Is it easy to find a TEFL job?
Is it easy to find any job these days?
A job teaching English as a foreign language in your home country, abroad or online should not be considered any different to any other job. Yes, there will be hurdles and challenges when you are looking for a job, but that’s normal. It doesn’t mean it’s impossible, or even difficult, to find a TEFL job.
But how can we be so sure?
Let’s explain.
Is there a demand for TEFL teachers?
Absolutely. The number of English language learners all over the world is increasing every year. More and more people want to learn English - for business reasons or personal reasons. It’s not difficult to understand that there are more English language learners than there are English teachers. So there’s a job out there just waiting for you!
Is it easy to find a TEFL job without experience?
We all have to start somewhere. Every single teacher on this planet has had to experience their first day in the classroom. Employers understand this. It’s not necessary to have experience to get a TEFL job, though some positions which ask for experience are likely to offer higher salaries or more responsibilities.
If you want to get some experience before taking the jump to paid employment, there are bound to be volunteer opportunities near you. Churches, community centres, even schools offer extra classes to ESL learners in the area - often refugees or immigrants who are looking to assimilate into the community.
Internships are another way to gain experience, though these are not usually paid.
Remember, if you have a teaching practicum on your TEFL course, this is considered teaching experience as you are dealing with EFL students in a real-world situation. Tutoring or au pairing can also be considered informal teaching experience, so don’t forget to add those to your CV if you have experience.
Is it hard to get an online TEFL job?
There are absolutely jobs for online TEFL teachers. But there are a few considerations we need to bear in mind. Though there are plenty of online students, there are also many online teachers looking for jobs. Some teachers choose to find their own students online and teach privately, while others opt to teach through an online company or teaching platform. Both have their pros and cons. You need to figure out which scenario suits you.
Some say the online TEFL market is saturated, making it difficult to find online teaching jobs. Others say teaching online is not worth your time. We disagree. The online market is booming - online teaching jobs pop up all the time. Make a name for yourself as a reliable and effective English teacher, and you’ll be teaching as much as you want!
How long does it take to get a TEFL job?
Getting an online teaching job can be super quick. Companies can take a few days to approve your application but otherwise you can upload an intro video whenever you want and start teaching as soon as you find a student.
Getting a job teaching abroad will take a bit more time. Applying for a job, going through the interview process and sorting out your paperwork can take weeks, if not months.
Some TEFL jobs, like language schools, accept teachers year-round but mainstream schools and universities only take on new teachers at the beginning of the academic year or semester. So if you’re applying at the “wrong” time of year for a job in a specific country you may need to wait a while until your employment contract begins.
Alternatively, if you are in the country, pounding the pavements is a way to save time. If you are in the area, it’s easier for the school to organise an interview with you in-person. And it’s easier for you to demonstrate your teaching ability. All these things make the interview process go much more quickly.
Is it easy to get a TEFL job?
It’s no more difficult to get a TEFL job than it is any other job. With the added bonus that you can pick and choose where you would like to work. And you can rest easy knowing that teaching jobs are only going to become more prevalent in the future.
