to know how long you are going to stay. It is a very important question. If they like you they will want you to stay for at least 6 months, preferably a year and even longer. Short-term jobs are possible but many schools will not bother with you.

They can ask you to tell them about your background, why you decided to teach overseas, if you have had any teaching experience and the like. 

These are the usual questions and you must be ready to handle them easily. The school must have sent you some information - it is absolutely necessary to go through it again to make sure you are in synch with the recruiter.

When they see that you remember the facts it makes them feel good about you. You should also ask questions, otherwise they will have the impression that you are either unmotivated or unprepared for the job.

The second layer of questions is often focused on the specific teaching methods, TEFL programs and the school's specifics. Your interview may actually start with this - there are no rules and every recruiter can handle it anyway they feel fit.

You must be prepared to provide clear answers and examples, as far as English grammar and usage are concerned as well as TEFL methods and problem solving ideas.
The power of success stories 

At this stage, those who have substantial teaching experience will always have an advantage because they can use their past success stories as examples. If you do not have much experience devote a good deal of your preparation to handling the practical questions! If you have no special training, read a few books on teaching English, this is the absolute bare minimum. 

In fact, the less qualified you are the more specific questions you will have! The reason is obvious: you have no credentials, how else can they find out if you can teach? Every school director has a few horror stories about the teachers they hired who could not teach, took to the bottle, etc. 

Sometimes a school will offer you a probation period, say, for 2-3 months prior to offering a contract (if the legal situation allows); some ask for a demonstration class and so on. Try to avoid these options by giving them some EVIDENCE of your teaching ability and personal reliability.

Using success stories (supported by documents) in the most powerful way to convince the recruiter that you are the right person for the job. That's why it is essential not only to gain some practical teaching experience but also summarize your experiences for the purpose of using them in your job search.

Always have one or two stories handy. You can use the same piece of information to illustrate various points - with a bit of modification (but do not exploit the same story twice during the same interview).

Better yet, prepare a few stories (you can refer to other people's experiences as well); it is much better than being unable to say anything specific on the subject.

Naturally, having a quality TEFL certificate and handling the initial part of the interview properly makes your job interview an easy and stress-free experience.

Cultural differences matter

The third part of a job interview is often focused on the school and country specifics, such as students, cultural aspects, school schedule and procedures as well as the other particulars.

If you have gone that far it is a sure sign that you have got the job in the pocket - well, almost.

Do not be overly optimistic about possible difficulties. Show maturity - life is not a bed of roses. Ask the director what kind of problems the other teachers have had and how the other teachers handled them. Ask them directly: what should I know about the students? What is the most important thing to remember? What should I avoid? What are the sensitive subjects? Are there any cultural taboos? How should I treat students of different sexes? Is it appropriate to use first names? Etc. etc. 

You may think you already know the answers but YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS ON THE CULTURAL SPECIFICS. 

It will show the recruiter that you are truly interested in doing the best possible job. The law of job hunting is that in order to get, you have to give. The director must get you interested in the job, your sincere commitment to doing it right. 

Let your competition jump to salaries, benefits and air tickets. What they reveal is only their self-centered concerns; and this does not help with winning a job offer. Wait for the recruiter to make an offer. Then you are in a stronger position to negotiate. 

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