I am a total newbie to the international teachiong scene - far from new to teaching! I have sent a dozen or so email packages of cover letter and resume to schools that had advertised openings on their website - some of these went out in early December. I haven't heard anything from anyone. I am feeling more than a little disheartened. My questions for all you experts are:
Do schools who have received a resume contact you before a fair to establish that they wish to interview you?
Does the lack of response indicate these schools have no interest in me and I shouldn't waste my time planning to see them at a fair?
I live in rural New Brunswick, Canada so attending any hiring fair comes with a considerable price tag - even those held in Canada. What do you think my chances of employment might be without attending a fair? I have over 20 years experience teaching high school and middle school both English and Social Studies/History.
I really do understand that no one has a crystal ball but I wondered if anyone would hazard a guess. Thanks so much for your help. This forum only serves to strengthen my own opinion that teachers are some of the most supportive people in the world.
winter job fairs newbie questions
Hi Jill!
As a Canadian oversears, I can let you know that if you are applying to your first international job, you will not get the top-tier schools looking at you. However, thare are many schools looking. You have just missed out on the Atlanta fair for the South American schools; however, Queens is coming up. Queens takes place either right before or right after Boston/Cambridge for Search and ISS.
If you are serious about teaching overseas, go to a job fair. As an experiencd teacher, you will be in demand. Make sure you do your research on the schools that interview you and understand that at the job fair, they are seeing a lot of people quickly and when the offer is made they expect an answer fairly quickly. If they really want you they will give you bit of leeway, but usually an hour or two is what you get.
Good luck with your job hunt. Also, if you don't belong to Tieonline, do so, and if you don't have a job by March or April, then watch TIE carefully for new postings and think about a summer job fair if necessary. Otherwise, if you are unsure or want to wait, contact Search Associates or ISS and sign up with them.
You don't say if you are married or have children, but understand that a non-teaching spouse is not an asset. Two teaching spouses with two or three kids is very do-able though!
Hope this helps,
shad
As a Canadian oversears, I can let you know that if you are applying to your first international job, you will not get the top-tier schools looking at you. However, thare are many schools looking. You have just missed out on the Atlanta fair for the South American schools; however, Queens is coming up. Queens takes place either right before or right after Boston/Cambridge for Search and ISS.
If you are serious about teaching overseas, go to a job fair. As an experiencd teacher, you will be in demand. Make sure you do your research on the schools that interview you and understand that at the job fair, they are seeing a lot of people quickly and when the offer is made they expect an answer fairly quickly. If they really want you they will give you bit of leeway, but usually an hour or two is what you get.
Good luck with your job hunt. Also, if you don't belong to Tieonline, do so, and if you don't have a job by March or April, then watch TIE carefully for new postings and think about a summer job fair if necessary. Otherwise, if you are unsure or want to wait, contact Search Associates or ISS and sign up with them.
You don't say if you are married or have children, but understand that a non-teaching spouse is not an asset. Two teaching spouses with two or three kids is very do-able though!
Hope this helps,
shad
Jill,
Do not feel disheartened by the fact that you have not heard from schools. That is not unusual and just because you haven't heard from them doesn't mean that they are not interested in you. As Shadocg mentioned, for a newcomer a fair is probably essential and well worth the investment. It is an opportunity not only to meet directors from schools around the world but to also network with other teachers. I have always learned a great deal at the fairs that I have attended. Just remember to be open to living in different regions and be prepared for a frantic pace at the fair.
I would guess you will receive in all likelihood more than one offer. Schools like experience and if your references are positive and you interview well then getting a job won't be an issue.
Good luck.
Do not feel disheartened by the fact that you have not heard from schools. That is not unusual and just because you haven't heard from them doesn't mean that they are not interested in you. As Shadocg mentioned, for a newcomer a fair is probably essential and well worth the investment. It is an opportunity not only to meet directors from schools around the world but to also network with other teachers. I have always learned a great deal at the fairs that I have attended. Just remember to be open to living in different regions and be prepared for a frantic pace at the fair.
I would guess you will receive in all likelihood more than one offer. Schools like experience and if your references are positive and you interview well then getting a job won't be an issue.
Good luck.
-
jillbeaulieu
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:32 pm
Thank you to Shadocq and Overhere. I have taken your advice and am rather frantically trying to get a spot at Queens. I've filled out the initial paperwork but haven't heard from them if they still have openings.
To say international teaching is a whole new ball game would be an understatement! I thought the biggest issue was the introspection and soul searching necessary to reach a decision that this was what I wanted to do, but it has become abundantly clear that that was just a microscopic tip of the iceberg.
I have printed off the list of schools attending the Queen's fair and am busily researching their websites to see if they have openings in my disciplines and what they have advertised as teaching conditions and benefits. I am reading reviews posted here on ISR - although I have realized that these need to be read with a critical eye as after all many people I have worked with over the years would have had something negative to say about our schools. I seem to be spread across the globe in identifying schools that look interesting, so at least I have met the suggestions to be open to what area of the world I interview - hopefully - for.
I wondered if anyone could tell me if Colombia, which has 6 schools represented at Queens, is considered a safe location? and Mexico has a large contingent of schools represented as well - safe? Are either of these countries locations I should be putting near the top of my "preferred schools" list?
Well thanks again and thanks to all of the people who have contributed to this forum - I've been learning in leaps and bounds since I found this site.
To say international teaching is a whole new ball game would be an understatement! I thought the biggest issue was the introspection and soul searching necessary to reach a decision that this was what I wanted to do, but it has become abundantly clear that that was just a microscopic tip of the iceberg.
I have printed off the list of schools attending the Queen's fair and am busily researching their websites to see if they have openings in my disciplines and what they have advertised as teaching conditions and benefits. I am reading reviews posted here on ISR - although I have realized that these need to be read with a critical eye as after all many people I have worked with over the years would have had something negative to say about our schools. I seem to be spread across the globe in identifying schools that look interesting, so at least I have met the suggestions to be open to what area of the world I interview - hopefully - for.
I wondered if anyone could tell me if Colombia, which has 6 schools represented at Queens, is considered a safe location? and Mexico has a large contingent of schools represented as well - safe? Are either of these countries locations I should be putting near the top of my "preferred schools" list?
Well thanks again and thanks to all of the people who have contributed to this forum - I've been learning in leaps and bounds since I found this site.
Best of luck to you, Jill. I was a veteran stateside teacher attending her first fair a year ago, and landed a job and country in which I'm very happy. You're right to read the reviews with a very critical eye; I don't think happy people write reviews very often. Of course there are annoyances here but as veterans we learn to suck it up, be flexible, and be creative. It's not a "top tier" school but then, I've never taught at one in the States, either; however, it's better run and more...humane... than previous schools I've been at.
It's great you're looking far and wide; that only increases your chances. Colombia is quite safe and beautiful by all reports; a number of colleagues vacationed there during Xmas break, and it's high on my list of destinations as well. I've traveled to Mexico many times and have always felt quite safe there.
Good luck to you, and I'm sure we'd enjoy hearing where you end up.
It's great you're looking far and wide; that only increases your chances. Colombia is quite safe and beautiful by all reports; a number of colleagues vacationed there during Xmas break, and it's high on my list of destinations as well. I've traveled to Mexico many times and have always felt quite safe there.
Good luck to you, and I'm sure we'd enjoy hearing where you end up.
-
jillbeaulieu
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:32 pm
Well, I attended Queen's recruiting fair and found the weekend exhuasting and stimulating - and ultimately successful. I interviewed with four schools and got job offers from three....and "happy day!" one of these was my number one choice of country so I am headed to the American International School in Egypt. I found the interviews to be a fairly enjoyable process but was frustrated that I couldn't get an interview with some of the schools I was most interested in. Oh well, I think it has all worked out fine.
Going to Egypt!! Now there`s a daunting thought for a gal from small town New Brunswick. I wondered if there were any Canadians with some experience on being declared a non-resident by the tax guys. I have a home and plan to try and rent it for the 10 months I am away but this is a really small town so I`m not sure that I`ll find someone suitable as a tenant.
Any insights on living in Cairo would be appreciated too.
Thanks for your help
JB
Going to Egypt!! Now there`s a daunting thought for a gal from small town New Brunswick. I wondered if there were any Canadians with some experience on being declared a non-resident by the tax guys. I have a home and plan to try and rent it for the 10 months I am away but this is a really small town so I`m not sure that I`ll find someone suitable as a tenant.
Any insights on living in Cairo would be appreciated too.
Thanks for your help
JB
Jillbeaulieu, welcome to the world of international teaching where as a Canadian you will probably get a different answer to the same question about Canadian taxes, no matter how many times you ask it. I think its a favorite topic of conversation around the proverbial water cooler.
The official info seems to say divest thyself of all significant ties to Canada, but then if you read Revenue Canada's website a passport is included as a tie, albeit not a significant tie. Significant ties include having a residence available to you, leaving dependents behind or a job. Other ties are too numerous to mention but do include the passport, furniture in storage, a drivers license, magazine subscriptions among others.
Every Canadian plays it different and I guess it just depends in the end whether you think Revenue Canada will audit you. The first time we went overseas we had all our stuff in storage and jobs to come back to. We didn't say anything and RC never came to see us once we returned. This second time around we have divested ourselves of almost everything, except for the passport and drivers license and a BMO credit card. People we know have kept their homes, without renting them, and have had no problems.
I find it very frustrating and would prefer they just tax us a flat rate or even better do what the Americans do and give us an exemption right off the top.
Good luck and congratulations.
The official info seems to say divest thyself of all significant ties to Canada, but then if you read Revenue Canada's website a passport is included as a tie, albeit not a significant tie. Significant ties include having a residence available to you, leaving dependents behind or a job. Other ties are too numerous to mention but do include the passport, furniture in storage, a drivers license, magazine subscriptions among others.
Every Canadian plays it different and I guess it just depends in the end whether you think Revenue Canada will audit you. The first time we went overseas we had all our stuff in storage and jobs to come back to. We didn't say anything and RC never came to see us once we returned. This second time around we have divested ourselves of almost everything, except for the passport and drivers license and a BMO credit card. People we know have kept their homes, without renting them, and have had no problems.
I find it very frustrating and would prefer they just tax us a flat rate or even better do what the Americans do and give us an exemption right off the top.
Good luck and congratulations.
recruiting fairs
Although this will be moving ever farther from the thread's original topic (until the questions at the end)...
Congratulations, "gal from small town New Brunswick"! I am pleased that the reviews did not put you off. I worked for that school's umbrella group and never had an issue with them. I think it was heyteach who said he or she had never taught in a top tier US school. Neither have I. I haven't made it into the top tier international schools, either, but I like to think that I am helping improve the schools in which I do work!
I have never lived in Cairo, but I have visited a couple of times. It's an amazing city, both good and bad. You will probably love it.
Can you address the fair a bit more? The early fairs seemed to be focused on teaching couples--very heavily--and on offering few positions. What was your impression now that the fair season is two-thirds or more over?
Congratulations, "gal from small town New Brunswick"! I am pleased that the reviews did not put you off. I worked for that school's umbrella group and never had an issue with them. I think it was heyteach who said he or she had never taught in a top tier US school. Neither have I. I haven't made it into the top tier international schools, either, but I like to think that I am helping improve the schools in which I do work!
I have never lived in Cairo, but I have visited a couple of times. It's an amazing city, both good and bad. You will probably love it.
Can you address the fair a bit more? The early fairs seemed to be focused on teaching couples--very heavily--and on offering few positions. What was your impression now that the fair season is two-thirds or more over?
-
jillbeaulieu
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:32 pm
I am a bit hesitant to say much about the job fair because it was the first such event I have attended so I really have no basis for comparison.
I did find that Queen`s information that we would do most of our sign-up for interviews during the stadium ``meat market`` event on Friday night did not match my own experience. Many of the schools I approached responded that they were already completely booked for interviews - even though I was at the front of their line. Now that may just have been a polite brush-off (I wasn`t born yesterday!) or it may have been because we received invitations to interviews from some schools in our original package of registration materials and so they may have already been filled. Either way it was frustrating when I had prepared to make that great initial impression for an interview spot and then didn`t get a chance to say more than a dozen words.
As far as hiring couples - I only know that I chatted with a couple who were finding it difficult to match up their two quite different areas of expertise into one school. The original lists of openings from schools that Queen`s had sent us was seriously different from what was posted when the fair began. This couple had come with two schools that looked really good for them only to find the last-minute changes at both schools left one of them without an opening to apply for. I don`t know if they were ultimately successful or not.
I found the number of recent grads without any teaching experience who were attending the fair to be interesting. As almost all of the schools specify that they require two years experience and there is a registration fee to attend, I was just a bit surprised. I don`t know how they fared - hopefully at least some were successful.
I did find that Queen`s information that we would do most of our sign-up for interviews during the stadium ``meat market`` event on Friday night did not match my own experience. Many of the schools I approached responded that they were already completely booked for interviews - even though I was at the front of their line. Now that may just have been a polite brush-off (I wasn`t born yesterday!) or it may have been because we received invitations to interviews from some schools in our original package of registration materials and so they may have already been filled. Either way it was frustrating when I had prepared to make that great initial impression for an interview spot and then didn`t get a chance to say more than a dozen words.
As far as hiring couples - I only know that I chatted with a couple who were finding it difficult to match up their two quite different areas of expertise into one school. The original lists of openings from schools that Queen`s had sent us was seriously different from what was posted when the fair began. This couple had come with two schools that looked really good for them only to find the last-minute changes at both schools left one of them without an opening to apply for. I don`t know if they were ultimately successful or not.
I found the number of recent grads without any teaching experience who were attending the fair to be interesting. As almost all of the schools specify that they require two years experience and there is a registration fee to attend, I was just a bit surprised. I don`t know how they fared - hopefully at least some were successful.