Thank you for the response! Is it possible to chat with you via email? My email is austin.jen@gmail.com. I’m not very familiar with this forum so I’m not sure if there is a way to message you privately.

Or you can leave me your email and I’ll reach out!

Thank you!

whatkatiedid wrote:
> Hi Javjenatru
>
> I just wanted to give you a few words of warning as someone who is a
> current school counselor and a former SW.
>
> Very few International schools and the teachers that run them have a clue
> regarding how to recruit someone who is not a teacher. They don't
> understand your skillset or background but their hubris leads them to
> believe that they do. Remember that many of them have only ever worked in
> schools and therefore they can't see outside their box very easily.
>
> A specific "School Social Worker" position within an
> international school is rare and I don't hold out much hope for that
> outside the USA. You have to bear in mind that these schools are selective
> and not all of them accept LS kids or kids with serious behavioral
> problems.
>
> Someone else on this thread has already demonstrated that they believe that
> a School Counselor or ("International" School Counselor) is
> somehow "a different skillset" from a Social Worker or in your
> case a School Social Worker. They are wrong, trust me I'm doing the job,
> but that is the fixed belief that you will be up against time and time
> again. It's not helped by the fact that many of these teachers put
> themselves onto a [ well known brand name] training center course which
> they believe "qualifies" them to be a counselor in a couple of
> weeks. It's an echo chamber of bullcrap, delusion and weak practice.
>
> They will probably tell you that you need to be either a former teacher or
> do an "International School Counseling" Certificate/Masters with
> the same name. You will probably find that these qualifications are below
> the level you are used to functioning at in your previous profession and of
> no value therapeutically but nevertheless, they persist in this belief.
>
> Just to give you a flavor of what you're dealing with, I personally know of
> an English accredited counselor who has worked with kids for years who was
> told the other week by an Internatonal school that he didn't have the
> "right skill set" and hence was not even called for an interview!
> The same guy is famous on the circuit for his work with ODD teens but all
> they saw was "no teaching qualification". I have seen them
> overlook countless Social Workers, Probation Officers, and Licenced
> Counselors time and time again on the basis that they don't have a
> certificate in "International School Counseling" or have never
> been a teacher. It's perverse.
>
> My advice to you at this point is to log onto Linkedin and look for a
> Social Worker/UK Probation Officer/former private sector counselor who is
> already in post and reach out to them. A lot of these people are in the
> more established British Curriculum Schools. I got my current job by
> reaching out to someone like that on Linkedin and it was the first time I
> actually felt that the person who interviewed me knew what they were
> talking about and didn't speak in silly buzzwords.
>
> There are also some school directors out there who have lived part of their
> lives outside of teaching so tend to be less myopic but you have to look
> around for them.
>
> As for your husband, his TEFL qualification is only likely to get him into
> a smaller school teaching TEFL only. The money won't be great. He needs
> to go back and get his teacher's license and a few years of (non-TEFL)
> teaching experience in your home country first.
>
> The "three kids" thing also puts you at a massive disadvantage.
> Sorry to be discouraging but even if you do get lucky enough to have
> someone sensible read your CV:-the 3 kids are a financial burden to the
> school. If you are willing to put your kids into the local schools then
> this would no longer be a barrier.

Thank you mamava for your input. I'm going to give it a go and see what happens.

I’m a School social worker looking for an international position as a school counselor or social worker. I have my masters, LSW,, school social worker certification, and over 12 years experience. I provide both individual and group counseling to students but I primarily work as a case manager for our special education students. I work with an interdisciplinary team to evaluate and determine if a student is eligible for services. I then create and individualize education program for the student.
To provide some additional context I’m married with 3 kids my eldest is 5, our twins are 1 (so they won’t be attending school for a while). My husband’s background is in risk and compliance. He also has his TEFl and several years of English teaching experience.

Questions:

1. What are my chances of landing a job? You can be honest. Lol
2. Based on my special education background are there any other possible positions that would be a good fit?
3. Should I apply to every school counselor position i come across? Meaning is it possible to land a position due to a shortage in applicants and therefore worth throwing those Hail Mary applications?
4. Lastly, my husband and I are in our late 30’s we live in comfort and have good jobs. But something inside us both doesn’t want the next 30 years of our lives to be like the movie Groundhog Day. For any families that have done this has the overall living abroad experience been worth the comforts and stability you left behind?

Thank you for your time!