Graduating teachers – Ten tips for planning for teaching jobs overseas

Published on 22nd June, 2015 by Gemma McSweeney. Published in For Candidates / TIC News

How to teach abroad after finishing university

Graduation is here, now for the job! So where are you going to teach? Hundreds of graduating teachers want to teach abroad, but is now the right time to apply? Here are ten tips to guide you:

1. Most good international schools look for teachers with at least two years’ experience of teaching the National Curriculum of England or the International Baccalaureate.

2. A small number of accredited British international schools are now certified to provide NQT certification. This might be a popular choice for many graduating teachers, but currently the opportunities are very limited.

3. Some international schools will take on trained but not NQT-qualified teachers. This may mean that you can teach overseas in some international schools, but you will still have to complete your NQT certification to get a teaching job in the UK. TIC recommends that you gain your fully-qualified teacher status plus one or two years of teaching experience in the UK before moving overseas. This will give you the best options for your long-term career planning.

4. Think about the region of the world that you might want to work in. Try to be open-minded about your location choice. If you set your heart on working in Barcelona, for example, your chances will be very limited indeed. Best to decide on a region; preferably one with plenty of opportunities.

5. Some regions of the world have more international school options than others. The United Arab Emirates, China, Vietnam, Qatar, Thailand and Malaysia are all locations where skilled, qualified teachers are constantly in demand.

6. Be very careful that the international schools you choose to consider are reputable schools. You can do this by making sure the school is part of a recognised school association such as COBIS, FOBISIA, ECIS or EARCOS.  You can also check to see if the school is accredited or inspected by a recognised accreditation body such as the Council of International Schools (CIS) or Centre for British Teachers (CfBT).

7. Work with a reputable recruitment agency like TIC that will support you – free of charge – throughout the entire recruitment process. This will help you to know that you are working only with reputable schools.

8. Most international schools plan for the majority of their recruitment from December to April, but many will have to recruit for unexpected vacancies throughout the year.

9. International schools often have short-term positions that need filling, or will have last minute requirements. These can be ideal for young teachers who might not have the commitments of children, mortgage or established job contracts restricting their opportunities.

10. Register with a recruitment agency that knows the international schools market well. TIC, for example, specialises in international school recruitment only. This means you will have support from people who know the schools and school leaders, who know the visa requirements and logistics, who understand the skills and expectations required by international schools, who can guide you knowledgably on all the opportunities, and prepare you well for any the challenges that you’ll face along the way.  Register as soon as you can to get all the help and advice you need right from the start – even if you’re taking two years to plan your move!

Look out in next week’s TIC blog for more advice for student teachers. We’ll be asking the question: Should I stay or should I go?

To start your international teaching adventure, register with TIC Recruitment today and we'll be able to offer you personal advice and guidance. Also check out our current Vacancies to see if there's the perfect job for you.

You may also be interested in these informative blogs:
TIC recruit is celebrity throughout South Wales
What's it like working in a new international school?
How do you become a teacher in an international school?

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Gemma McSweeney

Gemma is our Associate Director, having joined TIC in 2009. With over 15 years experience of recruitment and selection methods, she specialises in matching teachers and leaders with our international school partners. She has attended many international education conferences and has visited a number of international schools over the years. She uses this experience to best advise our teachers, leaders and schools and manage our team and UK operations.