Can TEFL make you more employable?

So you’re thinking about making the big move and traveling half way around the world to become a TEFL teacher, but you are starting to have doubts about whether all the hassle is really worth it? You don’t really want to make a career out of teaching kids, so how will it help you? This, suggests Emma Foers, is the natural thing to think before you embark but the reality is, after doing a TEFL course you will become an employee every company wants. Read on to find out how….

1 – Leadership skills

A TEFL course gives you all the skills you need to be able to lead the bunch, but it’s only once you’re out there that you really learn how to become a successful leader by putting everything you have learnt into practise. In your first TEFL lesson it’s important to take full control and from then on you are their leader. Once you can keep a classroom full of 40-50 rowdy Chinese kids under control, everything else will be a walk in the park, particularly managing employees!

2 – Shows you’re up for a challenge and can adapt to anything!

Whilst Teaching English abroad you will be challenged from the very beginning, to the very end when you have to say a sad goodbye to your students (it’s all good challenges though!). You’ll learn how to survive in a foreign country, a completely new culture, how to find your way around a new city, how to communicate in a country where you don’t speak the language and last but not least you will learn how to adapt to circumstances which are out of your comfort zone, which is a skill employers are looking for!

3 – Proven presentation and communication skills

Whilst you’re out Teaching English abroad you will learn how to bridge cultural and language barriers, which will make you convey and present your ideas in the clearest way possible. It is one of the best ways you can perfect your presentation and communication skills, which will definitely come in very handy in any job. After a period of teaching overseas you will be confident to give those presentations that you once couldn’t sleep the night before for worrying about!

4 – Develop your interpersonal skills

Having interpersonal skills is something that all employers want to see you have and after being a TEFL teacher you can prove to employers that you have them. Which is really going to work in your favour. This is usually a hard skill to prove, not after your TEFL experience though. You can show you are patient and approachable, you can develop a strong rapport (use the stories of how sad your students were when you left), sensitive to different cultures and needs and that you can bring a positive attitude into the workplace.

5 – Boost your confidence

You may have a first-class degree and loads of work experience, but if you don’t have the confidence to go with it, it doesn’t stand for much. After being a TEFL teacher you will have had a real confidence boost after proving to yourself on your TEFL adventure you can do anything you put your mind to, you’ll certainly have the confidence to stand out from that crowd!

Want to find out how you can make yourself more employable though TEFL? Download your free copy of TEFL Uncovered: How to Teach Your Way Abroad with TEFL to get the lowdown on how to start your TEFL adventure.

So what do you think? Has TEFL helped you to become more employable?

About the Author

Emma Foers strongly believes 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.