Starting your Job Hunt

I knew that I wanted to live and work abroad long before I ever understood how to go about it. I spent countless hours searching the internet, mid 2000s, looking for how teachers could get jobs working in other countries. I had no idea how it all worked and just kept landing on recruiting sites that wanted you to teach English. Although, I considered it, several times, it just didn't hit right for me...

Fast forward to several years later, deep in the heart of Maine winter. I was sitting at home cursing the dark and the cold when I decided to give my international search another go, ultimately landing my first international job post in Indonesia. From eliminating my debt, to saving money and traveling, that job changed my entire life for the better! I was astounded to find that there was an entire underground global teaching ring where teachers from around the world were not only surviving, but THRIVING! Here's how I did it...

1. Figure out your WHY.

   Though this seems silly, trust me it will come in handy later in your search. Ask yourself the hard questions. WHY are you seeking life abroad? What positive changes are you hoping for (what are you bringing in and what are you cutting out of your life)? Think big picture.

   These questions will help you as you seek a country & culture that fits your vision, as well as keep you focused once you are interviewing and offers start rolling in.

2. Figure out your WHAT.

   These are the little things that matter to you. Make a list of what you want in your day-to-day. You addressed the deep philosophical question already, now think of the fun things you want to to. Is it important for you to have museums, go surfing every day, eat healthy, having a flourishing dating life, maybe you're really into mountain biking... all of these hobbies and daily things you want matter, write them down. Don't be afraid to write down every little thing, you won't get them all, but you'll be able to weigh them out later as your options unfold.

3. Think about your WHERE.

   For me, I knew I only wanted to be near the equator. I was done with winter, this was a huge part of my WHY and something I was not willing to compromise. Where do you see yourself, skiing in the alps or diving in South America? Figuring out if you have climate preferences, or non-negotiables, will help you narrow down your search. Note, you will get more matches if you are open to a whole region rather than a specific country but if you have a specific country in mind, just be prepared for your job search to take a little longer as you may need to wait for job openings.

4. Get your Resume & Cover Letters ready.

   You are about to apply for the job of your life, make sure your resume is on point! I personally recommend creating something professional and classy with Canva if you're able (If not, I can help) or at least sprucing it up to stand out. Modernize and globalize. Even if you've never taught abroad, focus on your love of travel, desire to teach overseas, or mission to be in more inclusive/culturally diverse settings in your cover letter.

5. The Job Hunt

   Ok, There are a few ways to go about your job search. I have used all of these and there are pros/cons to each.

   1. Manual search:

      If you know your school/country, just google search for the top international schools. I used a gov't website that has since been inconveniently "updated". https://www.state.gov/schools-worldwide-schools-at-post/ Here, you can search all USA assisted schools worldwide, follow the links to the schools, and see if they have job openings listed on their website. If so, just email them a copy of your Resume and put a personalized Cover Letter as the body of your email. (This is exactly how I landed my first job!)

   2. Pay for a search engine:

      There are several paid search engines teachers use to find jobs that I learned about after I got into the international school community. All of these require fees, updated references, etc. It's like a one stop shop, you upload your info, send out links for your references to fill out, and it lives in this one place for schools to see & contact you. Here are the top 3 sites:

      SEARCH ASSOCIATES - Prices & policies have changed, but they offer yearly memberships for $100 (new candidates, then $75 yearly after that). They do not guarantee jobs but do include 1 free job fair in that price (you still pay for hotel + travel) but their fairs do very well for job seekers, claiming 40% + success rate for teachers. This is my personal favorite because it has a salary feature and gives savings potential for different family types for each school.

      SCHROLE - This site lets you browse and apply to up to 3 schools for free, after that it's $50. I have used this site and sometimes school websites will direct you here to apply directly through Schrole, but there are some sneaky ways to get around it if you can locate a recruiting email address on the web.

      INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SERVICES - Also priced at $75, ISS is a good option as well. They offer virtual teaching fairs and allow you to apply to some jobs directly without paying.

   3. Get personalized support:

      Alternatively, if you are feeling overwhelmed with where to start or want personalized search support and advice on comparing contracts, you can reach out to book a session with me! In a single 50 minute session we can cover a ton of ground! Get your resume fixed up, search for jobs, narrow down your hunt based on your lists and my knowledge, and give you the next steps to launch your career overseas.

6. Apply!

   It doesn't hurt to send in your resume so go for it! I do some soft research on each school and apply to any posts that I'm curious about. Not every school will get back to you for an interview, but with any luck you'll have several great schools to compare packages and select from!

   **The process of recruiting overseas can take weeks and you are often running on different time zones, so be patient.