“I have my certificate but can’t find TEFL jobs online.”

“I have my certificate but can’t find TEFL jobs online.”

 

We can’t tell you how many times we hear that on our social media posts, in emails, and in comments sections.

Unfortunately, this is the position many people find themselves in and if you are reading this article, you are probably one of them too. But while getting TEFL certified is a great place to start, it is not enough to secure a teaching job in this very competitive market.

Like with any industry, a qualification is only 1 part of your application procedure. You will also need an updated resume, an introduction video, a teacher profile, and perhaps a cover letter. Did you have these ready when you started applying?

 

There’s more than 1 way to teach English online

 

Finding TEFL jobs online is not the only way you can teach English online, and if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree it’s going to be very hard to find employment – especially if you don’t have any experience as a newly qualified TEFL teacher.

That’s why we recommend a dual approach to creating a sustainable career teaching English online. Apply for positions with online schools but also start building your freelance profiles on platforms like PrePly and Amazing Talker (among many others – see www.oetjobs.com for a full list)

While online schools can provide a stable monthly income, you are not going to reach your income goals with this approach alone. Freelancing is where you are going to find private students who are willing to pay more per hour, are going to be more dedicated, and who will refer people to you.

 

It’s going to take time

 

Teaching English online is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It is an ethical, long-term career reserved for those with a passion for helping people and it takes time to build up a reputation with your employer and with your private students.

As a newly qualified English teacher, you will need to start at the bottom and work your way up. No matter how old you are when you start. A good estimate of how long it will take to get a decent, steady income is around 6 months. This number comes from helping 100s of newly qualified teachers and while some do it faster, others can take even longer.

But if you are willing to put in the time and effort, this can be a very rewarding career both financially and personally. Have a look at this interview with one of our previous graduates who now runs our Mentorship Program

Click here to read the interview >>> Interview with Zander Botha

Or this interview with another graduate >>> Interview with Pepi Malamoglou 

 

 

Specialize, Specialize, Specialize!

 

To really stand apart from other teachers you need to offer something most others do not. What makes you special? What can you help a student with that the average teacher can’t? These are questions you need to ask yourself when setting up your freelance profiles. Online schools already have a student base and materials for you to use. They will assign classes to you and train you in what to teach. But when you freelance, you need to offer a service that makes you worth that higher hourly rate. Why would a student pay you $20, $30, or even $40 an hour? The answer is specialization.

General English teachers are a dime a dozen (and the pay reflects that) but there are millions of students out there that are looking for help in specific areas of English related to their work, hobbies, or studies. And they are willing to pay more for specialized assistance for professional help in achieving their goals. You can use your professional experience, knowledge you already have on a specific topic, or learn how to help people in a popular niche to set yourself apart.

Have you worked as PA? Use that knowledge to help other non-English PAs with language specific to that role so that they can get jobs in American, British, or Australian companies.

Have you got real estate experience? Help foreign realtors improve their industry-specific language to better serve their English-speaking clients and earn more sales commissions.

The list goes on. What experience/knowledge do you have that you can use to help students?

 

 

Upgrade your skillset

 

If you are having trouble finding an area to specialize in, try upgrading your skills in a proven niche market like exam preparation or business English by taking a short online course.

We offer a 30-hour Teach IELTS Exam preparation course which we include with our training bundles. IELTS stands for the International English Language Testing System and is a language proficiency exam run by Cambridge University and the British Council. Over 3 million candidates take these exams every year to prove their level of English so that they can get jobs overseas, study in English-speaking countries, or emigrate.

There is a massive demand for specialist teachers to help prepare students for these exams. In many cases, their futures, their lives, or their families lives depend on getting this certification so they are dedicated students who are willing to pay more to a specialist who can help them make their dreams come true.

Learn more about IELTS HERE

 

What can you do now?

 

If you already have your TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA certificate but need help getting started, then have a look at our Mentorship Program Upgrade Bundles <<< Click Here.

These include a live, 10-hour program over zoom with one of our previous graduates who has been very successful teaching English online and will share this knowledge with you. We will help you find TEFL jobs online and show you how to set yourself up as a successful freelance English teacher.

If you don’t have your TEFL certificate yet, have a look at our comprehensive Online Teacher Training Programs <<< Click Here

These programs include everything you need from day 1 to have a successful online teaching career. You will get our accredited 120-hour TEFL course and the Mentorship Program as standard in all the bundles. Then you can choose to add practical online teacher training and the IELTS Specialization course to get online teaching experience and have a specialist niche from day 1 to help you earn more.

All of the above come with our industry-leading lifetime support! You will become part of our Online Teacher Community groups where you can share knowledge and experience with other teachers, get job and career support, free training programs, free resources, and discounts on future courses and programs.

 

 

Chat with a consultant today!

 

If you would like to speak with someone about your specific requirements, you can book a call with our Mentorship director HERE or with our Admissions director HERE and they will call you back on the phone or schedule a Zoom call to answer any questions you may have.