3rd August 2016
Oftentimes, coming off a TEFL course can be jarring. The intensity of the course is finally over, leaving you feeling discombobulated and out of sorts. You know you have to look for a job, but just feel overwhelmed by the idea of job-hunting. What to do? Where to begin? This post looks at different entry routes in the TESOL industry in Hong Kong and what may suit you.
Bridging courses / Summer camps are a good way to get experience at first. These are often advertised through teaching agencies. Many secondary schools open their doors for the summer and run a variety of English language camps. Bridging courses help prepare Primary 6 students for entry into the first year of secondary school and in Hong Kong, this is a particularly large market for temporary teaching work. A lot of summer English camps focus on fun activities, such as drama, arts and crafts, sports, school journalism, even magic! If you have a special interest in one area, state it on your CV, and perhaps plan a few sample lessons around that subject. When you go for your interview, ask if the school would be interested in an English course and show them your sample lessons. Bridging courses and summer camps are also good to get your foot in the door for working in local primary and secondary schools. If schools and students like your classes, they will often request the agency for you again.
Learning Centres in HK are often looking for specialist teachers, so becoming familiar with ESOL / international examinations such as TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, AP, IGCSE or A-Level subjects can boost your employability. Young Learner exams include the Cambridge Starters, Movers and Flyers, PET and KET courses, Trinity Graded English Spoken Exams (GESE) and Young Performers’ Certificates (English through Drama).
Private tutorials and small tutorial groups can give you experience in specific age groups / requirements, which in turn can lead on to positions in learning centres (see above). Teaching 1-1 can be a very satisfying and rewarding experience as you can tailor lessons specific to your learners’ needs and often see a faster progression in their language development.
English for Asia recruits NET teachers for kindergarten, primary and secondary schools – pop into our office and talk to our Staff Development Manager in the office for more information about this.
Working for the British Council offers you a unique opportunity to gain experience and develop skills in a modern, rapidly changing organisation with worldwide influence and impact. While HK jobs primarily focus on young learners, there are also evening adult and exam classes on offer. The council also offer clear career pathways and international opportunities in their centres around the world.
The Hong Kong Education Bureau NET Scheme - The Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme is implemented in public-sector secondary and primary schools and the Education Bureau conducts NET recruitment exercise annually to recruit qualified candidates for the selection and appointment by public-sector schools.
Teacher recruitment agencies often advertise courses in local papers and job websites. Schools will approach agencies to provide courses, materials and teachers for extra-curricular courses and NET positions.
Some final words of advice: Remember to check with your organisation about lesson planning (Do you follow a curriculum? Are lesson plans available? Do you need to produce your own materials? etc), available resources and classroom technology (interactive whiteboards, CD players, laptops, overhead projectors, etc). Don’t forget to check your contract for timetabled hours and scheduled events (parents days, interview days, Christmas pageant, weekend work etc), teaching location, hourly / monthly pay (and whether it includes Mandatory Provident Fund provisions), sick pay and holiday / sick leave.
On your part, make sure you are presentable and punctual. Teachers will often lose out on work if they are scruffy or have a habit of being late.
Useful ESOL job sites:
Jobs DB | CPJobs.com (SCMP) | Recruit.net | Careerjet.hk
In the meantime, if you're looking for more support, ideas and training opportunities to develop your teaching, check out our upcoming CPD training sessions here.