Are you looking for a 2019 international teaching job?
 What to do, and when to do it

International schools advertise the majority of their vacancies in December, January and February for jobs starting in August. To ensure you give yourself the best chance of finding the position most suited to you, it’s a good idea to be prepared and proactive in your job search. We’ve put together a list of tasks to do each month if you’re going to be ready when the schools are searching for candidates:


December and January

Update your CV/Resumé


• Make sure it’s well written and clear
- Keep it concise; ideally two pages or under

• Do include details about your personal and extra-curricular skills

• Don’t use acronyms, as they might not be understood globally

• Let your personality shine through; international schools look for teachers with a positive attitude, who are flexible and adaptable



Identify destinations that suit you


• Start a list of regions where you’d be prepared to teach
• Think about your personal needs; family, weather, access for returning home, travel opportunities, etc
• Be open-minded as this will help the chances of you finding a position that really suits you

Look for a supportive recruitment agency

• Register with a recruitment agency that will proactively help with your search and guide you in your decisions
• Look for a reliable agency that specialises in international recruitment and jobs overseas
• Be wary of agencies that charge you; reputable agencies never charge teachers

Keep an eye out for jobs


• Do your research and check out the websites of schools you are interested in
• Make sure the schools you’re interested in are accredited, or approved by respected associations such as COBIS, FOBISIA, EARCOS, ECIS, BSME or LAHC
• If you’ve signed up with a recruitment agency, ask your recruitment manager for advice about any of the schools you’re considering

Be interview ready

• Prepare for any possible interviews by planning questions to ask, and thinking about the questions you might be asked
• Be aware that many first interviews, and even second interviews, will be conducted by Skype or other online meeting platform
• Learn more about what to expect at an international school job interview on this short podcast from TIC’s CEO, Andrew Wigford

February

Be proactive

• Keep in touch with your recruitment manager frequently
• Get advice from them about how to improve your chances
• If you’re not getting the support you need at this point, look for another agency

March


• If you haven’t found a job yet, don’t worry, as there are still schools recruiting at this point 
• Remain proactive by looking for job adverts yourself

April and May

• Don’t give up or feel disheartened if you haven’t managed to find a position
• There are still opportunities out there
• Book a consultation with your recruitment manager to talk about skills you could develop for future considerations

June

• If you’ve been successful in finding a position, get ready to go!
• Read our guide on how to prepare for your new job overseas here

July and August


If you haven’t been successful in securing a position but can move at a moment’s notice, let your recruitment manager know. This is the time of year when last minute opportunities are announced and it’s great to know of people with the right skills and experience who can quickly step into those posts.

Good luck with your job search!

Good luck with your job search!

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