international education can be full of adventure and boredom, excitement and frustration, challenge and reward.
A successful international educator will possess certain personal characteristics in order to succeed and thrive in their adventure overseas. Recruiters are looking for people who aim to always be open to alternative ideas and who possess the perseverance that allows them to shake off frustrations and challenges and keep an eye on the end goal.
Moving overseas is not something to be done on a whim and is often for the long haul. Challenges are everywhere, but a successful international educator will stay positive and keep issues in perspective. With the right attitude a teacher will learn much more than they teach.
One of the best places to find a position overseas is a recruitment fair, as you have access to a variety of school representatives who can tell you exactly what it's like to live and work in an international school. Now you need to do your homework.
The first thing is to gather up all important documents. These include an up-to-date CV or resume. Official copies of your birth certificate, teaching certification(s) / license(s), university diploma(s) and transcripts are also vital. Criminal background checks from your home country are also a requirement. Once you enter your international career, be sure that if you are planning to leave a country, you also get a background check from there as well. Although you are likely to need official, certified copies of all of your documents before arriving, you should upload electronic copies to your Search file as well, because many schools will want electronic copies before considering you for a position. Most countries will also require a medical report.
The second thing to do is your research. Before interviewing with a school, and certainly before accepting a position, it is in everyone´s best interests for you to be well informed. You want to develop an objective picture of the school, administration, potential colleagues, students and families, not to mention the country and city and its politics. The first place to look is a school's website. It will give you a good picture of what´s going on and their priorities. Look closely at the vision, mission and values of the school. Do they represent yours? Are they practical and relevant? Look at the goals and the strategic plan. Are they achievable? Check out the location that the school is in and ask detailed questions of people who may have lived or traveled there before.
Thirdly, it is vital that you have done some soul searching to identify what's really important to you in a move overseas (career, money, love, travel, location, etc.) and what you're capable of, because starting out some place new, with a different language and a different culture, can be hard. But doing your homework and researching might make the transition a little easier. It is a good idea to make a list of things that you consider non-negotiable so that they don't slip your mind. Examples to think about are:
- Student population: All international schools are different - climate, conditions, populations, relationship with country of location, etc. One of the biggest differences is student population. If you know that you prefer to work at an international school that has a very international student population, then accepting a job at a school with a high percentage of local students might not be a good fit for you, especially if you have teenagers who may struggle with the language. However, you might also find that you like just the opposite of what you were originally seeking.
- Benefits: Different schools may offer some of the following- housing and/or housing allowance, low or no tax, flight allowance, moving allowance, settling-in allowance, free local language classes, gratuities and bonuses, transportation, saving potential, etc. On which benefits are you willing to be flexible? You need to know that ahead of time, if you plan on making your decision to sign a contract within 24 hours of receiving an offer at the Fair.
Before sending out CVs to schools, do your homework. You want schools to see that you have carefully considered your skills and their needs and that you truly believe that you are a solid fit. Don't waste your time or theirs by sending a letter of interest to a school that is not a clear fit for your skill set. Address the principal or director by name and avoid the use of generic emails. Make your email stand out. Schools are receiving hundreds of applications from very qualified candidates. Keep it brief, but mention the name of their school, why you want to work at their school or in their country and direct them to your Search file. Copy us in on the mail, so we can assist you if necessary. Know yourself and be honest with yourself and on your CV. Honesty will not open every door, but it will open the right ones. Do a 'pros' and 'cons' list for all the schools that you are considering.
Lastly, and before signing the contract, hopefully you will have done your research on the school and have answers to all your questions and concerns so that you can comfortably and gracefully accept or decline their offer. Verbal agreements are binding. You have 24 hours or to the end of the Fair to make a decision (unless a mutual agreement is made), so take advantage of our wealth of experience and please contact us for advice!
