https://i.imgur.com/sYa2sr4.jpg

I have collected data over the past year at TIE Online: recording in Excel, each day, the total number of jobs being advertised, as reported on the front page of the website, over the course of one year. I then created a simple chart to show the trend in available jobs.

It's not the most scientific survey -- the main weaknesses are that I didn't manage to get data for every single day, and in any given day the number of jobs listed was variable.

Nevertheless, the overall picture is quite clear... though nothing too surprising for veterans of the international school circuit. I think the main takeaway is that you should START EARLY when looking for jobs -- you can see the precipitous incline starting in August, and then equally precipitously collapsing (on Xmas Day) as the job fairs come and go.

I would suggest that jobseekers follow this schedule:
-June to August: gather (and submit) documents (letters of rec, certificates, resume, etc.)
-September: Get registered and active with a recruiting org (or have your personal website ready)
-October to November: make initial contact with as many schools as possible. Most, as you know, will not respond to your emails -- but, obviously, the more you contact, the more responses you will receive.
-December to February: Crunch time! Follow-up with schools, attend fairs, be relentless, get hired.

Thank you! That is one of the most useful things ever posted to this forum. Anecdotal experience has shown that managing expectations is one of the more difficult aspects of being an expat teacher (or perhaps just being a content person in general).

Not sure if this is your cup of tea, but Colegio Albania, in the Guajira province of Colombia -- it's an American/Int'l school where graduates can receive a US, Colombian, and/or IB diploma.

http://www.colegioalbania.edu.co/es/ind ... Itemid=392

It's located in the middle of bloody NOWHERE. Guajira is a very beautiful, sort of deserty province, right on the Caribbean. So why is there a school in BFE? Because the world's largest open-pit mine is located there, so the school services the children of all the rich locals and the international community working there.

Crap location, but apparently AMAZING benefits and pay... (why else would one want to work there?) I was told that teachers get free flights to Bogota anytime they want (obviously on weekends/holidays).

Anyways, if you want to work in BFE, that's a great option.

Source: I used to teach at a sister school in Colombia

Ah, it was ages ago... 2005-07.

You can find a mountain of information at these places:

www.gaijinpot.com ("gaijin" is slang for foreigner)
www.bigdaikon.com (the pre-eminent gaijin forum in Japan)

It's an easy way to get a working visa in Japan. A lot of people get a job with Aeon (or another ESL org), get the working visa, then move on to a better job after 6 months. As for Aeon itself, it's a decent gig; though you'll have a lot of contact hours, and you'll be working from 2pm-10pm, possibly Saturdays as well. They'll supply the textbooks and materials, so you have minimal planning... teach maybe 5-7 periods/day I think.

Source: my friends who worked there when I lived in Japan (though I didn't work there myself).

Man, skype is the way to go! The great advantage of skype is that you can have all manner of notes, etc, already prepared and sitting in front of you (as opposed to an in-person interview where you are expected to sit there with your hands folded in your lap). I just got a great job in Ankara via skype. It seems to me that the secret is to be super prepared for the interview:

-Go through the school's website and take notes: during the interview you will impress your interlocutor with your knowledge of the school
-The most important part of an interview is when you are asked, "So, do you have any questions for me?" The sophistication and breadth of your questions is a huge factor in your suitability as a candidate. Ask about peer support; about how you can contribute to the school outside of class; all kinds of stuff like that.

Point is, with skype, you can have all these notes prepared and sitting in front of you, just like the interviewers. It allows you to be more prepared, and in an equal position.

It's not even a question in my mind: definitely go to Colombia. I live in Bucaramanga now and I've never, ever felt in any kind of danger (even at night, downtown, etc). A place like Honduras, Nicaragua, or Guatemala is much more unstable and dangerous (not least because of US "interventions" there).

Colombia is a country that straddles the first and third worlds -- yes, there's still extensive poverty here. But the quality of life and modernism in the urban regions is equal to any US city.

Saying that Colombia is dangerous is like saying that Los Angeles is dangerous: sure, there are parts of LA you just don't go to, but the city as a whole is perfectly safe.

Colombians are SUPER friendly; but as "bbc" said, most of my students are super lazy too. The relevant question being, of course: which is more important, happiness or success?

Yes, I went to the fair last year and indeed Colombian schools are represented because I am working at one right now (Colegio Panamericano in Bucaramanga). I think there was something like 5 or 6 Colombian schools at the fair last year.

I would say that the AASSA fair is quite productive in terms of candidates being offered positions. At the time, I had zero years of experience in my field (though I am certified, MA, etc), but I still managed to get three offers. Pretty much everyone I talked to was receiving multiple offers.

It's a small fair... maybe 80 to 120 candidates, and that definitely works in the candidates' favor... very congenial atmosphere as well. It's expensive as hell for schools to fly all over the world recruiting teachers -- especially poor Latin American schools -- so it's in their interest to hire teachers sooner than later.

Not all of the member schools will be there, but probably at least 75 or 80%. Yes, if your goal is to work in S. America, you should definitely go to this fair. There are a few awesome schools which are hard to get into (Lima, Buenos Aires, etc), and lots of wee little schools which are desperate for teachers -- they'll hire you in a second.

For me, not having experience, the smaller schools are a great opportunity for me to get experience, wherein I can subsequently move-up in the echelon of int'l schools.

I can answer any other questions if yous want.

Ellen:

a) in regards to nationalities, it was overwhelmingly US citizens -- though I think that's because it's such a small fair and, hence, it would attract few people willing to travel great distances to get there

b) ...but that shouldn't stop you. You said, "they might only be hiring Americans...", but that's something of a misnomer. Each individual school does its own hiring, using its own policies, regardless of nationality. There is no "they" at the fair -- just individual schools.

c) Didn't see any librarian positions, though I wasn't really looking. The AASSA website lists (announced) job openings at each school.

Saiyara:

a) I teach HS English/Humanities
b) Overall, Venezuelan schools offer the highest salaries (as far as I've been told)
c) I think the La Paz school didn't come to the conference

www.aassa.com

This year it was in Atlanta, but they said it might be in Orlando next year.

I just returned from the fair and it was awesome!!!

There were about 90 candidates and 30 schools in attendance -- most candidates seemed intent on a few top-tier schools (Graded, Nido de Aguilas, Lincoln BA). It wasn't super competitive or stressful: all the candidates were quite collegial and eager to help each other. Most people (the ones I talked to at least) eventually found a position somewhere -- including myself. Despite my lack of formal teaching experience in my subject area, I received three offers from decent schools.

That's the advantage, I think, about the AASSA fair: there are few formal pre-requisites for attending -- I brought my letters of recommendation (and other documents) with me. When a recruiter made an offer, s/he contacted the references at that point. It was all very simple. I haven't been to any other fairs, but from what I hear, there's a high level of tension/anxiety. AASSA was, however, much more chilled-out, if that makes any sense. And it's the first fair of the season, so you get the first shot at the available positions (though, of course, a lot of schools don't know their positions yet).

Anyways, I totally recommend it, especially for people just entering the scene for the first time.