Choosing Where to Teach Abroad

Deciding where to teach abroad can be a very difficult decision, as you will likely have many questions and doubts. We recommend you give yourself plenty of time to carefully research all the options available so that you can make the best decision.

Start narrowing it down by thinking of a region or country that you have a personal interest in. Do you like sushi and manga comics? Maybe Teaching in Japan is for you. If you appreciate a deep cultural history then you might enjoy Teaching in Europe. Ask friends or family who have traveled abroad what countries they would recommend and why. Wherever you decide to teach abroad, be sure you feel confident that you would find it interesting and enjoyable to live there.

Now that you have put together a list of possibilities, it's time to start looking for specific job opportunities. You will quickly discover that there is an overwhelmingly large amount of teaching jobs posted on the internet, so it becomes important to be able to sift through the options and separate the good from the bad to determine which jobs actually interest you.

• Questions to Ask Yourself:
• Is the job posting professional (spelling, grammar)?
• Is there specific contact information and a physical office location?
• Is there a website or online profile of the employer?
• Have they employed any foreign teachers before? Are there any testimonials or honest reviews online?
• How long have they been in business?

Though unfortunate, there are illegitimate companies that try to take advantage of people looking to teach abroad, which is why it is very important to carefully research all job postings you are interested in to make sure it is legit and a good fit for your wants and needs. Countless teachers have reported in online forums of false promises upon arrival. Start by exploring their company website and learn as much as you can about the organization.

Continue to ask yourself, is this a reputable company that I would be happy teaching for?

Getting the Right Information

After you have selected your top prospects, try and get feedback from teachers who have already taught with the organization. Many respectable schools will offer you the email addresses of teachers to contact directly, so don't feel shy about asking them direct questions such as whether they are happy teaching there or not. You could also try searching our Teaching Abroad Forums for any discussions about the company and its general online reputation. While a few negative comments might not suggest much, an overall negative reputation should be a warning sign. Be sure to also pose questions of your own to get an up-to-date perception of the company.

Hopefully by the end of this process you will have a number of promising job leads, so now it's time to get all of your required documents together and start applying. Hopefully you will fly through the interview process and before you know it, you'll be teaching abroad!