Section 7: Preparing for the Job and Going Abroad

Chapter 38: Finding Jobs

When it comes to finding jobs how and where you will apply will vary from country to country. For instance, if you wanted to work at a government school in Japan you would apply for the JET program and if you wanted to work at a government school in Korea you would apply for the EPIK program. In addition to the current coronavirus times, China is currently offering very lucrative contracts and benefits for teaching English in China. For other countries it is highly recommended you do research into their government programs and see what is offered. Typically, with government jobs for teaching English abroad they will offer a bit less pay, but have a significant amount of less working hours compared to teachers who are working at a private academy. In addition, with public government jobs it is difficult to be placed in a school exactly where you want. The upside to working in a private academy is you can typically pick the city that you want to work in and can also make more money in general. The main downside to working in a private academy is that you never know what you are going to get. It is very VERY VERY important that you do your research if you choose to work in a private academy and not a public school. Contact old teachers, do anything you can before signing your contract, because once you do you are committed to that school for a year with not much leeway or a way out without some very specific circumstances or luck. Remember that you should always shop around for schools and don’t dedicate yourself to the first place that decides to hire you. If you could find something that paid $100 more a month just by searching a bit more that is a difference of $1,200 for one year of work during a contract! Always keep an open mind when searching for schools and only settle with a school when you are happy with what they are offering and what the school has shown you.