Hello,
My husband and I are new to IE and are at our first international school. I will have 5 years of lower primary teaching experience and he will have 3 years of middle and high school english experience at the end of our two year contract. The school we work for now is an American school in Asia.
We'd like to work in France, Italy, Spain or Portugal or basically any country in WE would probably be ok. (My husband is from Spain and has family living there, but Europe is small so anywhere close is good). He has an EU passport, and I have the right to work in the EU as his wife.
ISS and the Bangkok Fair + Tieonline + TES were the recruiting methods we were considering as well as just creating our own database of schools and then sending out our hiring CVs.
Does anyone have any advice for us? We have about a year before we'll tell our school we're not returning, but obviously I'm a planner!
Path to Europe
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Path to Europe
The Search London fair would be better as that is where most of the European schools go. It is also a superfair with CIS, which is also Europe heavy. So as far as fairs, I would actually choose one of those. TES and TIE are great for online, and of course you would want to check out and apply individually to individual schools in your preferred countries as you said.
If you can get IB or AP experience, do it. If you can build your resume in other ways this year, do it (leadership, high demand coaching such as soccer, basketball, volleyball).
For France, you could also check out a lot of their bilingual schools in their national system. A LOT more options than you will find in the databases, and you could end up in a smaller city, which could be fun.
If you can get IB or AP experience, do it. If you can build your resume in other ways this year, do it (leadership, high demand coaching such as soccer, basketball, volleyball).
For France, you could also check out a lot of their bilingual schools in their national system. A LOT more options than you will find in the databases, and you could end up in a smaller city, which could be fun.
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notyouraverageturd
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:36 pm
Re: Path to Europe
In a similar situation, but without the EU passport. Is that going to be an impassible barrier to teaching in Europe?
Also, looking for the next spot, which places in Europe have the best earning/saving potential? How does it compare to top Asian destinations like HK, Japan, or Singapore?
Also, looking for the next spot, which places in Europe have the best earning/saving potential? How does it compare to top Asian destinations like HK, Japan, or Singapore?
Response
@sdakota
Aside from the SA LON recommendation I generally concur with @Thames Pirate.
Your preference list is the same as many, many ITs dream list. Just about every female IT wants to be in France as much as every guy IT wants to be in Japan. Italy is probably second on the dream list and Spain is up there.
When you say WE are you focused on the Mediterranean proxy EU regions or more generally the EU? When we reference WE we typically include Germany, Austria, Belgium and the UK as well.
Europe is pretty big actually, depends on your definition.
I wouldnt recommend ISS, they are more a boutique agency, your very likely to get minimal attention if any from them.
I would also forgo SA membership. You have EU passports (and you should get yours ASAP as a spousal dependent, you very likely dont have to give up your citizenship). CIS will give you comparable access without cost and if you want you can attend the CIS LON fair which will be a smaller group of competition. When Spring comes around May, there will be a number of ISs with vacancies that will only be available to EU passport holders, and Spain is a common location in addition to others. The IS will be desperate, there will be less competition, and you will have a stronger negotiating position.
Regardless of your agency rep. you will need to conduct a manual search of individual ISs and DSs to complete an exhaustive job search. CIS+TES+TIE will prepare you well.
@notyouraverageturd
Not impassible but most of the ISs interested in you would be lower tier ISs or DSs with a lot of competition. Even if you make it into the room, there will be a lot of competition with stronger resumes.
Switzerland (CH) has the highest comp potential. Savings is more a function of your frugality than comp. Any elite tier IS can provide high comp and savings potential.
Aside from the SA LON recommendation I generally concur with @Thames Pirate.
Your preference list is the same as many, many ITs dream list. Just about every female IT wants to be in France as much as every guy IT wants to be in Japan. Italy is probably second on the dream list and Spain is up there.
When you say WE are you focused on the Mediterranean proxy EU regions or more generally the EU? When we reference WE we typically include Germany, Austria, Belgium and the UK as well.
Europe is pretty big actually, depends on your definition.
I wouldnt recommend ISS, they are more a boutique agency, your very likely to get minimal attention if any from them.
I would also forgo SA membership. You have EU passports (and you should get yours ASAP as a spousal dependent, you very likely dont have to give up your citizenship). CIS will give you comparable access without cost and if you want you can attend the CIS LON fair which will be a smaller group of competition. When Spring comes around May, there will be a number of ISs with vacancies that will only be available to EU passport holders, and Spain is a common location in addition to others. The IS will be desperate, there will be less competition, and you will have a stronger negotiating position.
Regardless of your agency rep. you will need to conduct a manual search of individual ISs and DSs to complete an exhaustive job search. CIS+TES+TIE will prepare you well.
@notyouraverageturd
Not impassible but most of the ISs interested in you would be lower tier ISs or DSs with a lot of competition. Even if you make it into the room, there will be a lot of competition with stronger resumes.
Switzerland (CH) has the highest comp potential. Savings is more a function of your frugality than comp. Any elite tier IS can provide high comp and savings potential.
Re: Path to Europe
The countries you name have very little savings potential. Lots of retired ITs go to them, as they can supplement their meager earnings with retirement income.
Other countries in the "other Europe" have better savings potential. Try the Baltics, the former USSR satellites, etc. Many of the same cultural benefits at lower cost and higher salary.
Other countries in the "other Europe" have better savings potential. Try the Baltics, the former USSR satellites, etc. Many of the same cultural benefits at lower cost and higher salary.
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Path to Europe
True about the savings potential--you have to work a lot harder to save even close to what you would in Asia. You can still make decent scratch, but anyone asking about breaking into Europe is generally wanting in because they want to live in those places. Sid is right about Eastern Europe being cheaper, but it really depends on your lifestyle, the size of the city, and of course compensation. For example, Munich is known as pretty expensive, but MIS pays well, and if you live outside the city, you can live fairly inexpensively and save relatively well while still attending Oktoberfest. As with anything, it is about myriad factors.
And no, a lack of an EU passport is not a barrier for most ITs (obviously there are exceptions). We have people from all over. Most schools can arrange the work permit fairly quickly, especially in WE (again, depending on things like your passport country, but for US/CAN/AUS, for example, it isn't really an issue). However, it might be a strike against you in terms of competitiveness for a job (all other things being equal), particularly later in the hiring season.
And no, a lack of an EU passport is not a barrier for most ITs (obviously there are exceptions). We have people from all over. Most schools can arrange the work permit fairly quickly, especially in WE (again, depending on things like your passport country, but for US/CAN/AUS, for example, it isn't really an issue). However, it might be a strike against you in terms of competitiveness for a job (all other things being equal), particularly later in the hiring season.