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  • The worst ELT interview questions… and how to answer them March 12, 2012
    Some friends of Naturegirl123 were talking about interview questions that they got. Here are some difficult ones to answer and suggested answers. What religion are you?/ Are you X religion? This could be a legit question if you’re applying to a religious school. If you have the same religion as the school, simply say […]
  • Invoice factoring as a way of financing your language school March 12, 2012
    You’re looking into alternative ways to keep the finances in order in your burgeoning language school. Why not consider invoice factoring? Please don’t think of invoice factoring as a loan because it’s actually something quite different to that: it is more correctly defined as the acquisition of a financial asset. What does that mean? […]
  • Language Classes… Heat Up Careers! March 9, 2012
    Whether you love the snow or can’t wait until the warmer days of spring, this is a time of year when we all start to get a little stir-crazy, suggests Charlotte Evans. Winter was fun back in December but now the cold temperatures and extra layers of clothing are starting to feel a bit […]
  • Learning and Communicative Strategies March 6, 2012
    Introduction Communicative strategies are systematic techniques employed by a speaker to express his meaning when faced with some difficulty and the difficulty here refers to the speaker’s inadequate command of the language used in the interaction (Faerch & Kasper, 1983:16). On the other hand, the term learning strategies has been defined as “the higher- […]
  • Optimizing Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) March 6, 2012
    Technology transforms virtually all human pursuits, notes Michael G. Hines. In the field of education, the use of audiovisual aids, computers, and telecommunication devices has radically altered classroom dynamics. For ESL and TFL practitioners, the possibilities being opened up by technology are highly promising, with the currently accepted practices alread […]
  • Selling textbooks after you’ve finished using them? Here’s some advice February 28, 2012
    These days, being a student is in many ways more demanding than ever. In other ways, though, those attending university have never had it better. The advent of the internet has brought a wealth of information to the modern learner’s fingertips. The advent of sites like Wikipedia has made conducting research and building up […]
  • Want to employ the best teachers? Test them! February 22, 2012
    Are you looking for new teachers? Make sure you do into the process with a clear strategy for how you ensure you end up with the best candidate. Employee assessment tests are extremely important in enabling you as a recruiter of teachers to be able to make measured and well-informed decisions about the type […]
  • Online learning: Do you have the right personality? February 13, 2012
    Research has shown that online learning is better suited to people who are verbally oriented, rather than those who have visual or kinesthetic skills. For this reason, notes Jonathan Ginsburg, whether or not a student is successful in an e-learning course can depend considerably on their personality and their learning type. Before taking an […]
  • Alternative careers: Operations management February 13, 2012
    Tired of the hoi polloi of everyday life as a language teacher? Why not train to become an operations manager instead? An mba in healthcare management is an absolutely indispensable industry qualification which enables those who take it to hone their decision making abilities. The importance of a healthcare mba In today’s bloodthirsty world, […]
  • Can we use dreams to teach English? January 11, 2012
    Dogme ELT is rooted in the experiences of the learner and what they bring with them to the classroom. Our unconscious mind regularly sends us communication in the form of dreams: it is an advantage to understand the meaning of these messages. As our subconscious sends us only constructive information about our existence, it […]

5 Simple Tips for TEFL Job Success

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.

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