Seeking advice while moving forward

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Bevatan
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 1:15 pm

Seeking advice while moving forward

Post by Bevatan »

Greetings all I was hoping someone might be able to provide me with counsel or advice on my particular situation as I am moving forward.

I am a single male no dependants, in my mid-20s, have no health conditions, can easily move anywhere and in 2 months will have:
BA in History and Cultural Geography
MA in Education
Teaching Credentials in secondary social sciences from a West Coast state of the United States (with one year of experience)

I understand my subjects are not the most in demand, though I have a burning passion for history and love teaching it. I am a fluent English speaker and am also open to teaching that subject as a means of getting my foot in the door.

A number of my friends and colleagues in international teaching positions have a “world is your oyster” view of my situation, telling me that I can go anywhere and that my qualifications make me a strong candidate ect, ect. However since January of this year, I have been on the hunt, as best of my abilities for a job at any number of international schools in a wide variety of countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and have not had any luck.

After multiple months of luckless searching, I turned to a recruitment agency who has suggested several jobs in Kuwait, and told me point blank: very few places (China or Kuwait they said) will hire an NQT, even with a Masters, with less than 2 years experience.

A number of my colleagues have asked me why would I “settle” for Kuwait when I “could do anything.” But that optimism just doesn’t seem to pan out in the face of government laws and school policies. Schools often have to make a strategic decision on who they choose to hire.

So I suppose my question is: am I being pragmatic in thinking I just have to put in a few years in a school that will hire an NQT like Kuwait before I can go elsewhere. I've heard, in international teaching, you can "upgrade every two years" so to speak, and it's critical to just get your feet on the ground. Or am I being cynical and settling for less than I could do, that there are other schools out there who would hire someone with my credentials and I’m just not looking hard enough?

Any advice, guidance, suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading
wrldtrvlr123
Posts: 1173
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
Location: Japan

Re: Seeking advice while moving forward

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

Tell your friends to help get you a job. I am semi-joking but mostly serious. There are decent to good schools in decent to good locations that will hire you this early in your career but personal connections/recommendations would definitely help.

There are good to great schools that would also potentially hire you but luck would certainly play a factor there. China is a catch 22. Many OK schools would give you consideration but the visa issue without two years of experience could be an issue. If someone can get you a job in China, I certainly would recommend China over Kuwait. But, if you have the yearning to get out there get started, 2 years in Kuwait would probably not be completely horrible as a first step.

Also look into other countries that have a hard time recruiting right now: Egypt, most countries in Africa, Indonesia etc. Bottom line, just apply anywhere and everywhere and hope that you are in the right place at the right time. If nothing pops in the next 2 months, then be ready to take something probably non-fatal just to get out there.
Bevatan
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 1:15 pm

Re: Seeking advice while moving forward

Post by Bevatan »

@wrldtrvlr123

Thank you for the input. Most of my colleagues, used to work in China/Thailand/Taiwan. I will push them to help me a little more.

As for Indonesia, I was under the assumption government/visa laws required 5 years of experience. Do I have outdated information? When applying to institutions independently I've been sending emails to either the head of hiring or the head of the particular school with my information and documents. Have I been going about it wrong?

Thanks again for the input.
global_nomad
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2016 12:12 pm

Re: Seeking advice while moving forward

Post by global_nomad »

I disagree with Worldtrvlr123 on his/her current take on Indonesia. The better schools in Indonesia (JIS, NJIS, etc.) aren't having any trouble recruiting according to my sources. I know of several well-qualified colleagues and ex-colleagues, for example, who interviewed with JIS in the last few months and weren't offered the job; all would have accepted if offered.

Getting back to your main question, without 2 years experience and with a less-in-demand credential, your opportunities will be much more limited, regardless of what your friends say.
wrldtrvlr123
Posts: 1173
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
Location: Japan

Re: Seeking advice while moving forward

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

global_nomad wrote:
> I disagree with Worldtrvlr123 on his/her current take on Indonesia. The better schools
> in Indonesia (JIS, NJIS, etc.) aren't having any trouble recruiting according to
> my sources. I know of several well-qualified colleagues and ex-colleagues, for example,
> who interviewed with JIS in the last few months and weren't offered the job; all
> would have accepted if offered.
>
> Getting back to your main question, without 2 years experience and with a less-in-demand
> credential, your opportunities will be much more limited, regardless of what your
> friends say.
==============
Feel free. I do not claim to be an expert on everything (or even many things). My take on Indonesia was based mainly on a relatively inexperienced friend (2-3 years and a non-native English speaker) being offered a position at the top school there and then turning it down (in addition to some other things I have read/heard about). Like anything in int'l education much depends on who you ask and even when you ask it.

@ Bevatan: If there is a 5 year rule for visas there must be ways around it since I know my friend had only 3 years exp. at most.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

Your friends are delusional, 20/25 years ago before the web, ISs were limited to embassy ISs that the DOS/Foreign Office assisted with recruiting or recruiting agency contacts searched through local newspapers and global papers posted adds for "English speaking teachers" that was true.

Your subject is in pretty low demand, and your going to want to have a stronger emphasis on world history than American history unless your at an American IS and even then there are local versions of history that wont be congruent with your understanding of history.
You have no experience and the standard bar of entry into IE is two years post certification experience, the ISs that are going to be interested in you are going to be hardship locations such as local, independent/private DSs in CSA, the ME, and parts of Asia such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, etc..
The other option is looking for LH vacancies in local DSs, but they dont generally advertise globally, they advertise locally, so youd have to be there on the ground at the location to recruit for those vacancies.

ISs are not the ideal places for NQTs to make their bones. ISs are generally not resourced to mentor a NQT, there are often not the resources or staff and parents are paying good coin to provide their children the best education they can afford, not serve as a laboratory for NQTs to use their children as educational lab rats. This is why the forum consensus is you should earn your first 2 years in DE locally, and why the standard bar to IE entry is 2 years post certification experience.

The rule is you can move up one tier or over to a more desirable region each contract cycle which is typically two years in duration.

If you want more flexibility in location and traveling is more important to you, add an ESOL certification and teach English, it wont count for anything in IE, but you will have access to better regions, especially in Asia.

There are ways around immigration standards in Indonesia, China and elsewhere. In practice immigration relies on the IS to certify experiential requirements which are little more than whats on a resume and a check box on a form. If an IS wants you there is often a way to make it happen.

Always follow the directions in the vacancy posting and use that address to send your application materials. Cold/speculative applications are rarely useful.

I disagree with @WT123, upper tier ISs in Indonesia are not having any issue recruiting faculty.
Bevatan
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 1:15 pm

Re: Seeking advice while moving forward

Post by Bevatan »

@PsyGuy, @global_nomad

I appreciate all the input. It does seem to confirm what I had been feeling about the reality of my situation. Well I shall continue to take a more pragmatic view of my situation as I move forward.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@Bevatan

Thats not to say that you shouldnt pursue IE now. As a history/social studies DT you could be waiting a long time, 5, 10 years for a local DT appointment. If there are hardship ISs that will hire you now, even if they have a high probability of being train wrecks you would still be growing your resume, and collecting a salary which is a lot better than doing nothing (or substitute/relief/supply teaching) for X number of years.
Thats different than holding out for an upper tier IS to offer a social studies NQT with no experience an appointment.
Thames Pirate
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am

Re: Seeking advice while moving forward

Post by Thames Pirate »

I agree with PsyGuy--aim high, sure, but be realistic. You will probably be IT gold in a few years, but inexperience in a competitive field will keep you from the best jobs for some time. Take the best job you can find, slog it out, get your experience and references, and keep seeking as you do. There are stories of people lucking out and being the exception to the rule, but there is a reason people say the rule is two years per tier minimum. FWIW, Kuwait doesn't sound bad at all.
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