Thinking about teaching overseas this year? There is still time to apply for September 2020.

Published on 19th May, 2020 by Wendy Hartrey. Published in For Candidates / TIC News

Thinking of teaching overseas but worried about the current COVID-19 situation? This article is aimed to ease some of your concerns. We still have lots of great vacancies for September 2020, it’s not too late to make your dream a reality!

There are still many teachers looking at teaching jobs overseas and there are still lots of great jobs but the current global crisis has raised some questions. Here are a few that we have been asked:

How will I be supported during the COVID-19 situation?

We appreciate that this is a time of uncertainty for everyone. We would like to assure you that during each stage of the recruitment process, and even after you’ve started your new teaching job, you will be supported by TIC.

Some countries are clamping down on the number of work visas they are issuing and this is making life more difficult for schools looking to hire teachers. However, there are many other countries where the situation has remained unchanged.

Some international schools have temporarily put their recruitment on hold. This is due to the economic uncertainty facing international families and the parents of children all over the world who are having to make some hard decisions right now. But, for many of the schools we are working with right now, it continues to be business as usual.

Rest assured that if one of our partner schools offers you a teaching contract they will honour it and they will support you until your contract ends. There have been zero cases of any of our schools reneging on contracts.

Some teachers are still unsure of their official start date but that is the same for everyone right now. Some may be involved in online teaching at the start of the term until they get the ‘green light’ to enter their new country. There is bound to be a period of uncertainty.

We at TIC are in contact with the schools in over 50 different countries on a regular basis. We are therefore monitoring the situation very carefully and we are ready to support you in any way we can.

What are the advantages of living and working overseas?

1. A chance to improve your skills and develop professionally. Teaching Internationally challenges you to learn another school education system and work with multicultural staff; this dynamic environment can really enhance your experience. Teachers we help place often say they have been supported in their development, something that is less achievable in the UK system.
2. “Teaching abroad, in an international school, will be the best decision of your professional life and one of the best life choices you will make. You will receive many new and exciting experiences and you will enhance your standard of living beyond your expectations!” Ian Robertson, a teacher we helped place at the British School of Guangzhou in China.
3. Travel! One of the greatest benefits of teaching overseas is that there is always something new to explore. Holidays tend to be longer than in the state school system which allows more time to travel. It’s considered quite normal to do short trips at weekends too. Often the cost of living is lower, so teachers have more disposable income, enabling them to travel to lots of exciting destinations.
4. Learning languages and culture; a new way of life!
5. A new adventure!

What advice would you give to potential candidates?

• Refresh your CV: It’s crucial to update your CV or resumé before applying for any teaching jobs. To read our tips about preparing your CV/resumé click here
• Keep checking for new vacancies. We are always updating our website and social media channels. Remember, at TIC we only work with schools we know look after their teachers, so you can be assured you are applying to a good school.
• Prepare for a last-minute interview. Make sure you’re Skype or ZOOM ready and prepare some responses to typical interview questions. Have a read through our blog post dedicated to the perfect interview.
• Identify your references. References can slow the selection process down and you could miss an opportunity as a result. It's a good idea to have all your reference contact details ready so they are immediately accessible to share as soon as you need them.

The good news is it’s not too late! TIC is still receiving new vacancies, meaning it’s possible to get a job at an international school this year.
To find your dream teaching job, view our vacancies today.

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Wendy Hartrey