Your Time Line

Contracts expire. Teachers move. That's why there are so many opportunities every year! This "revolving door" of recruitment choices is one of the many specifics of international teaching. 

Many schools in the Southern hemisphere operate differently, starting in February / March, so the jobs are filled earlier. (The only recruiting fair for South America takes place once a year in December.)

For most international schools, however, the school year starts in September.  Typically, you have to report to work in August (July for administrative positions).

Do not forget that it takes time to process your visa and arrange your accommodation, so most jobs are filled during the winter months, well before the domestic schools even begin their recruitment assessment.  

We usually recommend to allow yourself a  year  to plan and execute your move. The best  timeline, therefore,  is as follows:

• Fall - research the market and prepare your application package;

• Fall / Winter - apply, interviews;

• Winter - contracts;

• Spring - visas;

• Summer - relocate.

There are also many openings that start in January, as well as February - March, and we also post quite a number of new vacancies during late spring / summer. This is the time when the fairs are over, the recruiting venues are not available, so all recruitment is done via Skype / phone / internet.  Cheap but risky, for both schools and teachers. Face to face interviews are still the most reputable method.

Enrollment rises, contract cancellations and other situations dictate that teachers should be hired late in the season, so many opportunities present themselves in summer  and even early Fall.

In fact, new vacancies are posted all year round! The old-fashion recruitment, via face to face interviews is done in winter and spring, at the recruiting fairs.

In spite of all these choices and volumes of the information, many candidates won't even consider knocking on the door and asking, "Hey, is there anything for me?"

Obviously, for a life-changing decision such as moving overseas,  research and preparation are absolutely necessary. You won't drive in a foreign country without a good roadmap. Yet, some people think they can go recruiting empty-handed!

The most difficult part of the process, is to begin. And it has to be you to initiate the communication.  The schools do not want to hear from agents, middlemen,  representatives, spouses and other third-parties.

The schools want to hear from YOU,  their future teacher!

It is you who must make the first move! Unless you act nothing is going to happen!

Do not bother to upload your résumé to a "job bank" and wait for results.  Job banks are worthless. You will only hear from scammers. Do the right thing:

Prepare your application CV (résumé), cover letter, philosophy, references and a photo. Get Skype (it's free). Submit this information to us, and it will be made into your personal recruitment webpage.

When this is done, get in touch with the Directors (Principals) of your schools of choice - personally. Use our Job Logs and the Schools Directory to apply.

Respond to the schools' inquiries and get ready for interviews. Most of them use Skype so you won't even need to spend hundreds of dollars on a job fair (Hotels, airfares, registration fees, clothes, etc. The usual cost of attending a job fair is US$1,000-US$2,000 per person, depending on the location.)

Sign a contract and apply for a work visa, as instructed by your school (you will receive a package in the mail). You should already have a passport.

Pack you stuff, book a ticket (most schools expect you to buy your own ticket, to be reimbursed upon arrival.

Some schools, like our current school in Hong Kong, books airfares for all the teachers on its own. So all our teachers arrive in HK on the same day! (And the school bus is waiting.)

You will be met by the school representatives, who will drive you to your temporary (free) apartment. You will have a month to look for your own rental place, while using this free apartment unit, along with the charged ATM card that the school also provides.

There is no need to buy lots of books and subscribe to every recruitment website. All you actually need is right here. Sign up today and start your new life today!

Here's the direct secure link to sign up for your own member account!