Hello all. I would like some opinions. I am going into my 8th year as a counselor. With the exception of 1 year as a high school test coordinator, all of my years have been in middle school. I have done several presentations and implemented a major school wide program. I also sit on many school committees, have great references, and am the director of my department. I would like to work in the Middle East. Oman, Qatar, UAE or Jordan. I am also open to parts of Asia. Newbie to international teaching. Single, one dependent (13 y.o.).
Do I have a good, fair, or poor chance?
Should I attend the ISS fair in Atlanta?
ISS Job Fair - Atlanta - December 2012
Easy
I think you will be marketable, and will have no problem since you want to go to the middle east. A couple things I would advise/suggest.
1) Counselors at international schools dont do very much on the mental health side, including psychometrics. Its mostly a student management position.
2) The BIG thing and whats in need right now is counselors who can do college advising. I have to think that being in middle school you have very little experience with that.
No you dont want to go to the Atlanta fair. You want to go to the Boston fair in February. Its one of the super fairs, since its runs back to back with the Search fair. It matters less where the fair is or when it is then how many schools are present with positions in your field. You have the biggest showing at the Bangkok Fair, Boston fair and London fair in that order.
1) Counselors at international schools dont do very much on the mental health side, including psychometrics. Its mostly a student management position.
2) The BIG thing and whats in need right now is counselors who can do college advising. I have to think that being in middle school you have very little experience with that.
No you dont want to go to the Atlanta fair. You want to go to the Boston fair in February. Its one of the super fairs, since its runs back to back with the Search fair. It matters less where the fair is or when it is then how many schools are present with positions in your field. You have the biggest showing at the Bangkok Fair, Boston fair and London fair in that order.
Sure
No problem, personally i dont think you will have to go to a fair at all. Given the region your interested in, i wouldnt be surprised if you were picked up early in the hiring season before the main fairs started.
Agree with PG on this.
Target your schools and send your applications in early (Octoberish). If your resume is as good as it sounds, you'll be doing Skype interviews by the start of November and have a job soon after that.
Those schools in the ME will be falling over themselves to talk to you.
Some may be nervous about you being single with 1 dependent - but I'd bet you'll be making travel plans by the time that Atlanta fair begins.
Oh, and you don't have to do HS counselling. According to my Head of School, MS and ES Counselors are in demand as well.
Good luck:)
Target your schools and send your applications in early (Octoberish). If your resume is as good as it sounds, you'll be doing Skype interviews by the start of November and have a job soon after that.
Those schools in the ME will be falling over themselves to talk to you.
Some may be nervous about you being single with 1 dependent - but I'd bet you'll be making travel plans by the time that Atlanta fair begins.
Oh, and you don't have to do HS counselling. According to my Head of School, MS and ES Counselors are in demand as well.
Good luck:)
Since were there
Since were there, you could have a counselor position for this upcoming year if you wanted to start in the fall.
Very true there are MS and ES counselors, but there arent as many. Small schools typically have one counselor, and big schools may have an ES/MS counselor but then the upper secondary will have several, but they are available. The biggest demand this year in counselors was for those that could do college advising. People were hired at tier 1 schools who werent even counselors.
Very true there are MS and ES counselors, but there arent as many. Small schools typically have one counselor, and big schools may have an ES/MS counselor but then the upper secondary will have several, but they are available. The biggest demand this year in counselors was for those that could do college advising. People were hired at tier 1 schools who werent even counselors.
I will chime in here as well. I don't think you will need to attend the fairs either. I really regret having shelled out some significant cash for a database and fair registration, only to be hired via TIE contact and a Skype interview. I will be starting as an ES Counselor in Aug., unless you really want to cover your bases and vie for top schools, I think your chances are fairly good without Search or ISS.
@PsyGuy I have two national and two state presentations already scheduled for this upcoming school year. I made a committment and I wouldn't want to back out on that. Also, my principal is not ecstatic about me leaving. She knows I am looking to leave after this year; to leave now would leave the school in an awful bind. I want to leave on good terms.
@ WiseTeach Where will you be teaching (country, city)? What kind of school (public, private)?
@Hallier Thank you. I will make sure to apply early.
@ WiseTeach Where will you be teaching (country, city)? What kind of school (public, private)?
@Hallier Thank you. I will make sure to apply early.
I agree with what the others are saying, but there is a cultural issue with middle east countries. I'm not an expert, but it might make it hard to get a visa. Probably more so if you are female (sorry if you mentioned your gender but I missed it).
I don't bother with middle east schools for visa issues.
I don't bother with middle east schools for visa issues.
Visa Issues
@mathman Really? What types of visa issues? I've researched the schools, plenty of women working there. And I know expats in several of these countries, men & women, married, single, single with children. Please share.
Visa Issues
Eden contrary to what Mathman says, I taught in many Middle Eastern countries, and Pakistan to boot as a single mother. Never found it to be an issue.