7 tips for getting a great job worldwide

Objective To provoke some thought and discussion To encourage you to grasp with two hands the opportunity that may change your life To provide you with information, resources and advice that will assist you to get a teaching job overseas

Starter for 10 Previous overseas employment experiences? – Teaching – Child-related activities – Other What? Where? Why? When? How? Highlights? Low points?

Tip #1: Make your job work for you Destination – Where have you always wanted to go? Training and development – What knowledge/experience/skills are going to help you in your future career? – Great opportunity to learn a foreign language Life experience – What would you like to achieve before ‘settling down’?

Teaching in the French Alps

Tip #2: Work out your USP What attributes do you have that schools want? – Great subject knowledge? – Amazing communication skills? – Extensive corporate experience? – The willingness to do boarding-house duty? – National-level sport achievements? – Incredible academic credentials? – A sense of ‘different’?

What characterises your teaching? Organised Outstanding subject content knowledge Enthusiastic Really passionate about curriculum Great classroom mngm’t Relate really well to students

What do you love? Travel Food and wine Climbing Bush-walking Skiing SCUBA diving History

Teaching in Paris

Tip #3: Market yourself accordingly Why don’t Doctors have to advertise? Most chance of success when your USP = a potential employer’s (clients’) needs Your ‘marketing documents’ have to reflect (and emphasise) your USP Key points on a CV

Teaching in New Zealand

Tip #4: Network Before you go – Who do you know there? – Who do you know who’s been there? – Who can help you find out more? Once you arrive – Continue to network – get ‘face time’ – Join a club – Go out of your way to be sociable

Use an agency (2001) – “Provides recruitment services to the education and social work industries” (519 current UK jobs) (1999) – “recruit teachers from around the globe to work in both private and government schools and nurseries throughout the UK” – “the best little recruitment agency for school teaching jobs throughout the UK” (116 current UK jobs) (2003) – “find teaching jobs in London and all over England for earnest, enthusiastic teachers” (75 current UK jobs)

Others Other UK – (training and development agency for schools) – (Local Education Authorities) Worldwide – (global teacher placement authority) – (as above)

Teaching in Australia

Tip #5:Be flexible and open-minded Day-to-day CRT or contract? – Guaranteed work – No surprises: travel, staff, students… – Paid holidays – More relevant to your career, therefore… – Improved future job prospects

Be flexible and open-minded There’s often a trade off… – You may not get your preferred method – You may have to work in a different city – You may have to work long or unsociable hours – You may be allocated chores you would prefer not to do

Teaching in the Caribbean

Tip #6:Know the local conditions Timing – When are there most job opportunities? Application process – Is there a central agency? Registration – Is your VIT registration/degree sufficient? Pay – Can you afford to live on your earnings?

Comparative pay LocationGraduate salaryTax rate VIC$55,00030% NSW$44,00030% UK21,588 GBP22% UK (London)27,000 GBP22% NZ$36,500 NZ19.5 – 30% USA$38,000 USD15% Canada$37,000 CAND15% France$24,000 EUR14% Hong KongLots! (but high COL)2-7%

Teaching in Canada

Tip #7: Have a back-up plan Why? – You may get sick/robbed/fired – You may not enjoy where you are – You may not find (enough) work – You may run out of money

Teaching in Hong Kong

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