Hi,
Here is the problem :
I have a friend who is 56 and has a dependent.
This friend wants to teach overseas (UAE or Saudi) but I have told this person that,
given that the current overseas teaching market is saturated with candidates and that the employers have tons of candidates to choose from,
it will be hard for them to be hired.
I have also tried to explain that employers prefer to hire a single teacher who has less experience so they can pay lower teacher salaries and that as this friend has a dependent it will be more costly for the employer (and thus not worth it for the school) versus a teacher w/no
dependents.
Finally, I have also tried to explain to this person that as they are 56, it will be hard to find a position as most schools in the Gulf have a retirement age of 55-58 years old.
Am I giving this person the correct advice ?
If I am , how can I break it down ( the reality) of the current overseas teaching market to them gently ?
If I am wrong, what advice can I give to this person about getting hired ?
Help needed:teacher friend is 56 w/ dependent/ Jobs??
Help needed:teacher friend is 56 w/ dependent/ Jobs??
Last edited by missy on Sat Jul 27, 2013 3:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
way too many jobs at that age
I know...I have been writing everywhere and I am 61
cut off is 60 most countries...some in China till 65
SA not great for women...really!
friend of mine went there..female...and male..friends
male gets out of the airport..female goes through the back way with curtains on both sides and gets on a bus with curtains all around...
shopping expeditions are of course chaperoned...you live on a compound, etc..like a fishbowl
Korea is a good place..they pay the airfare upfront..have office tels..good pay..first two years no tax..i taught there several years..
public school..not hagwons..private academies
have your friend do a TEFL course if not already...can do from anywhere usually..Korea too
Korea is hiring now...for aug and sept..they have great summer and winter intensive camps to earn cash..made 3k in a winter camp for four weeks ..at Inha university...so try that
sometimes ..at uni jobs you may have to pay insurance...friend pays 220 at age 50..i was told at one uni id have to pay 700 usd...wouldnt mind..
my son is in Japan and he pays 100 a month..but everyone does ..for medical insurance..he says..no matter the age
japan is very expensive to live...been there to visit and do visa runs in Fukuoka...expensive..not to great on using our ATM s at mcdonald s , restaurants, ets..if it weren t for a starbucks..i woulda starved on my visa run lol
korea requires fbi check..costs 18 and takes 4-6 weeks..so if your friend is in a hurry China way to go
cut off is 60 most countries...some in China till 65
SA not great for women...really!
friend of mine went there..female...and male..friends
male gets out of the airport..female goes through the back way with curtains on both sides and gets on a bus with curtains all around...
shopping expeditions are of course chaperoned...you live on a compound, etc..like a fishbowl
Korea is a good place..they pay the airfare upfront..have office tels..good pay..first two years no tax..i taught there several years..
public school..not hagwons..private academies
have your friend do a TEFL course if not already...can do from anywhere usually..Korea too
Korea is hiring now...for aug and sept..they have great summer and winter intensive camps to earn cash..made 3k in a winter camp for four weeks ..at Inha university...so try that
sometimes ..at uni jobs you may have to pay insurance...friend pays 220 at age 50..i was told at one uni id have to pay 700 usd...wouldnt mind..
my son is in Japan and he pays 100 a month..but everyone does ..for medical insurance..he says..no matter the age
japan is very expensive to live...been there to visit and do visa runs in Fukuoka...expensive..not to great on using our ATM s at mcdonald s , restaurants, ets..if it weren t for a starbucks..i woulda starved on my visa run lol
korea requires fbi check..costs 18 and takes 4-6 weeks..so if your friend is in a hurry China way to go
Reply
This is a difficult scenario to respond to, their are a number of compounded exceptions with the standard variables.
We need some more information though, whats your friends resume like, and what do they teach???
The ME, is not saturated and their are schools there that recruit year round. They have a problem recruiting and the Kingdom more so then the UAE.
One dependent is not really an issue. Its not ideal, but a 2:1 ratio (travelers:employees) isnt usually at issue. The hierarchy goes:
1) Teaching couples/no kids
2) Singles
3) Trailing couples
4) Teachers with kids, and the more kids the worse it gets.
So one dependent isnt a deal breaker and few ME schools are running at capacity in which case, the cos/valuet of tuition waivers drops considerably.
At 56 hes either over at or very close to the retirement age,. and even in places where he would be under, at that stage your really only marketable if your in administration. Then again beggers cant be choosers and if were talkinga low tier ME school with a vacancy in a high needs area, even if it was only for a couple years a school may simply not have options.
You cant "talk" people into a new perspective in this situation. I would work more towards minimizing the costs this friend expends. Directing them to a number of free sites and recruiters such as Daves ESL Cafe and Footprints recruiting, etc and encourage them to apply for these positions and see how their resume is received.
We need some more information though, whats your friends resume like, and what do they teach???
The ME, is not saturated and their are schools there that recruit year round. They have a problem recruiting and the Kingdom more so then the UAE.
One dependent is not really an issue. Its not ideal, but a 2:1 ratio (travelers:employees) isnt usually at issue. The hierarchy goes:
1) Teaching couples/no kids
2) Singles
3) Trailing couples
4) Teachers with kids, and the more kids the worse it gets.
So one dependent isnt a deal breaker and few ME schools are running at capacity in which case, the cos/valuet of tuition waivers drops considerably.
At 56 hes either over at or very close to the retirement age,. and even in places where he would be under, at that stage your really only marketable if your in administration. Then again beggers cant be choosers and if were talkinga low tier ME school with a vacancy in a high needs area, even if it was only for a couple years a school may simply not have options.
You cant "talk" people into a new perspective in this situation. I would work more towards minimizing the costs this friend expends. Directing them to a number of free sites and recruiters such as Daves ESL Cafe and Footprints recruiting, etc and encourage them to apply for these positions and see how their resume is received.
Here's the deal:
He has over 15 years of teaching experience in elementary education.
Also has reading specialist and special education cert. ...He has mainly taught in his home country (except for recent time with Teachaway /ADEC.)
He tried Footprints but wasn't offered an interview as it was for
teaching TEFL to high school/foundation English program in the UAE
and he needs a TEFL cert for that.
He did teach for ADEC and came back recently to his home country
and then recently decided to work with ADEC again but had a recent interview via Teachaway and surprisingly did not get offered a position despite having worked for them before.
Any more thoughts ? Feedback ?
He has over 15 years of teaching experience in elementary education.
Also has reading specialist and special education cert. ...He has mainly taught in his home country (except for recent time with Teachaway /ADEC.)
He tried Footprints but wasn't offered an interview as it was for
teaching TEFL to high school/foundation English program in the UAE
and he needs a TEFL cert for that.
He did teach for ADEC and came back recently to his home country
and then recently decided to work with ADEC again but had a recent interview via Teachaway and surprisingly did not get offered a position despite having worked for them before.
Any more thoughts ? Feedback ?
WARNING
I'm confused now, your original post inferred that this "friend" didnt have any experience in teaching abroad or the region?
My biger and more alarming question is, what arent you telling us?
You dont need a TESOL/TEFL certificate for the middle east especially with your "friends" resume and qualifications. The kingdom and the ME isnt that picky, and what government regulations exist are easily circumvented.
Why did your "friend" leave? They should ahve learned its much easier to find a new position and job search the more local you are. Leaving just puts a bigger financial burden on a potential school.
The biggest and SCREAMING warning sign is why, assuming he performed satisfactory did TeachAway not offer him a position? My instinct is that "something happened" and TeachAway didnt find out what "happened" until they approached their clients AFTER the most recent interview.
It has to be pretty bad, there are felons and sexual predators working in education in the ME...
So again, what isnt your "friend" saying???
My biger and more alarming question is, what arent you telling us?
You dont need a TESOL/TEFL certificate for the middle east especially with your "friends" resume and qualifications. The kingdom and the ME isnt that picky, and what government regulations exist are easily circumvented.
Why did your "friend" leave? They should ahve learned its much easier to find a new position and job search the more local you are. Leaving just puts a bigger financial burden on a potential school.
The biggest and SCREAMING warning sign is why, assuming he performed satisfactory did TeachAway not offer him a position? My instinct is that "something happened" and TeachAway didnt find out what "happened" until they approached their clients AFTER the most recent interview.
It has to be pretty bad, there are felons and sexual predators working in education in the ME...
So again, what isnt your "friend" saying???
Stop being a drama queen PsyGuy !!!
"I'm confused now, your original post inferred that this "friend" didnt have any experience in teaching abroad or the region?
My biger and more alarming question is, what arent you telling us? "
1) I NEVER said this in my original post.
"It has to be pretty bad, there are felons and sexual predators working in education in the ME... "
2) NO, this person is NEITHER of these .....
Please don't start adding gossipy comments PsyGuy.
I am looking for ways to assist my friend whom I know very well.
Anyone else with constructive advice ?
"I'm confused now, your original post inferred that this "friend" didnt have any experience in teaching abroad or the region?
My biger and more alarming question is, what arent you telling us? "
1) I NEVER said this in my original post.
"It has to be pretty bad, there are felons and sexual predators working in education in the ME... "
2) NO, this person is NEITHER of these .....
Please don't start adding gossipy comments PsyGuy.
I am looking for ways to assist my friend whom I know very well.
Anyone else with constructive advice ?
Comment
@missy
"The lady doust protest too much"...
Allow me to undramatize my conclusion:
A) Teacher "friend" goes to teach in the ME.
B) Teacher "friend" returns from the ME.
C) Teacher "friend" interviews but isn't hired to go back to the ME.
Something happened between A and C, and whatever it was, wasnt good (meaning bad).
No you didnt state explicitly, I inferred from the totality of your (now edited) post.
I didnt claim your friend was either a felon or a sexual predator, I stated that such people do work in educational settings in the ME. As such the behavior standards in the ME have a lower minimum then a majority of other regional environments.
Why does it vex you so, how deeply and "close" do you REALLY know this "friend". Do you know everything, or only think you know everything.
Im familiar with the work of a rather eccentric, though brilliant physician, A Dr. Greg, or Gregory something who's singular law of humanity is "everyone lies" .
"The lady doust protest too much"...
Allow me to undramatize my conclusion:
A) Teacher "friend" goes to teach in the ME.
B) Teacher "friend" returns from the ME.
C) Teacher "friend" interviews but isn't hired to go back to the ME.
Something happened between A and C, and whatever it was, wasnt good (meaning bad).
No you didnt state explicitly, I inferred from the totality of your (now edited) post.
I didnt claim your friend was either a felon or a sexual predator, I stated that such people do work in educational settings in the ME. As such the behavior standards in the ME have a lower minimum then a majority of other regional environments.
Why does it vex you so, how deeply and "close" do you REALLY know this "friend". Do you know everything, or only think you know everything.
Im familiar with the work of a rather eccentric, though brilliant physician, A Dr. Greg, or Gregory something who's singular law of humanity is "everyone lies" .