For many people, the concept of teaching English abroad is that you simply head out to the country, show off your English prowess, and land a job. As awesome as that would be, let me tell you from experience that this is not how it works!
In reality, most people will look to use a recruitment firm to help them land a job in the industry. Is that a good idea, though? I want to take a look at the pros and cons to help you decide.
The pros of using a recruitment company
There are many benefits to turning to a recruitment company for help and advice, and many times they can be the ideal solution to get you started. Here are some of the benefits involved in using a recruitment agency to land a job teaching English abroad:
- Contrary to popular belief, most recruitment agencies charge schools a fee, not the teacher.
- With most recruiters, you won’t find that any of your wages are held back from you – your wages are what you earn.
- Recruitment firms often have contacts and friends within reputable schools, improving the chances you have of landing a more reputable post.
- With the vetting process already done on you by the recruitment agency, your employer will ask far less questions about why they should choose to hire you.
- Recruitment agencies can help you to land long-term work as opposed to short-term semester contracts. This allows you to find a permanent position much easier.
- At the same time, you’ll be able to find a role through an agency that suits your skillset. This helps you to avoid being either under-used, or in over your head.
- Recruitment staff are often able to help you out with kinks in your profile, as they will often be bi-lingual and thus better at spotting potential issues in your profile.
- By working with the same recruitment firm for years, you can build up a clear rapport and make it easier to find the kind of work you were hoping for in the first place.
The cons of using a recruitment company
However, not everyone is going to benefit from using a recruitment company for finding work teaching English abroad. While not always the case, keep an eye on the following concerns:
- First off, you need to take some time to research the recruitment firm to make sure they are legitimate and can be trusted.
- Choosing the wrong firm can be detrimental to your chances of landing work; make sure you choose an agency with the correct opportunities for you.
- Some companies are more focused on landing their commission for recruitment as opposed to putting you in the right job: always be sure to investigate their motivations!
Really, the main challenge with getting a job teaching English abroad is making sure you use the right kind of help. For those starting out, I would highly recommend starting out with a recruitment agency. They can help you to open up many doors that might have otherwise been closed off to you and can ensure that you find a good, professional opportunity in the field that you are most suited to. Just be sure to evaluate and research the agency before doing anything else, though; a little bit of knowledge goes a very long way when evaluating your future career prospects!
About the Author: Andy Nesbit
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