Where is the Best Place to Teach Overseas

Each country has a culture and charm of its own. When choosing where the best place to teach overseas is for you, you may want to consider what effect living in a particular country will have on your lifestyle.

Domestic Help
Teachers with children will find that living in a country which has a lower cost of living than at home will discover that the lower cost of living carries across into the cost of child care too, particularly in home child care.

When you teach abroad you can choose to live and work in a country where you will be able to afford a nanny. Many international teachers with children employ nannies, especially in South East Asia where the cost of living is very low, and as a consequence, local salaries are low too.

Where is the Best Place to Teach Overseas

Where is the best place to teach overseas? It is hard to decide where to go when you look at the scope of unique and exciting experiences that are available in the different regions around the world.

Leisure Activities
Choosing the best place to teach overseas may be tied up in the kinds of things you like to do outside of work. You can continue many of your favorite leisure activities while you teach overseas, or take up new ones. Many international teachers move to regions that allow them to indulge themselves in this way.

If you ski, then Europe and Korea are options you may consider. You can teach in Vienna for example and take a train to the slopes for the weekend.

Divers tend to look for international schools in Thailand or the Philippines. Thailand currently has many more international schools than the Philippines, so you are more likely to find a teaching job there.

Because most international schools are situated in urban or suburban areas, there is usually a wealth of activities you can take part in. While living in Bangkok I have attended Indian musical evenings organized by the Indian Embassy, attended numerous balls, learnt how to ride a horse and taken numerous dancing lessons in many different styles. My colleagues are more adventurous than I, they run in marathons, compete in triathlons, mountain bike, dive, play golf, and the list goes on.

To find out if you will be able to continue your hobbies in different countries you can search on the internet or check out the ‘activities’ section of the relevant Lonely Planet Guide.

Where is the Best Place to Teach Overseas

International School Recruiting Fair Tips

If you're just starting out as an international teacher - here are some tips to help you at you first international school recruiting fair...

You need to be picky about where you go and teach overseas, but you don't really need to be picky regarding which international schools you interview with because practice makes perfect.

If you can get interviews with schools that you're not sure you're interested in, do so, then go along for the interview practice. One result of this is that you could find out a school you really didn't think was your cup of tea turns out to be perfect for you!

Another result of using this interview strategy is if one of these schools that aren't on your hit list the only school that offers you a contract (and I'm sure this won't be the case) then working for a slightly undesirable school for a year or two will at least get your foot in the door of international teaching and make it easier to geta great job next time around.

One last thing... in preparation for the international teaching job fair I attended in Bangkok this month, I took a friend out to lunch and quizzed her about interview questions. I was going for the same kind of job that she currently does in my school. I found that it really helped me get my head around what I wanted to say at the interviews. And a good idea of what recruiters were looking to hear from me!

International School Recruiting Fair Tips

Networking Tips for International Teaching Job Fairs

The sign up session is the most important part of the fair because this is where you convince recruiters to interview you - but it's also a dynamite opportunity to network and find out information from other international teachers.

Networking at a teacher recruitment fair is really easy because we all have something in common. Maybe you are like me, I'm not comfortable talking to strangers, but I have no trouble at job fairs.

I think you'll find that if you screw up the courage to say something simple like "Hi, what position are you interested in?" when you're standing in the lines at the sign up session you'll see what I mean.

Teachers love to talk, just give them an opportunity and you'll be networking your way through the job fair.

Networking opportunities can be found in the candidates lounge, in the corridors while you're waiting for an interview appointment, in the lifts on the way to an interview appointment and if you lurk around the candidates mailboxes you'll find a steady flow of overseas teachers too.

Networking Tips for International Teaching Job Fairs

"Wow" International School Recruiters at Overseas Teaching Job Fairs

New technique guarantees you 'wow' international school recruiters at overseas teaching job fair signup sessions!

I developed this technique only recently and tested it at the recent Search international school recruiting fair I attended. It definitely got the attention of recruiters and helped me stand out from the crowd!

At the fair I was offered FOUR overseas teaching contracts and had a hard time deciding where to go. It was a great validation of my job hunting strategies!

I've made a video about why this simple, one-page flyer is such a powerful addition to your job fair strategy and given you step by step instructions so that you can make one of your own - and I'm going to be giving it away!

Teachers who buy my Guide will receive this video for FREE!

"Wow" International School Recruiters at Overseas Teaching Job Fairs

Benefits of Signing up with an International Teaching Job Fair Organisation

The benefits of signing up with an international teaching job fair organisation may not be immediately apparent and you may balk at the cost of registration and the cost of attending the fair itself (transport, accomodation, time off work), but the benefits can often far outweigh the cost...

1. Often the schools who are invited to attend an international school recruiting fair are pre-selected by the fair organiser. You can often feel somewhat reassured that the schools have been vetted prior to your interview and subsequent hiring.

2. Many international teaching job fair organisers require schools to complete a questionnaire that will give you information that you may not find on their website and it's not appropriate to ask about at interview - the benefits package for example, or the number of local students in the school. The information in this questionnaire is usually made accessible to candidates through an online database, so international teachers can search for countries or vacancies they are interested in. You can access this information and contact schools that interest you, without having to actually attend the job fair.

Access to this information can give you an edge over other candidates because you will know more about the school and can contact recruiters with prior knowledge.

3. When you attend the job fair you will have access to people who are already teaching overseas and may know about teaching at the very schools which interest you. Take the time to talk to the other candidates, find out where they are from and where they are going. You'll be amazed at what you can learn about the different international schools.

Learn more about international teaching job fair organisers...

The job fair organisers also vet the overseas teacher candidates. If you aren't accepted to attend a job fair it does not mean you are not a desirable candidate. There are alternative job hunting strategies you can use to find a teaching job abroad.

Learn how you can land your own teaching job abroad using my proven strategies and job hunting techniques.

Salary and Overseas Teaching Contracts

One thing to watch out for when you are signing an overseas teaching contract is that you are going to be paid for a full 12 months in the year, rather than the 10 months you'll be working.

Getting paid for only 10 months of your year teaching is not a common practice in international schools but it does happen and it could have devastating result on your family's fincances if you are not prepared.

Your overseas teaching contract should clearly state how much you will be paid, when you will be paid, the period of the contract that you will be paid for and who is responsible for any local taxes.

For more details on what benefits you should also have outlined in your contract, and the questions you need to ask to establish the real value of any benefits offered get The Complete Guide to Securing a Job at an International School!

Salary and Overseas Teaching Contracts

Teaching Overseas Using your Moving Allowance to Relocate your Family Pet

When you are looking for a teaching job overseas, you will quickly realise that many schools offer a moving allowance as a benefit. These moving allowances can often be quite generous. If you are thinking of using your moving allowance to move you pet abroad with you it is important that you check this with the international school first. Some schools will not allow you to use your moving allowance to relocate your pet and it is better to check this out prior to making arrangements.

Teaching Overseas Using your Moving Allowance to Relocate your Family Pet

Can You Teach at an International School if You Are Over 55? 60? 65?

I found a very informative article online this week about teaching overseas for the experienced teacher. There seems to be more and more age discrimination apparent in the teaching profession and people are either moving overseas to escape it... or moving home!

It's difficult to know what effect your age will have on your job hunt, but you can make some pretty good judgements of where to try and find a job with this information, check it out!

How Old Is Too Old to Teach Overseas?

In addition to the article on teaching overseas for people nearing retirement age you will find a chart that lists ages in relation to employment for international schools - divided up into regions, countries and schools!

Can You Teach at an International School if You Are Over 55

Teaching Jobs Overseas for Married and Non Married Couples

Teaching couples are very popular with international school recruiters for many reasons but the main one is that couples can often work out cheaper to hire in the long run.

Whether you are married or not you can look for jobs as a teaching couple, most schools do not discriminate against couples who do not have a marriage certificate. An obvious exception is schools in the Middle East. It is very difficult for non-married couples to land jobs in international schools in the Middle East, where governments’ regulations stipulate that couples seeking working visas produce a marriage certificate.

You may be able to find a way around this problem but it is unlikely that international school recruiters recruiting for schools in the Middle East are going to find non-married teaching couples an attractive employment prospect when compared to married ones. If you are in this situation, your best bet is to concentrate your job hunt on other regions in the world.

Teaching Jobs Overseas for Married and Non Married Couples

Teaching Jobs Overseas for Couples

When looking for a teaching job abroad as a couple, there are several options open to you:

You can look for suitable teaching vacancies in international schools that will suit both you and your partner’s teaching skills. This will involve finding schools that have vacancies for both of you, a task that is easier at the beginning of the recruiting season because schools have yet to fill their vacancies. Generally speaking December through to March is the best time for teaching couples to look for overseas teaching positions together in the same school. Teaching couples are hot employment prospects at this time because hiring a teaching couple has an impact on the benefits schools have to pay.

Alternatively, you and your partner can look for teaching vacancies in international schools in the same cities. A number of teaching couples are lucky enough to find teaching jobs abroad in different schools in the same city. If you have not taught in the same school as your partner or spouse before, you may find this a better option for you.

The most efficient method to find teaching jobs in different international schools in the same city is to attend an international teaching job fair. At an international teaching job fair you will find many school s from around the globe in the one location, all looking for teachers to fill their vacancies. Often you will find a number of recruiters from the same city at a job fair and it is possible to schedule interviews with each of them individually.

At most job fairs you will also be able to see international school recruiters give presentations about their school and the working in the community. This can help you make an informed decision about whether a school, city or country will be a good fit for you and your family.

Teaching Jobs Overseas for Couples