Your time working with English Language Learners is valuable. It may not have the credibility and currency that regular classroom teaching has, but those who contend that it is something you almost need to feel embarrassed or ashamed about have zero idea what recruiters look for. If you were to tell me that you'd spent three years working in a situation where you are trying to help young people learn to communicate in English, and where 20% of the students in my school are in that same process, would I really be so stupid as to say "all of your ELL experience is irrelevant"? Duh.
So let me tell you - and I have recruited hundreds of teachers in my time - I look for the kind of hinterland you talk of. You have clearly been a successful classroom teacher; you are comfortable in a multi-lingual environment; you can assimilate into a different culture.
You need to be wary on this site. There are several self-proclaimed pundits - and Dave PsyGuy is the worst of these - who speak with absolute certainty about things that are way, way beyond their experience.
As for which fair is best for you...well the big advantage about Bangkok is that that is where you will find most vacancies. The disadvantage is that most recruiters who go there, myself included, only take their first picks simply because there are several fairs to follow. So if you are a really good candidate and you go to Bangkok you will get offers. If you are a pretty good candidate, you may well not get offers.
You also need to know that if your goal is a job in Asia, well it makes sense to go to Bangkok, since nearly all the top Asian schools are there. If you want Europe you would certainly choose go to London. That said, there are many Asian schools that go to Europe and some at least European schools that attend Bangkok. The original premise still holds good though: if you want Asia and nothing else, go to Bkk; if you want Europe and nothing else, go to London. Factor into that decision where you think you are in the pecking order of an administrator's wish list, and that should tell you which fair to attend.
If you want me to cast an eye over your resumes, I'm happy to do that. Post an (anonymous) e address here, and I'll get in touch. But know that I am a cruel editor...
Go to the Search Bangkok or Cambridge Fair next year?
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@superteacher
You should absolutely keep your experience even if it is EAL on your resume. My advice was in regard to your 120 hr certificate only.
First, in the world of ELL certificate the most reputable are the Cambridge and Trinity certificates which are 240+ hrs. A 120 hr certificate is Meh, and conjures images of online or fly by night schools.
Second, compared to an actual professional teaching credential, a TESOL certificate is like listing your HS diploma with your graduate degree. You want to separate things like 120hr TEFOL certificates which have negative connotations from positive experiences such as your 2-3 years teaching experience (regardless of the subject) in an International School.
I would never send a resume or anything to someone off this forum, especially an admin like Walter.
First, Admins HATE this site, and teachers who identify themselves with this site and forum have been retaliated against. They dont like information about the IS profession being anything except what they say it is. Admins believe that having been on this site if something happens you will write a negative review and trash their reputation, which makes it difficult for schools to recruit. A single review can significantly reduce a schools recruiting opportunities, a highly marketable teacher with multiple opportunities can easily reject a schools offer based on a recent review on this and other forums. Why take a chance with a school when you dont have too.
At the ISS BOS fair a teacher was in an interview and mentioned reading about the school on ISR, and the recruiters energy and attention level dropped immediately and after a few minutes the interview ended.
There is no reason to paint a target on yourself and identify your real identity (which would happen with sending a resume), once your identified you cant undo that.
Second, you dont know who anyone on this forum is really.
You should absolutely keep your experience even if it is EAL on your resume. My advice was in regard to your 120 hr certificate only.
First, in the world of ELL certificate the most reputable are the Cambridge and Trinity certificates which are 240+ hrs. A 120 hr certificate is Meh, and conjures images of online or fly by night schools.
Second, compared to an actual professional teaching credential, a TESOL certificate is like listing your HS diploma with your graduate degree. You want to separate things like 120hr TEFOL certificates which have negative connotations from positive experiences such as your 2-3 years teaching experience (regardless of the subject) in an International School.
I would never send a resume or anything to someone off this forum, especially an admin like Walter.
First, Admins HATE this site, and teachers who identify themselves with this site and forum have been retaliated against. They dont like information about the IS profession being anything except what they say it is. Admins believe that having been on this site if something happens you will write a negative review and trash their reputation, which makes it difficult for schools to recruit. A single review can significantly reduce a schools recruiting opportunities, a highly marketable teacher with multiple opportunities can easily reject a schools offer based on a recent review on this and other forums. Why take a chance with a school when you dont have too.
At the ISS BOS fair a teacher was in an interview and mentioned reading about the school on ISR, and the recruiters energy and attention level dropped immediately and after a few minutes the interview ended.
There is no reason to paint a target on yourself and identify your real identity (which would happen with sending a resume), once your identified you cant undo that.
Second, you dont know who anyone on this forum is really.