Don't worry about the age. There are also schools out there where it would be hard to find someone under 50! Age tends to be an issue when one nears 65 or if someone is sending off the vibes they just want to coast before retiring. I once asked a director about a woman who was 63 even though the school could not get visas past 65. His response was that she came with such a good reputation that the school would benefit for at least two years.

Did you know there are a few big schools with full time dance teachers? Go for it..it is just a matter of finding the right fit.

Hang in there. Were some of the schools MYP? If so, do you have experience? The IB schools can be tough to break into. What can you offer for extra-curriculars? This can be a deciding factor for international schools. Unfortunately there are lots of middle school generalists out there and if your competition is married to a needed physics teacher, you don't stand a chance.

I write all of this so you don't take it personally. There are lots and lots of factors schools look at. If you hit it off with the schools they may come back to you later or you may see those administrators at another school in the future. Good luck!

Definitely look for one with certification. It may make the difference some day if you are planning to get get into admin. If you return to the US your state may give you temporary licensure until you get state specific training.

Blacklisted by who?

Why not go for it? Admin get hired straight from the US all the time. You would definitely be in the running for an assistant principal role. I do think that usually admin posts are hired earlier than teaching posts but I might be mistaken.

What is the likelihood schools will continue to post over the next few weeks? I am trying to decide if I should take my computer on vacation. Am I right to presume if I have not heard from a school by now it is unlikely until at least the first week of January?

Only ask once. You are more likely to get it quickly if you provide in your request if there is anything you want stressed. What student activities have you run? What PD have you done pr committees?

Does that help?

I have met two couples in your same situation, both at top Asian schools. You may have to be more flexible about where you go but it can absolutely happen. Schools really count on these positions for coaches so be prepared to discuss what you can offer.

I heard that Saudi Arabia is no longer giving work visas to spouses of people who come to Saudi for other reasons. They want Saudis to fill those positions. I am wondering if that is why Aramco has so many positions open. Any know about this for sure?

Are you planning on the school paying dependent benefits for her? If so, you need to be up front from the beginning. Some schools may have tight budgets for housing and hiring or school board guidelines that prevent them from hiring teachers with non-working dependents. If you are not married, there are places where she would not be able to get a resident visa.

Do you really want to start the school year with your new boss thinking you tried to trick your way into a job? Honesty IS the best policy.

Any news of the impact of horrors at mall in Nairobi on the international school?

Admin connections who were impressed by:
-our work ethic
-positive attitude
-teaching skill


I am not trying to be egotistical. You simply have to make a good impression on those who count. Before you all yell "suck up", another way of putting it is being a good employee and then having well connected supervisors.

It does not just have to be supervisors,. If you have colleagues who perceive you as good to work with and they get the break first, they can advocate for you. Never burn bridges and network like crazy.

It never hurts to try. Some schools highly value U.S. experience and others prefer international perspectives. There could be schools who are gun shy since I have seen more than one U.S. administrator crash and burn in an international setting. It is just so different.

If you could get a few years under your belt as principal in U.S. your chances would go up exponentially. Lots of great v.p.'s already out here.

If you are both willing to coach multiple sports your value goes up greatly. I was at a large Asian school with two couples just like you. You may have to be more flexible with location, particularly at the start.

Manumanu - since you are a school counselor with college advisement experience, chances are you won't even have to go to a fair. Sign up for UNI since it's close as a last resort.

Good counselors are few and far between so start the search in October by contacting schools with openings directly. I don't know anything about UNI's online resources - we attended long before this valuable tool existed.

The last job search I bookmarked the schools that were most important to me and checked their HR page often. I got to apply to a few before the openings were posted to any of the search agencies!

Good luck!