Yeah, that savings looks like nothing. I know Singapore can be expensive, but I have friends who work at other schools there and do pretty well financially.

I also though the savings potential listed for Saudi Aramco seemed really low on Search.

In regards to your question about working at SAS, I know it helps to know someone who works there (obviously) or to have experience working at another IASIS school.

I know British candidates do not pay a fee because there is a law that against charging people for helping them to find a job- not sure about other countries

Thanks for the feedback- especially sid

I guess what I was kind of getting as was, all other things being equal, will a more attractive person have a better shot at a position than a less attractive person?

I remember being at a job fair a few years ago and meeting a woman who was certified to teach IB Chemistry, but couldn't even seem to land an interview. She couldn't figure out why, since many schools had the position listed. She happened to be very heavy. I do feel like there is some discrimination in hiring, especially towards women.

But based on the replies I have heard so far, perhaps I am mistaken

I am thinking of recruiting for next school year. The only problem is, I am not getting any younger, or thinner, or better looking. I feel in spite of a pretty string CV, I really struggled to land a good job last time around. Being honest with myself, I believe it could have been in part due to how I look compared to other candidate vying for the same jobs.

What are your impressions? How much of a role does physical appearance play a factor in hiring decisions?

Other nice perks at some of the better schools I have been at:

Friday happy hours on campus (food & drink provided by the school)
Stipend for groceries
Doctor on campus

One school in Southeast Asia even had a vacation home in the mountains and at the beach that each staff member got to use once each year

It was about 7 years ago, so I know the recruiting game has changed a lot, but I got my job in SE Asia at the February Cambridge fair with Search.

Not sure about the ISS fair, but I know my school attends the AASSA fair in Atlanta in late November/early December and does quite a bit hiring then.

ISR readers- I am relying on your wisdom. I have heard mixed opinions on this. The truth is, I am lazy and would rather not create a website for recruiting, but I will make one if I have to. I am active online, and feel recruiters can visit my class website and my Twitter account if they want to see my tech skills.

Also, I feel this may be something more necessary for those trying to break into international school teaching. I feel I am an established IS teacher. I have worked at two elite/1st tier (if we must classify) schools.

I guess my question is- How much do recruiters really look at/value websites that people make for recruiting purposes? Do I really need to have a website for this recruiting season if I want a job at a good school, or can I go for it with just what I feel is a strong resume?

I have a colleague who used to work there. She raves about it. Unfortunately they often have very few positions open because some employees stay there for quite a long time - like 20 years.

I worked there a few years ago. It was a great place to work. Excellent benefits. Housing was a bit of an issue as singles were put into small apartments (1 bedroom!) within walking distance of the main campus, meanwhile most married couples and families were put into a large complex (with houses of 4 bedrooms) about a half hour (depending on traffic!) away.

After your first year, you could put in for a housing allowance and move elsewhere and find something quite decent (as a single or family) if you were chosen.

I didn't realise how good I had it there until I left. They have a bank, ATM and post on campus, as well as a coffee bar. Great facilities. Amazing students! Brilliant colleagues. Lovely campus.

I was able to save money without even trying. If you live in the US, they will deposit your salary straight into your US account. You can easily afford household help (maid, cook, driver). I found the Indonesian people to be kind and warm.

There are great travel opportunities throughout Indonesia. I saw fascinating things in my time there. The school even has a cabin in the mountains and a house by the water that each foreign staff get for the weekend to get away from the heat & craziness of the city.

So why would anyone ever leave?

It's far from just about everywhere. Bali (and the rest of Indo) is great, but to get anywhere else, you have to catch a connecting flight in Singapore. Not a fun social scene for women. I had heard about it before I arrived, but didn't believe it until I saw it. If you have been to Bangkok, suffice it to say, things are much worse in Jakarta. Health care is poor and for any real medical treatment, people go to Singapore or Bangkok. Pollution & traffic are an issue. There is frequent flooding and I would often see dead rats on the streets. There is a big mall culture but no real museums or anything else to speak of. There were some hotel bombings in the time that I was there- pretty scary. Security at the school is very tight. Same at apartments. It does wear on you.

All in all, I would say it is definitely a top school and worth a few years time. Many people are able to stay quite a while. (Golden handcuffs, they say- benefits are just too good to leave) In retrospect, I wish I had stayed a bit longer and reaped more of the benefits- although admittedly it is a difficult place to live.

If you are interested in spending your summer in the US, I know Johns Hopkins has a program that they offer for gifted and talented youth and they are sometimes looking for instructors. They offer two session over the summer. Here is the link to their website:
http://cty.jhu.edu/jobs/summer/

The school I am currently employed at has been putting money away for us as part of a retirement scheme. When we leave the school, we receive this money as a large lump sum. Recently, people have mentioned investing towards retirement. If a school were to give an employee $50,000 at the end of their time there, what would be the best way to invest that for the future if you were in the middle of your career (mid 30's)?

I know many of us have no idea what to do with this money. It seems wasteful to let it sit in a savings account earning .01% interest a year, but with what happened recently in the housing & stock markets makes those seem rather risky. What is a safe way to ensure that as an international teacher with no pension plan, you will be able to live comfortably when you are older?

I am at a very large school in Brazil. Our school only has one psychologist & she is planning on staying for a while. But, I know our school does a lot of hiring at the AASSA fair, as do many of the schools in the region. Good luck!

I completely agree with expatteacher99. The salary expectations listed for my school in Southeast Asia were underestimated. Now that I am in South America, those were greatly overestimated. I think a big factor is also if you are going to be paid in US dollars or local currency, which can fluctuate against the dollar.

even though you need to make $96,000 a year before you have to pay US taxes, remember that often any extras you receive ( like airfare home or housing allowance) can be considered income. If you live in a country where housing is expensive, sometimes you may find yourself reaching that amount.