M A D E E A S Y

N A B E E L A B E D

R E C R U I T M E N T

@copyright 2018

C O N T E N T S

Message from the author ...................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 4

CV Writing ................................................................................................................................................................ 5

CV Sample ............................................................................................................................................................... 7

Recruiters ................................................................................................................................................................... 8

The recruitment process ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Sample recruitment contract agreement ........................................................................................................ 18

Not only about schools ......................................................................................................................................... 19

Logistics ................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Why teaching? ....................................................................................................................................................... 24

Why TEFL? ................................................................................................................................................................ 25

Applying for jobs .................................................................................................................................................... 26

Popular Destinations .............................................................................................................................................. 28

Scenario .................................................................................................................................................................. 31

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................. 32

Nabeel Abed is an experienced teacher and popular consultant who has worked for many years in schools in the Middle East. He is widely respected for his work in the field of inquiry based learning, ICT in Education and integrative curriculum’s in which he has taught. Nabeel began his professional life as a photographer but later moved into education where he began as a classroom teacher and then transitioned into teacher development, consulting and recruitment. His fascination with how students’ constructed their understandings and his interest in the way questions

and big ideas could drive curriculum, soon led to a passion for integrative and inquiry -based methodologies. This passion has become a career-long focus on teaching, research, writing and the methodologies in which Nabeel now aims to make a central focus in schools throughout Africa. Critical to Nabeel’s success is his continued involvement in classroom teaching. Whether it is to demonstrate techniques, coach teachers or build his own repertoire of practices, Nabeel is committed to regular and on-going work with students. His classroom work and research feed a dynamic and ever -evolving expertise in the area of integrative and inquiry-based learning. Nabeel’s professional development offerings are diverse. They range from intensive partnerships with schools to develop inquiry programs and practices over several years through to one-day workshops for beginning or experienced inquiry teachers. Whether in his hometown of Durban or on the other side of the world, working with a team or speaking to a packed auditorium Nabeel’s style is refreshingly practical, inclusive and always connected to the real world of teaching.

A B O U T N A B E E L A B E D

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I N T R O D U C T I O N Many people want to move overseas but have no idea on how to do so. We have many reasons for wanting to move. Be it financial, better quality of life, better opportunities or just for the experience. The major issue is that we are unaware of the process. We are sometimes often, when going about the process told many different things which leaves us confused and many times demotivates us thus throwing us off the idea of even moving overseas. Everybody has a friend or family member who is currently overseas or has been working overseas. There feedback on working and living abroad makes you want to pack up and go immediately however how many times have sat back and realized that all we here are the good and we never really hear the bad. It must be noted that each person’s experience overseas is different to the next, what may be accepted by another may not accepted by you. We find that the issue is not about going over. The real issue is in the lack of knowledge. Often the biggest mistake made is that we take what we hear from others for granted and accepted what is told and run with it and later on we often sit to regret the choices we have made which leaves us feeling bitter about the experience. This book aims to educate and empower you as the individual who is interested in working overseas. This book is written through seven years of experience, research and evidence to put the power into your hands. Understand everything and how it all works! Recruitment made easy by

Nabeel Abed

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C V W R I T I N G

Your CV (curriculum vitae), together with your letter of application, is often your first contact with a potential employer. It is therefore important to get it right and make a good first

impression. Many schools receive hundreds of CV's each year, so if yours isn’t up to scratch, it will probably end up in the bin. A CV is usually referred to as a résumé in the USA.

As with any job, a professional résumé is a must. Nowadays, many schools prefer you to e-mail your application and attach your résumé. The advantage of this is that it is quick, cheap and

easy.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD CV

Make it look professional

It is important that your CV looks professional. Use a proper word processing program; don’t cobble something together in your own handwriting on a few pieces of paper.

Choose a good photo

Some schools will ask you to send a photograph with your application. Ensure that the photo you send of yourself is a good one - a clear professional snap. You have only one opportunity to visually show your personality, and a smiling, energetic face on a photograph beats a dowdy passport snap, hands down.

Personalize it

Try to personalize your CV to the job being offered. If you will be teaching business English, emphasize that stint you had working in an office. If you will be teaching young kids, mention that you have younger siblings.

Remember to check

Be sure to check your CV before you send it out. Perhaps you can get a friend to double-check it for you.

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Good English is important!

Remember that you are applying for an English teaching job; the last thing your employer wants to see is sloppy spelling and grammar!

Finally, let’s take a look at the following tips for writing a CV/résumé

You CV shouldn’t be more than 2 pages in a 10 point font!

Don’t waffle – most recruitment officers spend no more than 1 minute skimmingthrough a CV. If you write too much you will end up cast to one side within a minute.

Sell yourself – your CV is a reflection of your skills and abilities and the first step onyour way to a new life teaching overseas.

However, DON’T lie – you will get found out eventually and there is little satisfactionto be gained from getting a job on anyone else’s merits other than your own.

Continually update your CV – there is nothing worse for a school than receiving a CVthat is 2 years out of date.

Don’t write a cover letter the size of a holiday novel! No more than 1 side of paper andkeep it to the point.

Check your CV for typing and grammatical errors.

Take some time over your CV and get some friends to look over it and give youfeedback.

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CV Sample Template

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R E C R U I T E R S Most recruiters never tell you what you NEED to know. They will always tell you only enough or what you want to know. The most important thing to remember is that most recruiters have never lived in the countries where they recruit for. They may have only visited and that is not

long enough to be able to give the full details of what you need to know! A more transparent hiring process starts with better informed candidates; most recruiters actually spend a great deal of their time working with potential placements on improving job search related skills. From preparing candidates for interviews, assisting them with rewriting their resumes and providing job search coaching and counseling, great recruiters are a great resource for connecting the best candidates and the best companies. So while there are, admittedly, a few recruiters out there who give the rest of us a bad name, most recruiters are actually worth working with. Of course, it’s not always easy to tell the difference. Here, then, are 5 things you should know to make sure you’re informed and prepared to work with a recruiter, and what every candidate needs to discuss with recruiters directly in order to figure out whether or not they’re worth working with, and whether or not they’ll work for your best interests – or theirs. 1. A recruiter’s job isn’t to find jobs for candidates. It’s to find candidates for jobs that already exist.

I know that this might sound like the same thing, but the difference between these two concepts is far past pedantic. Companies hire recruiting agencies and search firms for the explicit purpose of finding a very specific set of candidates for a very specific job order. This is just the way the recruiting business works – and it means recruiters are held to very high standards in terms of the quality of candidates we’re able to present to our clients. Our credibility depends on us being as selective as possible when making submissions – in recruiting; you’re only as good as your last candidate, so it’s imperative that we we’re super choosy on whose worth the risk involved in putting that hard fought relationship on the line.

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A recruiter, therefore, is working only on finding candidates who meet a very specific set of skill sets, or who has some esoteric industry experience or functional expertise that the company can’t find on their own. Before a client will even consider looking at a candidate, recruiters are required to source, screen and submit candidates who often possesses not some, but all of the following minimum qualifications, period.

o Experience in a specific industryo Current, real-world experience with definitive technical skills and/or

products, including current versions of those productso A minimum number of years of experience in a given fieldo Experience working for companies of a certain sizeo A degree in a specific area of studyo Ability to commute a distance within a reasonable radius of the companyo Specific certificationso Willingness to accept a salary offer within the range the company has

budgeted to pay

If we can actually identify a candidate who meets this exhaustive list of requirements, and actually convince them to consider the roles we’re recruiting for, and actually get them excited about careers at our clients, then we’re still only half way there. In addition to hard skills, a candidate must also fit the amorphous and ambiguous “company culture” at our clients. If fit happens, then the candidate will also somehow come across as having the right “chemistry” with the hiring manager and potential teammates – a skill set, of course, that’s impossible for recruiters to screen for given the extreme subjectivity and situational application of this catch-all candidate concept. But that “chemistry” – so often simply a gut feeling – plays a powerful part in the talent selection process that simply can’t be ignored. Of course, culture fit and chemistry are just as important for candidates as they are for clients, since your career objectives and aspirations should align with the company’s mission, vision and values. It’s essential that before committing to any company, they’re willing to commit to you, too: always do your due diligence to make sure any potential employer has the structure to allow for

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continual learning and professional development, transforming that job into a long term, rewarding career. Obviously, finding the perfect match isn’t easy. But when a recruiter does his or her job right, then it’s a win-win for our candidates and our clients. This is really what recruiting is really all about. 2. Recruiting Isn’t About “Not Right.” It’s About “Not Right Now.”

There’s a pretty pervasive misperception that if a recruiter or agency tells a job seeker that they can’t help them with their search, that somehow means that they’re not hirable or aren’t viable. The confusion this common misconception causes can often lead to a lot of overt frustration, negativity and aggression directed at recruiters. The truth is, this vitriol is completely uncalled for. It’s not our fault. Although most of us would absolutely love to, unfortunately, no recruiter can help every candidate they come into contact with. There are a lot of great professionals out there who we wish we could work with somehow, we have to focus on finding candidates who meet the rigid criteria outlined above, first. If you don’t match those minimum qualifications, most of the time, we have to move on. That doesn’t mean, of course, that very same company might not have a great role that’s a perfect fit for you sometime in the future, or that same recruiter might not open a req which you meet every requirement for. Once we connect with you, we’ll consider you, considering top talent is hard to find, and if you’re place able, it’s really just a matter of time before the right req opens up. But if you’re actively looking for a job, and you need something right now, then you might have better job search success if you do so on your own, without the help of a recruiter. Building a relationship with a recruiter can take time, and if we don’t have any open jobs that meet your needs, then we’re probably not the best resource if you’re looking right now. But if you’ve got time or the luxury of being selective, working with a recruiter can be a great option. Just know it’s not you. It’s us. Really.

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3. Recruiters want to help you. Trust me.

Recruiters definitely want to find a way to place you or help you find that perfect opportunity – despite many rumors to the contrary, most of us believe that our success is defined by the success of the candidates we help place. After all, getting people jobs is, well, our only job – which is why we want to hook up or help out our candidates throughout the hiring process. Anything a recruiter can do to make you more marketable to the companies we work with, or in any way improve your odds of successfully getting hired, is not only in your best interest, but the recruiter’s, too. They want you to get the job – after all, they get a placement out of it. Sometimes, though, recruiters struggle when our clients are very strict with their requirements. There are times that no amount of coaching or prep is going to help overcome the inherent limitations that our clients often impose on us. If a recruiter really doesn’t think they can help you out, don’t take this as a personal attack or pointed professional criticism. It’s just that most recruiters out there are direct with candidates where possible, particularly when it comes to expectation setting, and most of us would rather give you bad news than no news. Recruiters work hard to avoid leading candidates on any longer than we have to. Telling you we can’t help is our way of helping. Sometimes, it’s the only way we can help – but honesty is always the best policy, which is why the best recruiters will always be direct, no matter what direction their clients happen to be heading.

4. The F Word.

As discussed above, recruiters really believe that there is no such thing as too much feedback, which is why we’re constantly pressing our hiring managers for insights and information on every candidate we submit for consideration. The more feedback we have from our hiring manager, the better we can align our work with their wants, and the more efficiently and effectively we can be in sourcing, screening and selecting the candidates required to fill reqs and make placements. Sometimes, though, some of our clients suck at providing any sort of feedback to recruiters, much less the sorts of actionable insights or useful information we can pass along to our candidates. While recruiters try to figure out some sort of feedback on why a resume wasn’t

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selected or why someone didn’t make it past the first interview, often times, we get no more than a “no.” Of course, many hiring managers do a great job of telling us exactly why they’re passing on a candidate or specific feedback on their decision making process, but it’s really the luck of the draw on how much feedback we can get and how quickly we can get it. Fact is, many hiring processes get held up precisely because it can take a little time to close this feedback loop in the first place. There are times when we don’t get feedback for two, three weeks – and sometimes we don’t get any at all. While this isn’t the norm, it certainly does happen, despite the recruiter’s best efforts and intentions. It’s frustrating for both the candidate and the recruiter, and certainly doesn’t make our clients look all that great, either. If a recruiter has no feedback to share as to why you won’t be moving ahead in the process, know that recruiter did whatever they could to get specifics they could share with you – and are as pissed off as you are that there isn’t anything more helpful than a “thanks, but no thanks.” Don’t hold it against us. We don’t get any better without specific feedback, either. 5. Recruiters are people, too.

Recruiters who care more about placements than people and more about commissions than their candidates or clients won’t be recruiting for very long. Trust me. It’s inevitable that in this business, if you can’t build relationships, you’re going to fail miserably. The one thing that recruiting is about is that personal connection that a recruiter has with a candidate, and the trust both sides have to have in each other is crucial for ensuring that any recruiting relationship works out for both sides. Relationships don’t happen overnight, but recruiters know that success lies in ensuring every interaction is approached honestly, ethically and with integrity. If you can’t reciprocate that same level of respect to a recruiter, then you should probably consider looking for a job on your own – or be prepared for the fact that the only recruiters who will be willing to work for you are the ones in it for a quick buck instead of a long term, lasting relationship. Our goal is to get great people great jobs. Sometimes we can do that, sometimes we can’t. No matter what, though, almost every recruiter you will ever meet deeply cares about the people they work with, their profession and possesses a shared passion for making the world of work better – because, ultimately, we’re all in this together.

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20 things recruiters want from candidates!

1. Timing is everythingTiming is everything when looking for a job and the early bird catches the worm. The first contact from a recruiter is a test of your interest, as well as your communication skills – so always respond quickly and effectively.

2. We don’t like it when people aren’t on timeIt doesn’t matter what the reason is – if you’re late, it’s a bad first impression. Check weather, check traffic, and leave yourself double the amount of time you’ll actually need to get to your interview on time. Whether you interview is online or in person, BE ON TIME!

3. Pushy behavior doesn’t go over wellDon’t call and email every day to follow up. The recruiter will contact you when they have news. If you feel a burning desire to follow up anyway, use the opportunity to ask questions relevant to the position.

4. We pay attention to your verbal communication skillsWe listen closely during interviews. Chances are good that people whose speech is cluttered with “like” and “uhm” or those who are too casual in their speech and use slang or profanity won’t get the job. Practice your answers and compose yourself before answering to sound as professional as possible.

5. We want you to showcase your business communication skillsNo matter how casual the recruiter seems to be via email, always stay professional. Don’t start an email with “Hey” or use abbreviations or slang when providing written content to employers.

6. Your handshake might very well be your first impressionToo hard, too soft, too sweaty – it’s most likely a recruiter’s first interaction with you, and if it’s awful, they’ll remember.

7. We pay attention to how you’re dressedGo for clean, neat, and simple. Avoid flashy, provocative, or messy outfits, or that’s all the recruiter will remember.

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8. Bad personal hygiene is, well, bad Whether it’s messy hair, Body odor, or even a minor case of halitosis, the interview team will remember that above your stellar background. Take a few minutes to prep, pop a mint, and (lightly) spray some perfume to be interview ready. 9. We expect you to do your research Make sure at least two of your questions to the interviewer cite information about the company or the position you are interviewing for. There’s no excuse for not spending just a few minutes on the employer’s website before an interview. 10. Your eye contact might need work Not looking a recruiter in the eye makes them think you’re hiding something or aren’t interested in what they’re saying, but staring too long will make them uncomfortable. 11. We opt for candidates who demonstrate passion for the role Recruiters want to know that you want their job, not just a job. Tie something specific about the role to your personal interests and goals. 12. Focusing too much on money is a red flag Employers expect some small negotiations over salary, but shopping out their offer or making an unreasonable salary request shows that you’re in it for the money, not for the job. 13. We want you to ask questions – good questions! Make your questions count. Find out what the daily schedule looks like, what the reporting structure is, or why the job is open – questions like these will show recruiters that you’re interested in finding out if this is the right job for you. 14. Honesty is everything Whether you already know you’re accepting another offer, you embellished your experience, or you have some heinous misdemeanor crime that you’re trying to hide, the recruiter will find out eventually – and they won’t be happy that you lied about it.

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15. We don’t respond well to cockinessConfidence is important in an interview, but there’s a fine line between knowing you can do the job and thinking that you know more than the interviewer. Accept that they know the job better than you do, and make your interview about finding out how you can contribute to the team, not just telling them that you’re the best.

16. You should always send a thank you letterWrite a clear, concise thank you note to each of your interviewers, and cite something different from each of your conversations. Send the note 1-2 days after your interview. It’s just good PR!

17. We see right through your buzzwordsYou can only throw so many buzzwords into a conversation before the team starts to think you’re just quoting a textbook. You need to show them that you’re up to speed on the latest innovative ideas and how you’ve used them – the buzzwords themselves won’t convey that you know what you’re doing.

18. Stumbling through your experience raises red flagsYou should know your resume like the back of your hand. Stumbling on questions about your experience makes the interviewer think you might have faked your actual experience.

19. We want to know about your impact at past organizationsRecruiters want to know why your daily tasks mattered – did they create revenue? Did you contribute to the implementation of a marketing plan? Think bigger than just your cubicle when answering questions about your experience.

20. We keep an eye out for consistencyEvery single communication and action is being scrutinized during the interview process, and every person you speak with during the interview process will have some sort of say in the final decision. Make sure your communications, and your actions, are consistent throughout the entire interview process, and the interviewers will be confident that you’ll succeed in the role.

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T H E R E C R U I T M E N T P R O C E S S

Understanding the recruitment process is of utmost importance, moving abroad is a big step and many people are not fully aware of the process. Sometimes looking up Google or even speaking to uninformed people can be misleading.

How does recruitment work? Recruitment for working overseas is a simple process. People often think that it costs a lot of money, therefore fail to look at the many opportunities available. The truth is you should never be paying a recruiter. A recruiter whether it is an agency or individual is contracted by a company to find people to fit the vacant positions and therefore is paid directly by the company. Any recruiter who is asking you to pay a certain amount should be able to guarantee you a job which they cannot do.

The general process of finding work through a recruiter is usually by contacting a recruiter after viewing their job offers and sending your CV. If your CV meets the requirements of a job posted they would then contact you for an interview. Usually a recruiter, according to the agreement they have with the company will interview you first and then the company offering the job would arrange to interview you. The recruiter is also tasked with making sure that all your documentation is valid.

Once interviewed by the company/school, the management of the establishment would then sit to make a decision and a contract offer. Once this is done the contract offer would then be forwarded to the recruiter who will pass it on to you and SHOULD go through the contract offer in detail with you. Feel free to ask all the questions that you may have. Even if you have to contact the recruiter a hundred times with “silly” questions, do it! It’s your right! A recruiter should be there to assist you and answer your every question.

If you agree to the contract offer and sign, you will then email the signed agreement to the recruiter who will then email the company.

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The company will then request documents such as your passport, qualifications, medical report and police clearance to be attested and emailed through to them so that they may proceed to prepare your visa and travel tickets. Once this is done you will then be asked to send your passport to the visa agent or embassy to have the visa inserted into your passport and they will send it back to you. After this, you will prepare your bags and get ready for your new adventure!

Who pays? The candidate/applicant (YOU) should not pay anything to the recruiter! The company issuing the contract, may at times ask you to pay for your medicals and visa and rare occasions even the ticket.Such a request from the company is made only as surety of your arrival for the job. It is important to note that if you are requested to pay for medicals, then you would pay the medical facility and they would give you a receipt. When a company makes such a request, it should be stipulated in the contract that you will be REIMBURSED IN FULL UPON ARRIVAL TO THE COUNTRY AND ORIGINAL RECEIPTS MUST BE PROVIDED IN ORDER TO CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT.

Do understand, as mentioned before, that a recruiter’s job is not to find you a job, but to find people for the jobs that already exist. Many people assume that a recruiter is responsible for finding them a job. The ultimate decision of a CV being accepted or rejected, and whether a contract is issued or not is in the hands of the company providing the job and not the recruiter. Any recruiter who says that they guarantee you a job must be questioned! Any recruiter who asks for money upfront must be questioned as well. Recruiters need to be as transparent as possible with how they deal. A recruiter should assist you with correctly writing a CV. They do not have to write it for you, but they can give you guidelines on doing so and check up on your updated CV so that it is as required. It must also be noted that a course, degree or experience may be recommended but that, however, does not mean that you will automatically get a job. If that was the case, unemployment would not be so high. All such recommendations are made so that you will stand a better chance in the application.

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Sample contract agreement between recruiter and client (School)

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N O T O N L Y A B O U T W O R K I N G A TS C H O O L S !

TEACHING ENGLISH ONLINE

People often think that all you can do when teaching abroad is to apply and work at a school. While this is fun, there are other avenues that you can take other than schools.

A much underestimated area of teaching which in recent times has gained popularity and continues to grow. With the current position of technology in the world, teaching online has become vastly popular in places such as China and I'm certain that this particular trend is going to spread to other areas very soon.

Two options available for teaching online is either you teach for a company or you get brave and create your own content, market yourself and do things your way.

Many companies right now in Asia are advertising positions for teachers to teach online and so starting off with a company could be a good option because all you do is teach. But as I've mentioned, if you're like me, and don't like following rules, or just want to things by yourself, then going at it all on your own can be difficult at start to find students, but once you get the ball rolling, you will be setting yourself up for what could be a very rewarding job.

Work from home, in your own time and be stress-free! If you decide to go at it on your own, as your own business, you could create your course, and either have it hosted on a site like Udemy or maybe you would prefer to invest in your own website for your course. Your options are endless.

Requirements for teaching online:

Be a Native English speaker, have a bachelor’s degree, a teaching certificate (TEFL) and some companies prefer that you have some teaching experience. Requirements will always differ from place to place.

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Where and how to look?

Working for a company - Google - search for "Teach English online". Make sure you put the words in quotations so that you get accurate search results for vacancies and not just random info. Work for yourself - Social Media groups, community groups, word of mouth. Applications used for teaching online - If you are working for a company they may have their own preference on what you use and how, but if you are working for yourself you can decide with your students.

TEACHING ENGLISH AT LANGUAGE CENTERS

Language centres or language schools refer to centres where foreign languages are taught. Language centres are all over the world. Often you would find that language centres operate at different times to accommodate student’s timings as many students are professionals.

Many well-known names around the world include AMIDEAST, BERLITZ, WALL STREET ENGLISH AND BRITISH COUNCIL to name a few.

Requirements:

This will vary from place to place, however, a degree in any field or a degree in education/linguistics, applied linguistics or English language.

If you have a degree in any field other than education then a teaching certificate such as a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA/DELTA is requested.

Experience also differs from place to place with some not needing any experience to many wanting at least 1 to 2 years teaching experience.

Hiring process:

Through recruitment agents or contacting the language centre directly (direct hire).

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PYP – Preparatory Year Program

Many teachers think that when they working at a university they need to either have a master’s degree or Ph.D. While this may be the case in South Africa, it isn't always the situation overseas where English teachers are needed.

So what is the PYP and how does it work for teachers?

The Preparatory Year Program or commonly referred to as the PYP is a level of the university where students must complete either a year or two years of English before starting their intended course of study.

The requirements for a teacher to apply for a position in a PYP are simple. A BA degree in any field, with a teaching certificate like a TEFL/CELTA/TESOL and some teaching experience which sometimes can be overlooked if you don't have any because of the fact that overseas, teachers are given continuous, and relevant professional teacher development. Something South Africa lacks.

Where and how to apply?

You can contact recruitment agencies or go direct via direct hire.

When we say direct hire, we mean to contact the university directly and discuss with them and arrange to send your CV directly to the HR of the university.

So here we are another avenue for teachers other than just working in schools. In my next few posts, I will discuss the other avenues to teaching other than schools.

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ESP – English for Special Purposes

ESP, the acronym for English for special purposes is focused on teaching English for the development of communicative competence. This is a branch of English language instruction that focuses on specific industries. For example - working at a hotel to teach the staff hotel/hospitality English. You could work in a hospital to teach medical English, work with engineers to teach them engineering English.

How does this work? English is now the business language of the world. Many companies overseas deal with people of other nationalities and therefore need to be competent in English in order to communicate.

The main role of ESP is teaching vocabulary and how it is used within that specific industry. Aside from this, the usual grammar, pronunciation, reading, writing, listening, and speaking are taught. But keep in mind that what you teach is specific to the industry you teach in.

How do you find work as an ESP teacher and what do you need?

Often times looking for such work can be very difficult because it is not commonly advertised as you would find with regular teaching posts. The ESP jobs are very specialized so often contacting companies directly can work well or seek out recruiters who have knowledge of the topic and can guide you. You may not be referred to as a teacher but rather as a language instructor or trainer. Often times it is recommended that you have a degree in any field, accompanied by a TEFL certificate or a degree in education/ English language/ linguistics. Some teaching experience is good but not always needed. Being a native speaker of English is a must and keep in mind that if you are a South African passport holder, this qualifies as a native English Speaker. Requirements always will vary from company to company, and country to country, however, the above mentioned is always a good guide to follow.

A TEFL certificate just opens up many opportunities.

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L O G I S T I C S

Visas are a delicate procedure and one must understand that in order to obtain a legal work visa, you need to meet the requirement that has been set forward. Work Visit and business visa may be cheaper and faster to issue, but not always the best option as these visa’s come with limitation of not being able to open a bank account or even send your kids to school Family status or Single status visa is a visa status that is only decided by the company issuing the work contract.

Flight tickets are either paid for you or you could be asked to purchase them and you are either reimbursed or subsidised.

Medicals should be done both in your home country and in the country you apply for work. This is needed to make sure that you do not have any contagious diseases and are in fact in good health

Police clearance is a must; this should be done and submitted with all documents for visa application.

Documentation needed for apostil-led or notarization needs to be done by you. Checking on whether you need your documents notarized or apostil-led is your responsibility and can be done via the embassy of the country you apply to work in.

Many schools offer discounts if you have your kids study at the school you work at. This is something you will have to check on with either the recruiter or the school employing you.

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W H Y T E A C H I N G ?

Many people find it easier to move abroad as teachers and after sometime, look for work in their field. Not only are teaching requirements minimal, it is rewarding in the many holidays and benefits that you receive.

Requirements

B.ED Bachelor’s degree in any field A bachelor’s degree in Linguistics, English or Applied Linguistics is also very good to have. Many schools require a candidate to have a minimum of two years teaching experience. If a candidate does not have teaching experience then a 4 week teaching certificate such as a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is required.

PGCE – Post Graduate Certificate in Education

While this common route for teachers in South Africa and the United Kingdom who have not studied the B.ED. Degree, it must be understood that how this “degree” works from place to place differs. Within South Africa it is looked as being an advanced degree, while in the USA it is looked at being a teaching certificate. International schools overseas may not always accept and may not even know about it. As the qualification is named “certificate” many overseas schools may not recognize it as an advanced degree and will ask for you to have a TEFL/TESOL or CELTA certificate. Honors Degree

Another confusion around the world where people assume that having an honors degree is better. Many schools overseas do not understand it as well, because the mentality is – degree – masters and PHD. Understand that a PGCE and honors maybe accepted at a British curriculum school, because they are British/commonwealth degrees. In the USA an honors degree is another degree and you do not have to have an honors to do a master’s.

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W H Y T E F L ?

any people are confused as to why international teaching jobs are persistent on applicants having a TEFL certificate. Many ask the question of how is it that I have a B.ED degree or a PGCE which takes longer than 4 weeks to complete but still need the TEFL certificate.

The answer is quite simple. The B.ED and PGCE do not provide what a TEFL, CELTA or even a TESOL provides. These are specialized teacher certificates of international recognition. These teacher certificates prepare teachers to step into a classroom to teach confidently. They provide hands-on practical and theoretical training on how to conduct lessons, manage classrooms and deliver content in a much engaging manor that keeps the class interested in learning. Teachers who possess these certificates are always made a priority with schools.

Many teachers overseas don’t even have a B.ED or even a BA degree, all they have is a diploma and TEFL, CELTA or TESOL and sometimes not even a tertiary qualification. Just the fact that they are from an English speaking country and possess one of the mentioned teacher certificates is all they need. Rules and regulations for teachers abroad are changing in some countries, meaning that all applicants should have a degree in some field of study. However, there are still many countries who don’t require a degree.

These are specialized certificates that teach things like English for special purposes, meaning, teaching business English, Medical English or Engineering English. These certificates not only allow you to work at schools but also at universities, language centers or even companies who are in need of a language teacher. Does your BA, B.ED, PGCE prepare you in the way a TEFL would??

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A P P L Y I N G F O R J O B S

A quick search on Google for jobs overseas would bring pages of unnecessary and confusing results. Some of which can be very demotivating only because you either find something unrelated to your field or you find something that asks for qualifications you don’t have. There is no work around or solutions to assist you. Often you will end up landing on a recruitment agency page only to find yourself sending through an application and never getting any feedback from the recruiter.

What needs to be done is first, do some research in your field of work. A degree in your field and experience of 3 to 5 years does not mean you know it all. Let’s quit this attitude. Every day, industries change, requirements change and the way things are done, changes. You need to understand, and embrace the change because sometimes this change could be good.

After doing adequate research, find out who the major companies are or in which countries do you stand to gain. Go through your CV and make sure that it is up to date and relevant to the job that you are applying to. Send your CV through to recruiters and companies directly. Ask recruiters questions as it is your right! Question every process and step so that you are fully aware of what’s going on, and if you still don’t understand, ASK UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND!

Spotting fake recruiters or scams

The internet is filled with a lot of fakes and scams. The recruitment industry is filled with it. Often times you would get an email from a “recruiter” to discuss a job with you that you had apparently applied for. Now, keep in mind that you may have applied to many job posts and did not keep track of where you sent your CV to and so you probably assume that this person contacting you is from a call back to one or your applications.

You go ahead with communicating and they ask you for personal details, and may also send you a job offer. This here is when your spider senses need to kick in.

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No recruiter or company will issue you with a job offer without an interview via Skype to telephone. You go on to look at the contract offer that is very attractive, huge salary, and everything free! Again, this is where you must be aware, and research of your field is important. You understand the salary scales within you industry for your line of work and so anything way above the market prices is definitely a warning sign that it’s a hoax

Look at the email address – is it a free account? Verify the company profile. A quick Google search can help with this. All companies today will have a company email address that they use. If it is from a free account then you need to check it out again. Some companies do use free email accounts so this one can be a bit confusing which is why a detailed search is important, the reason why companies would use a free email account is either because their work email is down, or they have not yet set up a work email and are in the process of doing so.

One of the biggest giveaways to scams is asking for money. No recruiter, as I mentioned before, should be asking for money because they are paid directly by the company that they recruit for. If you are asked to pay for anything .you do not pay any individual, you will be asked to pay legal facilities such as medical, visa agents or airlines direct and within a legal work contract it would state that you would either be reimbursed or subsidized either on arrival or at the end of the contract.

Points to remember with scams A legit offer is only made after an interview. Usually 1 or 2 interviews, via Skype or

phone,

Do not deposit money in to anybody’s account

Free emails sometimes are legit but you have to double check this.

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P O P U L A RD E S T I N A T I O N S

Made up of 7 emirates, namely – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al- Ain. Each of the seven emirate states is governed by its own ruling family and

is also unique in their own identity and each comes with its own experience. Dubai has always the attraction for many expats and tourists. Competition is tough in the UAE

but welcoming to all who wish to call it home. In recent times the most popular destination for teachers is Al- Ain and Abu Dhabi. However, Hospitality and construction have been popular in Dubai. The Emirates are a driving distance to each other and so one would find that you can live in Sharjah and commute to Dubai for

work. Living in the Emirates would differ from state to state. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the most

expensive to live in. Within the UAE as a whole, you are not short of thing to do. From theme parks to global

villages, they’ve got it all.

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A driving distance away from Dubai. A beautiful small country in the Gulf with the Capital being Muscat. Oman is another popular country for expats of all professions. Teachers, nurses,

and engineers. Oman is famous for the desert trips and souks. People are friendly and welcoming and always willing to help. Opportunities are vast in the Sultanate and many have

stayed for a long enough time to call it home.

A small Island a drive away from Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia across the King Fahad Causeway and you are into Bahrain. Many who live in Saudi both the locals and expats travel to Bahrain

over the weekend. Bahrain has regained its popularity with expats offering good packages and a very open lifestyle that resembles the lifestyle in the UAE, just on a smaller scale. Professionals who have found

Bahrain to be rewarding are teachers and nurses.

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For many years, Saudi Arabia has been the go-to spot for many expats. Teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, and retail managers. over the years and in the much recent times Saudi

Arabia has become more open to the world. Showcasing itself as a global competitor. For many years, Saudi Arabia had been reliant on its oil to steadily and in no time at all develop the

country to what it is now. In many ways, still a very conservative community due to the history of Islam in the country and the presence of the two holy mosques, The mosque of the Holy Prophet Mohammed ( Peace be upon him) in Medina and the holy Ka’bah in Makkah. However, to date, the kingdom of Saudi

Arabia has many huge advancements in many aspects – Technology, engineering and entertainment to name a few.

China has become a very popular and rewarding destination for expats looking for something new and different. Many have questioned the living conditions as well as food in China due to

the many negative reports from media as well as people. China has a growing muslim population, and has become a very diverse community of locals and expats mixing on a daily basis. The Chinese are an extremely friendly and welcoming people.Food in china is not an

issue, halaal , kosher or vegetarian, it is all at your convenience.

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A young man, who had just completed his degree applied to work in China and after receiving his contract from a company there which stated that they would provide him with TEFL training and a job once training was complete, signed his contract, and went over to China. Upon arrival, the young man had gone through security checks and of course, made his way out the airport where he was received by a lady who worked for the company he had signed with. He was taken to his apartment which located in the slums of Beijing, which had no proper bed and hot water. The next day he was taken to the head office of the company where interviews were being arranged for him and no sign of the promised training. Eventually, the company managed to get the gentleman a job outside of Beijing which is at least a 5-hour train ride or 2 hours by flight. The company did tell another teacher that if the schools ask which company they are from, they were not to mention the name. Another teacher was given a fake UNISA degree as he did not have a degree. After his arrival at the new city, the young man was questioned by other teachers at the school about his visa. The same night he received an SMS saying “please come back to Beijing”. And so he complied. Everything seemed all too suspicious to the young man, who then decided to Google the name of the owner who then realized that this was all a scam. The owner went under many names and had different companies registered to the many names. They were actually taking up to 70% of the teacher’s earnings and not even complying with the contract and not on a legal work visa. After a few days, the young man had contacted family back in South Africa, bought a ticket and left China.

Moral of the story – Always do your research BEFORE going over. Make sure you have 2 interviews – 1 with the recruiter and 1 with the school – and both should be via Skype. Read your contract not once, but at least 3 times and make sure you understand everything and that where you need to be reimbursed or subsidized it says so. Make certain that your visa process is outlined to you and your invitation letter states that you will receive a valid work visa. It is your right to ask to see the accommodation before you get to the country.

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C O N C L U S I O N

orking Overseas is a wonderful opportunity that opens doors to people. People have various reasons to move abroad, not always does it mean that if a person moves abroad, then he or she cannot find work in their home country.

Sometimes the grass is really greener on the other side! Or sometimes people just do it for the adventure. Whatever the reason, it is an unforgettable experience.

Never move abroad with the idea that you will move for a year or two, save enough money to buy a house and then return home. What use is that? That money you saved is going to go on the house or a car and then you will want to leave again. If you decide to move abroad, make it a long term decision that you would not only benefit you, but also your family. If you do not have family as yet, then, move abroad to set up for the family that you will one day have!

Speaking to people who live overseas or have lived overseas is good, but don’t always rely on what they say. Everybody has a different experience.

Nabeel Abed

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