Although I agree with Psyguy in many respects for IB schools if I were you I would target AP schools....

Examples:

American School in Japan
American School Doha
American School Dubai
American School London
Singapore American... there are others.


That's where your experience and marketability are.

With a HS science background and with no timeline you may be able to get in to a top tier IB school later in the hiring cycle. Late vacancies happen and you may be a more desirable candidate after the main hiring is complete and the certified IB people have their jobs.

Again this depends on what you want... a one off adventure to explore the world or a career change. If you want to build to a resume to get into a top IB school then I would go the Psyguy route and start in a lower tier school.

If you do go the IB route I would be prepared to work and to work hard the first few years as new teachers can find it taxing as they learn the systems of the program.

Good luck in your search.

I lived in HK a long time ago.

I worked at a second (maybe third) tier school on HK Island. It was not the best paying place but it was okay for my first time overseas. Housing was expensive. We did not get an allowance. However, I split these costs with my partner so that helped.

I managed to travel, eat out, drink, put away some money and pay off $20000 in student debt. For the record it was expensive back then as well.

Unless the school you are going to is really under paying you then you will do alright in HK.

My con for living there is that I couldn't handle the crowds. It was okay at first but I got tired quickly of the barrage of people everywhere. This being said I know people who have lived there for 20+ years and love it.

All the best!

@PG

Maybe your experience is different and I am basing this on a small sample but...

From what I heard this was not a great year for the recruitee. Experienced people who used Search and GRC and direct applications really didn't find things as quickly or easily as others did in years gone by. Again... small sample size.

Most people I know got their jobs from applying directly to the school.

I also agree with you PG the model is archaic. I used the term 'nickel and dimed' as a quote. The market has changed and even schools in Western Europe are asking for early notice these days even though no one has to give it by law until much later.

Good luck Wonder.

PG is right. It was my pension money. You have to stay less then 5 years and keep a bank account open. You also have to wait a year before you apply. This was awhile ago!

Congrats on the offer. I'm sure you'll love it.

I use authxperts.com

They are not cheap but they are good at what they do.

Going back to the original post... a lot of top tier schools are using other resources to find teachers. I recruited this year and signed up with SA for the first time in my 20 year overseas career (at my partners insistence). I had used other agencies (that are not as prominent anymore) at the beginning and contacts to get my more recent jobs. I honestly did not get any bites from SA and got the new job through contacts again. I am not sure I would use them again.

After speaking with my admin team at my current school they seem to be trying to use other avenues to get teachers and then use the SA fairs as their backup plan. They feel like SA is nickeling and diming them.

Although the job fair is a stress pit I kind of liked having all options on the table... now with top schools they want a commitment early and you really don't know what is out there.

Despite the fact that I landed on my feet at a good school fairly early.... from what I have seen and heard this was a tough year. A lot of schools are dialing back and teachers are staying put. Last year in early January everyone who was leaving had a new job. This year it took until last weekend for everyone I know to get placed and some had to 'settle'.

Bit of a rant... but there you have it.

@TP

True I left Germany and got about 14,000 Euro from the German system... now it was a pain in the behind to get it....but I got it!

If you are looking at AISB and MIS... the top schools in those cities I would ask what your long term plan is...

AISB is tax free and has a housing allowance but you are investing for retirement on your own.

MIS is a lot of tax and no housing allowance but if you stay long term you get a German pension and a private pension.

Munich is a more developed Western city. Budapest is more edgy.

English is easier to find in Hungary then ever before since it has been more widely taught in schools.

Hungary is surrounded by 7 countries so travel is great if you have a car or take the train. Malev shut down a few years back and that made things a tad more difficult flight wise.

Munich opens up Austria, Switzerland and Italy with ease and of course Germany. Transport is easy and highways and trains are great. The Munich airport is a favourite of mine. Smaller then Frankfurt and you can get to more and more places from it.

Honestly both great cities.

So to summarize what sid just said.... he wants about a 10 page cover letter that gives a general look at your entire career, flexibility, life, relationship to the school, love life and personal friendships. Here is a shortened version for your perusal..

Dear Best School in the World,

I am awesome. I think that your school is also awesome and I would fit in to that awesomeness due to your core values, mission and vision. I can do everything since I have lived this amazing life. I have taught so much to so many. I know everyone and talk to them constantly about your school. I am in love and will be bringing that lover with me. We will love your school while loving each other. You're the best school in the world and I am the best teacher let's get together and make learning fun.
Best (teacher in the world) regards, Ed Ucate

It happens... someone at my school was fired mid year. A parent said that the teacher was yelling at students. She wasn't. The parent found a school board member and complained. The teacher was let go. More often then not the school has not renewed contracts as labour laws mean they have to pay out a good portion of the contract.

Walter is correct.. Maybe historically ISS BKK has been stronger but this year it was SEARCH. ISS had few candidates that a top tier school would look at. It was a job fair for newbies and Tier 2 and 3 schools.

@psyguy

Search is trying to provide a service to ITs and ISs. I disagree with your - as it really depends on the year. Some years the IT is the bull and other years it is the IS. My POV may be egocentric but I did pay for a service so I hope it would serve me in some way and since I have choice I think I will take my money elsewhere next time.

You are living in a western European world where things move slower. For the past 4 years, including this year, I have known people who have accepted offers in schools in the ME, SA, Asia, Africa and even Europe from mid October - December. Job fairs are great if you don't know where you want to go, if you are stuck or new to the biz they are fantastic. It might be the ME that is leading the charge to early hiring but it is happening. If you are a seasoned overseas teacher the vast majority of schools will try to hire you before the fairs (if you have a good rep). Western Europe has to abide by labour laws... they hire later. And going back to the original idea behind this thread I know people who were offered and accepted jobs at the GRC. Although the schools may not have been for everyone it worked for some... which makes it a normal job fair.

Your habit of having to have the last word on every post despite a real lack of knowledge of current IS practice is, if nothing else,... entertaining?

@psyguy...

I guess we have different ideas on things... a lot of the ME schools have had their signing deadlines. If you know what you want then why would you wait? Schools here move a lot faster then Europe... many of these have hired already. Waiting ' to explore the full options' will mean you are missing out on many of the top ME schools.

Why would I care if it works for an IS or a recruiter? As you wrote in a comment once something to the effect of 'I doubt you are a colleague to people on this board.' I doubt you are either... you seem like a lower level admin type...

I'm a teacher and I don't like it. I am paying for this service that is making me shake my head... I've been overseas a long time and had never used it before. This being said if I was new to the IS world this might be the perfect thing....as a veteran of many of these 'elite tier schools' I will just target individual schools next time.

@psyguy

Some people like the ME and want to stay or come here... if that is what you want... this is a cheap early fair for you. I know of three top tier ME schools who are going and will be offering contracts. This GRC may not work in the long run but Search sucks. Someone has to do something.

If you are in the Dubai area why wouldn't you come to this? It's free... there are several Asian and European schools but really it is for people who want to stay in the ME.