Best Tips and Advice How to Get a TEFL Job

Written by Ian O'Sullivan Published 23 March 2023 ~10 min read

Best Tips and Advice How to Get a TEFL Job

Interested in becoming a TEFL teacher and wondering how you will get a job? This article is made for you! Getting hired as a TEFL teacher will be a new frontier and it makes sense for you to have a lot of questions about it. Today, we will try to answer these questions and help you to clarify everything. With our tips and help, we hope you’ll succeed at getting hired!

How do I get a TEFL job with no experience?

First, of course, you have to get your TEFL certification. You can decide to study your TEFL course in person or online - there are options for both. You can study whenever and wherever you want to! The online program adjusts perfectly to everyone and their individual schedule. You can avail of your personal tutor support whenever you need to through an online program, meaning you can ask a question right away when it pops into your head. Best Advice and Tips - How to Get a TEFL Job?

Best Advice and Tips - How to Get a TEFL Job?

Be careful to choose the right course for you: a TEFL course should have a minimum study time of 120 hours, varied course material, TEFL job support, and a reliable support system of tutors and academic assessors. Moreover, your teachers/tutors should have a relevant degree and a teaching background as well. The course also needs to be accredited and regulated by independent organizations, to prove the legitimacy of your certification. Premier TEFL guarantees these benefits and offers more courses for those who need them. Our course options include The 120-hour Accredited TEFL Course, The 180-hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma, and The 300-hour Advanced TEFL Diploma. Our diplomas are Ofqual Regulated and provide more in-depth knowledge for teaching English. The Advanced Diploma contains two extra 60 Hour Qualifications: Teaching Business English and Teaching Online and one-to-one. Once you have completed your TEFL course, you can apply for a TEFL job even if you have never taught before. Don’t forget: a lot of jobs don’t require any experience. Everyone has to begin somewhere and many employers are aware of this. However, if you feel you are lacking the confidence to begin teaching there are many ways to gain relevant teaching experience to prepare you for the classroom. Check out our blog for tips on getting experience as a TEFL teacher or you could sign up for our popular Live 10 Hour Teaching Methodologies Course with one of our expert tutors!

Where do I find TEFL job adverts?

>Direct applications: You can apply directly to language schools, Universities, private language academies, and corporations in the countries where you would like to teach. >Online teaching platforms: You can consider teaching English online. There are many online platforms, such as VIPKid, that connect English teachers with students from around the world. View more online teaching platforms. >Professional networks: Joining professional organizations and networks, such as ESLBase.com or tefljobs.com. These sites can give you access to resources and job opportunities in the field of TEFL. >Our very own Jobs Board: We offer a lot of jobs on our website for beginner teachers to experts in TEFL, so make sure to check it regularly. Whether it’s a job online or abroad you search for, you’ll be sure to find the perfect job on our TEFL jobs board. >Facebook groups: In our Facebook groups, a lot of job offers are posted every day. You can also actively offer your service there and engage with over 5,000 members who can assist you with connections, interviews, and more. >Indeed/LinkedIn Searching “TEFL jobs” on these job platforms will allow you to find hundreds of TEFL offers. Among them are jobs for teachers with no experience and also for trained teachers. >Independent teacher: Another way to teach is by being independent instead of relying on companies and schools. Work your way on your own schedule - sounds like a dream! Thanks to social media, it’s easier than ever to promote yourself and find students there, especially if you plan to teach online. Here are some tips on how to market yourself as a TEFL teacher on social media.

How do I write a Resume that stands out to employers? (Resume/C.V & Cover Letter)

This is a major step when you’re looking for a job. Your CV and Cover letter have to represent you perfectly. First, it needs to be clear, and concise (with 2 pages maximum) and comport only relevant information. Make sure your CV has no grammar errors because you’ll be an English teacher and can’t afford to make any mistakes. So proofread and double proofread! You could also try to include a second pair of eyes to help you correct any mistakes you might have made. Your CV includes a summary of your educational background, your skills (hard and soft skills, like communication), and experiences, always in chronological order. You may have a lot of experiences in different fields but try to focus on the experiences with kids you already have (like babysitting for example) or any involving teaching. If you don’t have any experience directly related to teaching, you will have demonstrated plenty of soft skills in other jobs. So don’t forget to highlight the quality you demonstrated in those previous jobs that you could apply to teaching. Finally, you should add the links to your social media and your LinkedIn. Your Cover Letter should be more personal. It should highlight your motivations and reasons for applying to become a part of this company. Don’t be generic and rattle off the benefits of this particular company. Stand out and show the real reason you want this job. For both of them, create a personal and unique template that shows who you are. You could go to Canva to find samples that you can personalize and customize. Don’t forget to adapt your CV and Cover Letter for each job, vary your vocabulary, and use concrete examples to illustrate your qualities. Pexels Tirachard Kumtanom 347135

What is a typical TEFL job interview like?

A typical TEFL job interview is a two-part process that involves a preliminary interview and a demo lesson. The purpose of the interview is to assess your teaching abilities, language proficiency, and cultural adaptability, as well as to determine if you would be a good fit for the school or organization.

The Preliminary Interview: This is usually a telephone or Skype interview that lasts between 30 minutes to an hour. During the preliminary interview, the interviewer will ask you questions about your teaching experience, qualifications, and why you are interested in teaching English as a foreign language. They may also ask you about your availability and the countries in which you are willing to teach.
The Demo Lesson: If you are selected for a demo lesson, you will be asked to prepare and present a short lesson to a group of students. The purpose of the demo lesson is to assess your teaching style, ability to engage students, and ability to use English as a medium of instruction. You may receive a topic to teach or someone may request that you prepare a lesson on a specific subject.

In both the preliminary interview and the demo lesson it is important to demonstrate your enthusiasm for teaching and your ability to communicate effectively in English. Dress professionally, arrive on time, and be prepared to answer questions about your teaching philosophy and approach. Overall, a TEFL job interview is an opportunity to showcase your skills and learn more about the school or organization you are applying to work for. Preparation is most important as you would be making positive impact for securing the job

TEFL job interview questions and how to answer them:

Why do you want to teach English?

You can talk about an anecdote to illustrate your motivation or an example that inspires you to do this job. Find something personal to create a link with your future employer.

Do you have any previous teaching experience?

If the answer is no, don’t panic! It could be a way to enhance how much you want to have this job, that you are motivated to discover this area despite your lack of experience. Show your motivation, why you want to learn, and what motivates you. You may not have taught before but you can link your previous experiences in other fields to skills of teaching. If the answer is yes, try to develop and talk about your previous experiences highlighting what you learned and how this will make you the perfect teacher for this job.

The most important quality for a teacher:

Find a quality that you possess and can illustrate with concrete examples and be convincing.

What do you do during your free time?

Don’t hesitate to show that you like different things and that your job is not the only activity in your life. It will show that you don’t live for your job and can reassure your employer (nobody wants a teacher who spends all their life working and will have a burnout!). But don’t lie or exaggerate your hobbies (the employer will probably ask further questions and if you can’t answer, they will find out that it’s not your real passion!).

How do you plan to teach?

Create your way to teach and highlight your uniqueness to the employer. If you have a specialty for any subjects, don’t hesitate to say it.

What could be your biggest challenge as a teacher?

In this case, talk about your own experience and what you have struggled with in previous jobs and life experiences. Don’t forget to highlight that you want to improve your skills, despite the hurdles but you are realistic and focused about the job on offer. At the end of the job interview, if the employer asks “Do you have any questions?”, don’t answer “No.” and end the conversation. Show your genuine interest in the company/school by asking a question - whether it is a question you may have thought of or a generic question you found on Google. You can ask a question that may have popped into your head earlier, during the interview. You could even prepare questions in advance to show your interest for the company you will work with/in!

I’ve had a TEFL job interview. What do I do next?

If you haven't heard back from a job application, here are some steps you can take:

- Wait: It can take time for an employer to review a large number of applications and make decisions. Wait at least a week to 10 days before following up.

- Check your email and voicemail regularly: Make sure to check both your email and voicemail regularly, as some employers may contact you through these methods.

- Follow up with an email: If you haven't heard back from the employer, consider sending a follow-up email. Be professional and courteous, and inquire about the status of your application. You could say something like: "Dear [Hiring Manager's Name], I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to follow up on my job application for [Position Name] that I submitted on [Date]. I wanted to make sure that my application was received and to inquire about the next steps in the hiring process."

- Check the company's website: Check the company's website to see if they have updated their job postings or if they have any information about the status of their hiring process.

- Consider moving on: If you haven't heard back from the employer after multiple attempts to follow up, it's best to consider the position as no longer being available and to focus on other job opportunities.

Remember to always be professional and respectful when communicating with potential employers. It's important to keep in mind that the hiring process can take time, and it's common not to hear back from every job you apply for. With all these tips, we hope to have answered your main concerns. Don’t forget that employers are especially looking for motivated people. Finally: Be yourself, relax, and smile. This career is rewarding and very inspiring. You won’t regret all your efforts!