The TEFL job application guide

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you’re very likely a qualified TEFL teacher and you’re ready to take on the world as a brilliant English educator. You’ve made a very smart decision - well done you.

Yes indeed, you’ve got through your TEFL course and now there’s a whole suite of options available to you. You could work online and teach from the comfort of your own home. You could travel abroad, exploring the globe and making new friends from different cultures. Or, you can have the best of both worlds and teach online while adventuring and working as a digital nomad. The choices are yours to make.

All choices, though, are made easier with information. The last thing we want is for our clever graduates to go out into the job market without all the facts. How should you be going about finding work in the TEFL world? What are the most important things to remember about the industry? How do you write the perfect CV?

There’s a lot to remember. So, why don’t we break it down for you, give you some links to the best resources out there, and talk you through each stage of applying for rewarding, enjoyable TEFL work?

Without further ado, let’s get you a job.

Where can I find jobs?

This is perhaps the most important question of all - where are all the English teaching jobs? 

We’d be remiss not to first point to our own lovingly maintained and comprehensive Jobs Centre . There, you’ll find a range of amazing opportunities across the world, online and offline, with opportunities across different age groups, institutions and companies. 

The online sphere, in general, is a brilliant gateway to finding TEFL work. Resources like Dave’s ESL Cafe , LinkedIn , Indeed and dedicated TEFL job sites are great for finding in-person and online work. Talking of teaching English online , applying directly to companies is usually the best way to go - keep up with their job vacancy pages!

Teaching programmes are a great way to break into the TEFL world. Our Japan Teaching Programme is a fantastic example, while the likes of TAPIF and Meddeas are also industry-leading teaching programmes. Depending on where you want to go, and where you’re currently based, there may well be a range of programmes tailored to your exact circumstances. 

Summer schools are another really positive introduction to the world of English teaching. Though they’re beneficial for all levels of English teachers, they’re especially useful if you’re looking for a truly immersive experience and you’re newly qualified. Summer schools take place all over the world, so you’re catered for if you’d like to be close to home, or want to make an impact overseas.

Finally, in some cases, you can apply for jobs on the ground as a TEFL teacher, in the old-fashioned way, unless it's only possible to obtain a work visa from outside the country. It’s less common, especially for new teachers, but there are still some locations where in-person applications work best. ​​This is particularly true in South America . 

We’ve mentioned online platforms already - the best way to apply is usually by applying directly through their bespoke job portals. 

Visas

Visas can feel intimidating, daunting, and any other synonym for “scary” that the thesaurus offers up. While it can be a lot of paperwork - there’s no getting around that, sometimes - it doesn’t have to be as gruelling as people make it sound.

The most common way of finding work is by applying for a visa in advance of moving to a country. For many nations, you’ll have to apply for a visa outside of the country you wish to move to. 

Getting a long-term visa or residence permit is a longer process. You need to know exactly what kind of visa you need for long-term work, what kind of work permit you need, and what kinds of documents you need to provide for both applications. When you’re offered a job from an employer abroad, they’ll typically directly assist you with this process (financial help, administrative help) or give you advice.

If you’re thinking about staying beyond the immediate future, you need to be clued up on residency permits, and the laws regarding citizenship. Often, you’ll need to meet some kind of academic and financial criteria to be granted a visa, though this isn't always the case. Our country guides go into more specific information on individual nations, while there are also resources like Visa Guide .

There are loads of visa-free countries where you don’t need to fill out loads of forms to travel there easily and scope out opportunities at first. Passports from certain countries or regions can also assure easy access to other countries. For example, here’s a list of countries where UK passports guarantee visa-free entry, US passports guarantee visa-free entry, and EU passports guarantee visa-free entry. That’s great for getting a feel of a location, and seeing whether you think it’d be a good fit.

While you’re applying for a visa, the nearest embassy should become a regular haunt, and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. There are no silly questions, only potentially silly outcomes.

This may sound obvious, but still - if you don’t think you can get a visa for a certain country, don’t apply for jobs there. Not only is it a waste of time, but it’s also a waste of an employer’s time and, potentially, money. Employers may take on the costs of processing visa applications for applicants they think are suitable. If you’re hiding something from an employer and don’t truly believe your visa application is up to scratch, it can damage your reputation going forward. It’s also just bad etiquette. 

Avoiding job scams

Unfortunately, at this juncture, it’s important to point out that TEFL job scams exist. There are some deeply, deeply cynical people out there, running criminal schemes designed to fill you with hope and exploit you. It’s rough, but there are ways you can avoid TEFL scam artists. 

We have a full guide to dodgy TEFL jobs , with a list of what to look out for. There are lots of important things to look out for in that article, but for brevity’s sake, if an “employer” does any of the following, exercise extreme caution:

• Asks for money upfront - under no circumstances should you agree!
• Has either no online presence or an extremely shoddy online presence
• Offers you a job in a place where you don’t meet visa requirements
• Offers you a job without an interview, or even an informal chat
• Has no reviews online/only has negative reviews
• The job advert is written in poor English
• Offers a salary that seems unrealistic
• Offers you a job that’s beyond your experience or qualifications

Similarly, there are TEFL course providers offering “guaranteed jobs” at the end of the certificate they hand out. Your instincts are probably telling you that sounds a bit suspect - read our guide to learn why you’re right.

In some cases, timing is everything

Depending on the kind of work you’re looking for, timing can be ultra-important. For example, teaching programmes such as JET in Japan, or EPIK in South Korea, run at certain times of the year. If you’re applying for jobs in state schools, you’ll need to apply before terms start, as it’s uncommon for schools to employ teachers after the academic year has begun.

Look up hiring seasons for countries, and figure out when the school terms are. They differ depending on where you plan on teaching, and knowing when to apply is crucial. It demonstrates an understanding of where you want to teach. An employer isn’t going to be particularly impressed if you want to teach at a state school, and you send an application right in the middle of the term.

That said, not all employers are time-dependent. Language schools exist around the world and tend to hire all year round! Online TEFL work isn’t usually bound by time restrictions, while tutoring can take place at any time!

CV/resumé

Firstly, it’s important to point out that The TEFL Org has a brilliant, free CV/resumé builder, and we offer a free CV/resumé-checking service for students. It’s another fantastic reason to trust The TEFL Org as your course provider.

Spark notes version, though: what do you need when you’re writing one of these? Well, as a rough guide, it’s important to emphasise your TEFL qualification (obviously!), your education, any relevant experience and your personal details. Depending on the country , some personal details like your age need to be discarded due to discrimination laws, so read up on what’s legal before sending a CV away.

We have an exhaustive guide to writing TEFL CVs/resumés - of course we do - but if we’re going to repeat ourselves and give you one piece of crucial advice, then it’s the following. Tailor your CV/resumé for each job you apply for. It doesn’t have to be drastic, but emphasising key skills and experiences from previous jobs, using language from the job description, will be noticed!

Cover letters

Talking of using language from a job description, we come to cover letters. Again, we have an amazing guide to writing TEFL cover letters , but if you’re wanting some key takeaways:

• Research, research, research. Then research again.
• Address your cover letter directly to your prospective employer
• Provide evidence of your qualities. Show, don’t tell.
• Qualifications are great. Skills and experience matter too, though.
• Make sure it’s legible and neat
• Proofread, proofread, proofread. Then proofread again.
• No waffling.
• Be yourself. Personality counts for a great deal.
• Make sure it’s specific to the job you’re applying for. Being generic won’t cut it.
• Include your contact details.

Cover letters might not be a necessity for every job application, but when they are, don’t see them as a chore. See them as an opportunity to reinforce the story that your CV/resumé tells. You’re advocating for yourself, so make your cover letter fun, engaging and packed with relevant detail.

Interviews

Wouldn’t you know it, we’ve got even more amazing resources, this time for TEFL interviews. Firstly, we’ve got a comprehensive guide to TEFL interview preparation , the common TEFL interview questions you’re likely to encounter, and the kinds of questions that you should ask at TEFL job interviews . 

All of the guides are jam-packed with great information, and again, we’ll try to provide an abridged version here. In terms of preparation, it’s important to learn names, to do some research into the institution you’re interviewing for, and about both the broader culture and the teaching environment you’ll hopefully be teaching in. 

As for interview questions you should expect, you should have a good answer when you’re asked why you want this specific job. Don’t make it sound as though you’re applying for everything and anything, and you should also be able to provide evidence of when you’ve been able to exhibit problem-solving skills and when you’ve worked well with others.

Finally, yes - ask questions! We’ve provided some good ones, but ultimately, it’s down to you. What do you want to know about the job? People forget that interviews aren’t just about the prospective employee. They’re about the employer, too. You’re allowed to reject a job if it’s not a good fit. You're allowed to turn it down if you get a negative feeling from a response to one of your questions.

Demo lessons

For some jobs, particularly online TEFL jobs, you’ll be asked to perform demo lessons as part of the application process. These lessons are usually short and are conducted either with a real student, or a member of staff at the company you’re applying for. 

There are examples of demo lessons all over YouTube, but we reckon the best advice comes from our friend Jema Perry of Mooncake English , who we spoke to for our podcast, I Taught English Abroad . 

Responding to job offers

If you get the job you want, congratulations! That’s amazing! Whether you’re jetting off to new surroundings, or you’re setting up a new career in a home office, take a second to reflect on your successful application. The job application process can be gruelling nowadays, but hey, look at you! You made it.

Taken a second? Good. Respond promptly and make arrangements with your new employer so you can arrange a start date. 

If it’s bad news…

What if you didn’t get the job? Game over, right? Well… no. Beyond basic politeness, there’s a lot to be gained from writing a response to a rejection . Expressing gratitude for the opportunity, especially if you got an interview, is a meaningful gesture. A well-written, genuine response can be a great way to get feedback on your application and figure out where you can improve. Or, and believe us when we tell you this happens, you might actually end up getting a job with the same employer later on.

If you were a second or third choice for a job, and you respond well to a rejection email or phone call, you’ll be remembered fondly. Sometimes, the first-choice candidate doesn’t work out, for any number of reasons. If you’re still keen on the job, you might end up getting a phone call further down the line. Leaving a positive impression matters.

Showing gratitude and politeness, along with an impressive application, can end up with a referral for a job at the very least. Employers talk. If you leave a good impression, you’ll get talked about. Fine, one school might not hire you at that exact moment, but their partner school elsewhere might have a perfect vacancy. 

Perseverance is key

It’s important to note before we finish up that, depending on where you apply, finding TEFL work can sometimes feel difficult. Some countries, or specific regions around the world, can feel ultra-competitive. Even when you’ve got all the right qualifications, you can get a visa, and everything is fine on paper, it can sometimes feel hard to make headway and find that perfect job.

Don’t give up. Persistence 100% pays off in the TEFL world. You are more than good enough, and you will find the opportunity you need to live and work as an English teacher, either overseas or online - or both. The work is out there, so stay vigilant and positive. Soon enough, you’ll look back on your job hunt and it’ll feel like a footnote in the story of your TEFL adventure!

Ready to go?

Sure, there’s a lot to remember, but searching for a job doesn’t have to be exhausting. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever, especially with brilliant TEFL course providers coming up with exhaustive job application guides. With online work being so prevalent in English teaching, you can apply, interview and work from the comfort of your own home, or indeed anywhere. Equally, if you dream of being out in classrooms across the world, you can write the perfect applications and turn dreams into reality.

Isn’t it amazing what TEFL can do? Are you ready?

Want to get started in English teaching? Think TEFL might just be the perfect career for you? Enrol in an industry-leading TEFL course today !