How to Secure an International Teaching Job — Black Edition (3/9)
So, you are interested in teaching internationally and want to increase your chances of success, excellent! You are making a great decision and can greatly increase your chances of a positive response, with a few steps.
Before we begin, if you are looking for a community of teachers in preparation for an international role, or are interested in connecting with those who are, please join our LinkedIn community to support teachers investigating their next opportunity: BAME International Teachers Support Network (Free Resources).
When applying for any job, you want to ensure that you have the best chance of success. This can be more explicit when you are labelled as a minority and face additional barriers to being called for an interview. Though there are clear challenges, it is important to view job applications as YOU recruiting a school, not simply them accepting or dismissing you.
Let’s explore some techniques and strategies which may help you to be successful in your approach.
In this article, we will focus on the initial applications which lead to the interview and assume that you know the basics.
- Have a globally recognised qualification such as a PGCE or iPGCE.
- Experience with Cambridge or the IB curriculums is preferred and teachers new to international jobs and curriculums should complete some basic research about them to apply with confidence.
- Make use of LinkedIn, there is a wealth of recruiters and the ability to build a CV for schools to come to you.
- If you have less than 5 years of teaching experience focus on jobs looking for new teachers or which say NQT’s welcome.
- There is nothing wrong with applying directly to a school or making a speculative application if you are passionate about a specific school but be aware that success is typically unsuccessful— There is a chapter below covering this approach.
- Avoid advertisements like these:
Yes, these types of adverts still exist with the example above being released in March 2022 though it was rapidly edited upon being reported by many teachers on Twitter.
There are various methods to apply for jobs internationally. They range from directly contacting schools in areas you are interested in, international job boards online, international job fairs, recruitment companies, to paid recruitment companies, and simply making use of your networks online.
Each method has its pros and cons but I will focus here on the context for BAME teachers — If you are tight on time, there is a TLDR of key points at the end of each section.
Should I Include a Photo?
When applying online, whether directly to a school, through a job board or recruiter, you will often be advised to include a picture of yourself on the application. Generally, this is not a requirement and is to your discretion based on how you feel about the school. Though it may not initially make sense to apply to a school where your photo may cause your application to not make it past HR, it is important to understand the difference between administrative staff and school leadership.
Gatekeepers such as HR departments do not want to waste people’s time. If they have a large volume of online applicants, they will use the simplest methods and most basic generalisations to narrow the list down before passing candidates on. These methods will be imbued with local biases which may not represent biases of the leadership of the school and without tracking metrics, many schools will not pick up on this. As such, initial applications without an image (where possible) can be advantageous but must be considered case-by-case — go with your gut.
Even in scenarios where a photo is not necessary, it is generally a requirement to state your nationality (though this may not be the same as your ethnicity). Alongside this, your name may also make inferring your ethnicity relatively easy. For BAME teachers this can immediately put you at a disadvantage. The discrimination against foreign-sounding names (relative to the country where the research was carried out) is widely researched and documented. This article from thelocal.de, though not in the specific context of teaching, explores the reasons for the hard barrier that HR can provide to BAME applicants. This can be further compounded by explicit racism when recruitment agencies and employers (as demonstrated in the example at the start of this article) prioritise and prefer white teachers from the US, UK, Ireland, South Africa and other English speaking locations using codes such as native English speakers only.
These can be slightly easier to navigate through; as is so prominent in Asian diasporas, using an anglicised name is a viable and absolutely legal approach to ease your journey through the initial inspections of your CV. Of course, once contracts and legal documents are being processed, your legal name must be used.
Now, I am not an advocate of erasing part of your identity and heritage for the sake of a job, this approach is a personal choice but it is an option. Taking such steps may be a useful strategy to ensure your CV reaches decision-makers and overcome the initial barriers before you have even been considered. But it is critically important that if you are genuinely concerned that your name and the associated discrimination may present challenges at that school, you may want to reconsider your application.
Ultimately, not including an image or using an anglicised name can make you less vulnerable to a variety of opportunities for discrimination. A well-crafted CV created specifically for the advertised job will encourage engagement from the school irrespective of the presence of an image as they will have to meet you to move forward if they were attracted to the details on your CV. Agencies and online applications where a photo is a requirement are still common but this is becoming less of a barrier. The content of your CV and ensuring it is tailored to the school and job is the critical focus.
TLDR: If it isn’t an application-preventing barrier, there is no need to provide a photo if you are not comfortable doing so or feel that not including one may improve the likelihood of your CV reaching the correct people. Similarly, using an anglicised name can support passing through initial barriers such as the biases of HR.
Can I Skip the Middle Man?
The short answer is no… Unless you go to a recruitment fair and that is the final section of this article so feel free to jump ahead.
Without attending a recruitment fair, there will always be a middle man. Even when directly emailing a headteacher at a large and popular school, it is possible that there is a level of screening on their emails or someone who manages the inbox. Emails to HR have the same vulnerability as any other form of application. This does not mean that there are no ways to make this interaction as successful as possible though.
Applying directly to schools is generally the least successful approach and I advise you to use diverse approaches when making a number of applications. But there are some exceptions such as where the school specifically states on its website that it receives direct applications (this may be the case for more remote schools that will generally be less discriminatory in their hiring due to a smaller talent pool). In these scenarios, I recommend rolling the dice.
A more compelling direct-contact situation is where you have a contact at the school. For example, if you have a colleague who you have worked with at the school or maybe have met some of the leadership through workshops etc, it may be worth directly contacting that person to put you forward.
Similarly, you may be particularly passionate about a specific school; maybe you have lived in that area or visited it on holiday, or you just know it to be a great school. This is fantastic but remember that for the more popular and successful schools, many of the applicants will present themselves this way. As such, direct contact is unlikely to give you an edge without meeting one of the characteristics in the paragraphs above.
Whatever your reason for direct contact many of the schools will give a polite no, direct you to their chosen recruiter/application platform, no response, or have an automated response of sorts and there will be no further contact. This is not the end of the road and does not mean you cannot apply through the other channels.
TLDR: Make direct contact with the school if they advertise such an approach on their website, you have a contact at the school, or you are particularly passionate about that school. Generally, avoid relying on contacting schools directly in your search for an international job and diversify your approach for more success.
Recruiters, Agencies, and CVs
The most common approach to applying for international teaching jobs is using websites like TES.com/jobs/, recruiter sites, and agencies. Online applications are the easiest and for schools that do not or cannot afford to attend the larger international job fairs, often the only choice. But the easiest methods will have the highest volumes of applicants and can subsequently have a poor response at times. It is easy to apply far and wide using a base CV/cover letter/account that you slightly change for each job. But to be successful an approach of quality over quantity is best.
As previously mentioned, recruiters and HR departments will use the most basic filters for initial selection when dealing with a large volume of applicants. In this sense, a recruiter who is happy to put you forward for a particular job is your greatest ally. They get paid based on your success and thus will only put you forward where there is a chance for your success, typically a high chance.
The systemic discrimination which can take place at the HR level, targeting individual characteristics beyond the base professional requirements for the job, can be bypassed by a skilled recruiter. Having been hired by the school to find them the ideal candidate, their recommendations will typically go straight to the person responsible for recruitment at the school.
Irrespective of what method you are using though, ensuring that you are producing specific applications is key. Recruiters will often support this, but recruitment agencies may not. Though you are operating through their site, you do not have the same filter as with a specific recruiter and can end up applying to schools that may not be progressive in their recruitment strategies. A specific application, tailored to the school you are applying to is not a guarantee of success, but can genuinely support how far your application will go.
Customise ALL of your applications to the specific job, this includes the following:
- Make alterations to your CV to match the language of the school website — if they love the phrase ‘critical thinking’ or ‘global citizens’ use those terms (where truthfully applicable) to the work and experiences that you showcase on your CV.
- No copy and paste cover letters — tell them why you are applying to that location, that school, that curriculum, or whatever is most important to your decision. There is no need to be cheesy, be honest and even if a driving factor is a competitive salary for your skills, this does not detract from your application.
These steps take time and research, but this research is a must to choose the right school for you and be confident of a safe and positive experience if you are successful. Taking the time to produce specific applications with the support of recruiters has the double benefit of increasing your chance of success and ensuring that you are making an informed decision with your application.
TLDR: Recruiters are your best ally for applying for international teaching jobs. Whether working with a recruiter or through a website, ensure that you are customising your applications for each job if you want an increased chance of success.
Recruitment Fairs
Saving the best for last, recruitment fairs are the gold standard of job applications for international teaching and remain the best method to secure an international job. They are my greatest recommendation.
Many highly-qualified and experienced BAME colleagues speak of their success once they reach the interview stage or following conversations with the employer but speak about a lot of rejection prior to that.
In order to strengthen your chances, I strongly recommend making direct contact with leaders at the schools you are interested in via job fairs and follow-up direct contact where necessary.
Make yourself a real person, let them hear you speak, and let your self-presentation allow a fair assessment of you as someone relevant for the position they are advertising. You have worth, you just need to make sure it is you they are assessing and not their own generalisations and assumptions.
There are a wide range of international teaching fairs globally led by a variety of recruitment agencies and I strongly recommend attending at least one. There is little difference in opportunity whether a fair is free or paid for so do not be fooled by marketing that a paid fair has an increased chance of securing you a job.
Job fairs typically take place from January through to June but there are some outside of this range on either side. For example, some schools in Oceania and Asia-Pacific may start the school year in January, thus relevant job fairs and advertisements take place relative to that time. A quick search online should find you some fairs relevant to you whether in-person or online along with a list of the schools which should be present.
Recruitment fairs are the only way to cut out the middle man; meeting a school's recruitment representative, and often SLT, will enable you to immediately get a vibe for the school. At a multiple-day fair, you will typically be able to meet with the school’s representatives and interview for the role at the same event (trusting you make a good impression). These chances for direct interaction do not mean that discrimination is not present, but it allows for more direct navigation of it. You can engage with many schools in one event saving you time and allowing opportunities and interactions you had not considered to catch your eye.
Let’s focus on the initial meeting; through a brief conversation at your chosen school’s booth, you want to complete the following:
- Ask redline questions
The make-or-break questions such as if it is possible for you to speak to existing teachers at the school, what a typical day looks like (this can vary dramatically internationally!), typical challenges faced by teachers in their first year, what the overall culture of the school and locale is…
The answers to these questions may have you falling for the school or rapidly walking away — make sure you ask them at the first opportunity. This is your chance to interview the school and decide if it is attractive to you in a more holistic way.
- Take the chance to observe the school’s representatives
Another great benefit to job fairs is the ability to see how the representatives engage with other interested teachers and generally to see how much interest the school garners. Popularity is definitely not a marker of how appropriate the school is for you, but it may be worth having a conversation to see what all of the fuss is about. It is also worth remembering that schools situated in Africa, South America, and South Asia will often have very few people visiting, this does not mean that they are not worth speaking with!
Similar to the discrimination experienced by BAME teachers, schools in these regions often receive far fewer applicants. TES.com does not even list Africa as a continent that international teaching can take you to! This is despite offering competitive packages relative to the cost of living in the country.
TLDR: Recruitment fairs are THE BEST way to apply for international teaching jobs. Though you still need to customise your application, research the job, etc, the opportunity to interact directly with the schools is invaluable. Cutting out the middle man, you can avoid, or immediately identify potential discrimination that we have discussed.
Don’t Give Up! Don’t Expect Too Much!
It is always a good idea to apply broadly and be open-minded when applying for jobs. Though we often have ideas regarding where we want to go, sometimes an ideal school can arise out of the blue.
Rejections can be disheartening but it is as much the school not being a good fit for you as you not being a good fit for the school. We are looking to start a relationship when taking on a job as a teacher and it is crucial it starts positively with both parties confident in their choice.
No method of securing a job guarantees a happy future, challenges may take time to present themselves but may also lessen over time. Be kind to yourself and do your best to make informed decisions. With due diligence and a little bit of serendipity, you will find something which may be the greatest choice you ever made.
Best of luck to you in your search!
Have you found a school that you are excited to apply to? How and why did you select it? Do you have any concerns about the process or any potential barriers? Feel free to share your stories with me here or via Twitter @dsinclair17
Check out the articles below to find out more about how to get the best from your international teaching experience!
· Abstract
1. Introduction: My Perspective on Teaching Internationally — Black Edition
2. Introduction: Why You Should Teach Internationally — Black Edition
3. How to Secure an International Teaching Job — Black Edition
4. Safety Checks: How to Research the Locale of your International Teaching Opportunity — Black Edition
5. Three Reasons Why International Teachers Quit and How to Buck the Trend — Black Edition
6. Navigating the Expat Community as an International Teacher — Black Edition
7. How I Used Dating Apps to Find Companionship as an International Teacher — Black Edition
8. For the Money or for the Experience? The Moral Dilemma of International Teaching — Black Edition
9. International Teaching; It’s Okay to Say No — Black Edition
