7 Ways To Find An ESL Teaching Job

So, are you looking for an ESL teaching job? Isn’t searching for a job so much fun? (Insert: sarcastic laugh). Of course, we all know that looking for a new job or part-time hustle can be a pain.  Well, where should you start? Read on!

The “hidden job market” is the best place to look. These are jobs that are not officially advertised, but you find through networking with colleagues and friends of friends.  Similar to “word of mouth”, I’ve found this often works best for finding new private tutoring students and at times, job in language academies as well, especially if you are an experienced teacher.  However, don’t give up on traditional methods!

Here are my top 7 places to look:

7 Places To Look for An ESL Teaching Job

1. ESL Job Sites

Sites like Dave’s ESL Cafe and ESL Job Feed seem like the obvious place to start when you want to look for a teaching job. While these can be a great way to check out postings, I always find it useful to check out the organizations themselves and their reputations. Also, try to have an information interview with someone from a school you’d like to work for if it is a local one you can easily get to.  Actually, even Skype interviews work if you can find someone willing to sit down and chat about their experience at the school and possible opportunities!

2. TEFL and TESOL Organizations

 Check the place you were TEFL Certified. Sometimes they have job posting sections on their websites or in their literature for students.

3. Linked In and Job Search Engines

Well, enough said – this one is pretty obvious!

4. Word of Mouth to Find A Teaching Job

Almost half of my private tutoring students come to me this way. Don’t underestimate asking your happiest students to vouch for you! In fact, when I was in Canada, I had a 42 hour a week tutoring schedule completely filled the year after responding to only a few requests for help. Remember, people have families, cousins, friends and acquaintances who may also need your services!

5. Local English Academies

Cold calling and dropping off CVs has worked for me in the past. Respond to local academy ads online, or stop by ones in your area to see if they are hiring. As long as you are TEFL certified, most will take your CV.

6. University Exchange Programs

Sometimes there are work abroad programs available at universities even for those who aren’t students. They are run by external organizations, but advertise at university career centres. Check them out! You may find your perfect teaching job and also learn about living in a new country or culture. I find it amazing how much it opens your eyes to new perspectives when you experience the culture shock of living in, and eventually adapting to, a new culture.

7. Twitter!

Well, I have to say it is amazing how many English teachers there are on this social network, so if you haven’t started using Twitter for professional purposes, get on it! Follow as many English teachers as you can find, and check the feed often to share anything you find useful. Sometimes there are even job postings right on the Twitter feed!

How To Connect To Other Teachers

So, the world of ESL teachers is a lot bigger than you may think! Actually, we’re all connected through social media somehow, which makes it the perfect way to get free teaching tips and collaborate with colleagues. Below you can find a few of my top tips for connecting to other teachers.

Social Media Checklist To Find An English Teaching Job

• Get on Twitter! –  So, I’m repeating myself, but it’s worth mentioning twice. Get on Twitter! 
• Join Facebook Groups – Jason Levine’s Innovative Teachers of English is one of the biggest groups out there and is incredibly helpful and supporting.  In addition to that group, I belong to about 20 others!  Find local, regional and international groups and join as many as you can.
• Post on Instagram – Now, I’m a beginner at this one, but I can already see that Instagram is full of people in your field who want to connect with you. Connect with teachers today and who knows, it may lead to a teaching job one day.
• Create a local group for English Teachers  If you’re an avid reader of my blog, you know that I love meetup.com and have met a lot of people there for social purposes. However, it’s also great for language exchanges and meeting other teachers. Try it out!
• Collaborate on e-book or interviews for your website, or in-person projects.

Want all these tips as a handy checklist? You have access to my free printables library, right? It’s in the July 2017 section.  If you haven’t joined over 1600 teachers (and the number is growing every day), simply click the button below and sign up today! It’s completely free and updated with motivational posters (every Monday) and a set of printables every month.

Have questions about my ESL teaching job search tips or a stellar tip of your own? Leave me a comment below. I love to hear from you and I respond to every one!

Happy Teaching!

P.S.  Photo fans, the main photo for today’s post is one I took in Holland Park, London in May 2017.