All hail the almighty Brexit, which gives all British IT's a 15% salary rise. Amen.

Where are you planning to move to?

If it's the ME then sorry but I'm with your kids on this one.

It's still not that bad. Average American earns $50,000. Probably $30,000 after he's paid his taxes and $25,000 after he's paid for some accomodation. You'll be on more than $25,000 tax free+accom in the vast majority of schools out there, and so will be doing better than the average American, who also has higher cost of living.

It's not a top tier career. It's not a bottom tier career. It's a decent career for those who want to get out of their home country (the big hitters like law and banking...it's much harder to do with those unless you're a senior exec). It also doesn't have high barriers to entry (the traditional big payers have higher academic requirements, and often a longer degree lengths too - i.e. medicine takes 6 years to qualify, teacher training is 3 for a BA). If you're an average sort of dude working average sort of jobs (like most people) and want to work abroad, then IE is a good move for you. If you're in the front office of Goldman Sachs making $200,000 a year it's a bad move, but if you were that guy then you wouldn't need me to tell you that.

Yes, many IT's are happy to escape the West. I know I am.

Even lower tier schools can still provide a very nice quality of life. There's third tier places in Thailand that pay around 80,000 baht after tax, which is around double what an ET makes and 6x the average local salary. Your rent can be 10,000 for a nice place, food and bills around 10,000 more, then you've got 60,000 ($1700) a month for your entertainment and other expenses. Plenty of teachers back home don't have that amount of disposable income, and while it's not ISB pay levels, it's also not ISB expectation levels either. Clock out at 4pm and go sit on the beach all weekend. I can think of a far worse life.

Most people all over the world do not have a 'career'. They have a job which they use to pay the bills. No harm in seeing IE just like that.

While it's not an elite tier profession, there's some very decent money out there even if you're minimally qualified. Decent compared to the average post-tax salary back home that is, not in comparison to a wall street banker.

@PsyGuy

In Abu Dhabi? Because that's where these contracts are for.

For most schools you're going to need a car to get there. Then you need some accommodation which isn't cheap in that sandbox. Then whatever you pay for food.

Not saying you can't save but $5k a month seems about $1k too high even living a minimalist lifestyle.

Keep in mind the $5700 includes your accomodation allowance - you have to pay your rent out of that figure.

@PsyGuy

I've seen those, but I think it'd be fair to say TI deals with the 'higher end' of those sort of jobs. But looking on the internet, plenty of jobs in the ME and Russia paying around $1250 a week.

Just trying to get some idea of how far in your career you'd need to be to have a good shot at those jobs - and whether it's worth it. The weekly rate is higher than most IS, even factoring in the better holidays at IS's.

Bit of a niche area, but here's as good a place to ask as any. Does anyone have any experience of working as a full time tutor? I don't mean the sort of tutoring where an IT works in an English school for a bit more cash, I mean the sort of vacancy where you're hired by a rich family to be their son/daughters full time tutor.

These jobs seem more common in the ME, Russia, and a few of the richer Asian countries. Salaries listed are almost always substantially higher than what one would earn in an IS - even a first tier IS. Around $1250 a week seems to be the going rate for many - which could only be bettered by a very small percentage of schools out there.

So - does anyone have any experience of doing this? What sort of experience level do you need to have a chance at those sort of positions? Is it worth the money, or does been at the beck-and-call of a rich family full time make it too much of a grind?

Budapest, not even close.

Cheaper living and better dating opportunities. You don't have to put up with the extreme Western European work ethic.

Just apply for anything that you like the look of. They'll be in touch if they want to speak to you.

@PsyGuy

Well, they should continue increasing pay for each year of experience because that's what the market does.

In a lot of third tier IS's parents are going to be told what they want to hear in order to keep them happy. An easier job where you get no support (IS) is still easier than a difficult job where you get support (DS).

@wrldtrvlr123

I'll assume that last paragraph is aimed at me. I don't see why it's 'shameful' to do a job for the cash and lifestyle. That's what the vast majority of workers across the world do. Do you think 95%+ of workers in the world should be ashamed?

I don't need to make any excuses. I'm quite happy to say that I don't care about the job, I only work for the money to sustain a desired lifestyle outside my home country. No excuses needed, most people only do their jobs for the cash after all.

No, I wouldn't tell that to an admin, but even if you're interviewing for a burger flipping job at Mcds you don't tell the manager that you're only there for the cash - it's basic interview technique.

@PsyGuy

Essentially, your reasoning can be boiled down to the belief that teaching in a DS in your initial years post-qualification makes you a better teacher, and that better teachers will earn more money by moving up the tiers.

The first of those points might well be true, but it's only a valid point if an IT actually cares about being a good teacher. If you're in the game to live abroad on a much bigger salary than the locals, the quality of your practice is unlikely to be a great concern, providing you're doing enough to avoid getting fired.

Regarding the idea that better teachers will move up the tiers, I'm not so sure. There's plenty of incompetent or mediocre people in all areas of life who can talk the talk in a 30 minute interview. And once you're in, you're probably good for at least a 2 year contract unless you majorly screw up.

Finally, many third tier IS's offer very good salaries for the region. There's a job advert on ajarn right now offering 90,000 baht a month to work at an Assumption EP. No, it's not ISB levels, or even second tier levels, but it's at least twice what an ET makes after taxes (and 6x the average local salary). You could live a very comfortable life on that sort of money with no expectations beyond turning up in a clean shirt every day.

The flip side to 'no one holding your hand' is that in many third tier schools standards and non-existant, and providing you turn up on time every day you'll always have a job even if no learning is taking place.

You might need more 'hand holding' in a DS because DS's actually expect a lot. Whereas no one needs mentoring and guidance to give a 15 minute lecture at the front then hand out some worksheets (i.e. what passes for acceptable in many third tier IS's).