The TEFL Times

Want to know how to succeed in the TEFL job market? Bruce Haxton tells you how.

So, you’re thinking about doing a TEFL course, and it won’t be too long before you’ve got your crisp new TEFL certificate in hand – but what are you going to do with it?! Get a teaching job abroad and jet off into the sunset – that’s what! But how to get there? Never fear: here are my five simple tips for TEFL job success:

Tailor your resume to TEFL

We’re sorry to say it, but employers don’t want to know about that ska band you were in back in school. Keep it short and sharp – just cover what the job advertisement asks for in simple, direct language. Focus on skills that schools will value, like leadership, organisational and communication skills and how you’ve demonstrated you can use them.

Do your course with a provider that has a job placement service

Get your TEFL course provider to do the legwork for you! Many companies have TEFL job placement services which will match you with relevant suitable contracts on completion of your course. Just make sure you’re eligible to use it before you sign on the dotted line!

Always deal with a real person

Want to know where most of those applications addressed to ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ end up? That’s right… the bin! One of the best routes to job success is to build up personal relationships with recruiters to make sure your application ends up in the right person’s hands, rather than the trash.

Use your mouse

The internet’s a marvellous thing – where before you might have had to traipse around a city handing out your CV, you can now get access to tens of thousands of TEFL jobs at the click of a mouse. Sites like www.tefl.com list positions from all over the world, which are just waiting for enthusiastic EFL teachers to fill them!

Keep it simple

Very often the person who’ll be reading your job application won’t have English as their first language. They won’t want to tackle an application full of flowery language – they’ll want one that’s simple to read and direct. If they can’t immediately see that you’ve got the skills for the job your application will probably end up being binned!

And remember, if finding a TEFL job feels daunting, the odds are with you: there are 20,000 TEFL positions posted online every month, meaning fluent English speakers with TEFL certificates are like gold dust in many countries!

About the Author

Bruce feels that teaching English abroad is the perfect opportunity for any English speaker to explore the world. As long as you’re a fluent English speaker, a TEFL course is your ticket to the journey of your life.