ESL Jobs: When To Go Where? (Part 2)

By Spencer McCall

ESL Jobs: When To Go Where? (Part 1)

In Part 1, I provided you with some general timelines of when you should apply for jobs in certain countries in Asia . In Part 2, I am offering some complimentary advice on two more things you should be aware of when searching for a job in Asia . Again, please feel free to comment on anything you read, whether it is to provide further advice based on your experiences or if you have found this article to be of any help to you.

International Schools: These schools can be a good option for qualified teachers or someone with a Bachelor’s of Education. But don’t judge a book by its cover. These schools are sometimes nothing more than glorified private academies. Although International schools pay higher salaries on average than most private academies and boast prestige because of their “international” staff, they also require longer hours and more work that is often times incommensurate with their salaries. International schools can be affiliated with Universities as well as government-run programs, but this is not always the case. Bottom line, do your research and don’t assume from the title of the school that you will be working for a reputable company. In terms of the best times to teach at one of these institutions, their semesters follow the same pattern as most Universities. January and September are the months when most new teachers are hired. That means teachers should apply at least a month before, in December and August.

Countries: Every country in Asia has at least a few International schools. If you are interested in working for them, try directly contacting someone at the school if possible. Don’t rely on what a recruiter has to say.

Calendars: If you were planning on teaching in Asia , it would be wise to consult a lunar calendar as most holidays that affect ESL hiring dates are based upon it. It’s a good idea to always check out a local calendar of the country in which you intend to teach for special events and festivals. All of them are available from government and tourist homepages.

If Asia is not the place for you, please stay in touch in the coming weeks as we will also be covering the best times to teach in Europe and South America .