Personalized Job Placement Service

As you begin to hear back from schools and recruiters, your Job Placement Advisor will help you prepare for your upcoming interviews. Typically, interviews are conducted with a school’s director via telephone or over Skype.

The interview gives you the opportunity to prove you are a native or fluent English speaker and showcase the skills that make you right for the position. Practice before the interview so you have time to think about the types of answers you would like to give. See the tips listed below for a sample of the assistance your JPA will provide.

• Speak clearly and avoid pausing.
• Answer the questions within a few sentences without overloading the response with unnecessary details.
• Be grammatically correct with your answers.
• Keep a positive tone of voice throughout the interview.
• When discussing previous experiences and/or education, use real-life examples.
• Make it clear throughout the interview that you are excited about the prospect of teaching English abroad.
• Be aware that you may be speaking with an ESL speaker and as such, choose simple and clear vocabulary.
• For a Skype interview, ensure you are dressed professionally and present yourself in a positive manner: sit up straight, don’t fiddle with anything, and look the interviewer in the eye. Your Job Placement Advisor will give you additional interview tips and answer any questions you may have about this process.

Once interviews have been conducted, you will begin to receive job offers along with proposed contracts. As exciting as it is to receive a job offer, your Job Placement Advisor will be on hand to give you feedback and recommendations prior to signing your contract.

Proper time and effort must be spent reviewing a contract before it’s signed. Read over your contract thoroughly. Ask questions to ensure that you are clear on every aspect of the contract. If this is your first teaching position, make sure you know what the standard of pay is for that particular country.

Items to Consider:

• Split shifts
• Unpaid holidays
• Sick days
• Reimbursement of airfare
• Overtime
• Accommodations
• Key money (mainly in Japan)
• Transportation
• Preparation Time
• Extracurricular activities
• Healthcare
• Holidays
• Transportation from airport when first arriving in the country

Be Realistic

It is important to keep in mind that you should only negotiate items on which you are not willing to compromise. If you appear too demanding, your application could be set aside in favor of another candidate.

From obtaining a work visa, to having a valid passport, to packing and medical considerations, your Job Placement Advisor will help to ensure you have thought about everything before you leave.

• Preparing Your Documents

This list includes reminders for preparing your documents; including obtaining a work visa, organizing and copying your documentation and gathering your families contact information and giving them yours.

• Airline Tickets

This is a section where you can read about getting the best price for airline tickets, flight restrictions, and luggage tags.

• Medical Considerations

You will learn about medical considerations in this section and ensure you have the appropriate vaccinations required for the country in which you are traveling.

• Financial Reminders

Financial reminders are also included in this list. You will want to ensure you have organized your finances prior to your departure.

• Legal Issues

You will also want to consider getting a criminal record check before you leave. It is also a good idea to spend time researching the laws and customs in the country in which you plan to travel.

• What to Pack

Review this comprehensive list to ensure you have everything you need before you leave.

• Travel Safety

You should be well informed about safety while teaching and traveling abroad. Our travel safety page will provide you with useful suggestions and resources.

• Tips for the First Week of Teaching

Make your first week a success by following the tips that our Job Placement Advisors have collected from their experiences teaching abroad.

Print off the Preparing to Go Checklist and use it as your “to do list” to ensure you are well prepared to start your adventure traveling and teaching abroad