I need a job. NOW.

[Cortney]

Starting a business is no easy thing, and I can assure you it takes more than determination. The whole American "pulling yourself up by the bootstraps" thing is kind of bull.

I mean, you can get a job in your field and save up money, and thus start your own business. However, it is by no means a good starting point. At least, not for most people. Every once in a while you'll get Sam Waltons. But, there are also completely determined and dedicated people who fail. Shirt happens.

[jmejia1187]

Yeah, I mean in America it is very different. I can't breed lizards and sell them without a permit... which takes money to get. And even so, the government would then have the right to come into my house every once in a while to see how i am treating the animals, like they do with people who breed dogs for sale.

Why don't i start raising lizards and breeding them? Because a good female crested gecko costs about 60-90 dollars. And I have no job or space in my house. I have one female crested gecko in a tank. That's it. If I did have the money or resources I would... But,
How can I get money?...

OH yeah, that's right, i need a job.

[speedlearner]

I'm sorry to say that getting a degree automatically disqualifies you from many retail jobs. They simply think you're overqualified. Even my college courses causes me great pain. Some retailers think that you will become discontent with the job and will quit in a very short period of time. And in some cases they are correct. That's the problem with getting a higher education these days. Finding a job becomes more difficult when you get a degree.

[TheIslander]

You all lack entrepreneurial spirit. Period. You don't start a business to sell your product, you start it to sell your idea. If money is your goal, then money will be your requirement. If promoting and implementing an idea is your goal, then the idea will be your requirement, money is just a bi-product.

Idea = Idea + money
Money + Idea = Idea + money*infinity
Nothing = 0

[bombmaniac]

by the way...i became a chacha guide today, and while it is definitely a living, it is fun and it is a good way to supplement income and have fun!

[RabbitWho]

If you're willing to travel why not be an ESL teacher? You can make a fortune in Korea.

Guys stop with the nonsense, you can't start a business without any money.... hmmm.... Maybe an online business but you need one hell of an idea. and where do you get the money to host the web site? pull it out of your arse? No, you get a job!

Still it would be something to do, it would stop you having a gap in your CV (which is poison for the rest of your life) and it could be a lot of fun.

[Rob]

Apr 23, 2010 12:52:28 GMT -5 RabbitWho said:

If you're willing to travel why not be an ESL teacher? You can make a fortune in Korea.

Don't I need to speak other languages besides English to do that? Because I don't.

[RabbitWho]

Apr 23, 2010 12:53:48 GMT -5 Rob said:

Apr 23, 2010 12:52:28 GMT -5 RabbitWho said:

If you're willing to travel why not be an ESL teacher? You can make a fortune in Korea.

Don't I need to speak other languages besides English to do that? Because I don't.

Nope you don't need to in most countries. In very rich countries yes (because every ESL teacher would sell their soul to work there) , but everywhere else no.

English teachers only need to speak English, trust me

The CELTA courses are really expensive, but you would make the money back really quickly, I can't really speak for Korea because i've never been, but i've heard only good things, and the salaries seem amazingly high.

Salary is low here in CZ but it's a great place to be and it beats the hell out of being back at home in Ireland with the rain and the misery and almost every person my age that I know out of work.


You need:

- A degree (in absolutely anything, I have a degree in Art and Design for crying out loud)
- To be a native speaker
- A certificate from some CELTA equivalent 120 hour real life course.
(in places like China and Vietnam they accept the online courses, but you won't make any money and you'll probably teach a class of 50 students and have no photocopier... it would be amazing to live in Vietnam though, it looks so beautiful... (Caucasian people apparently have a nicer time in the south for obvious reasons))

[Rob]

Apr 23, 2010 12:57:56 GMT -5 RabbitWho said:

Apr 23, 2010 12:53:48 GMT -5 Rob said:

Don't I need to speak other languages besides English to do that? Because I don't.

Nope you don't need to in most countries. In very rich countries yes (because every ESL teacher would sell their soul to work there) , but everywhere else no.

English teachers only need to speak English, trust me

The CELTA courses are really expensive, but you would make the money back really quickly, I can't really speak for Korea because i've never been, but i've heard only good things, and the salaries seem amazingly high.

Salary is low here in CZ but it's a great place to be and it beats the hell out of being back at home in Ireland with the rain and the misery and almost every person my age that I know out of work.


You need:

- A degree (in absolutely anything, I have a degree in Art and Design for crying out loud)
- To be a native speaker
- A certificate from some CELTA equivalent 120 hour real life course.
(in places like China and Vietnam they accept the online courses, but you won't make any money and you'll probably teach a class of 50 students and have no photocopier... it would be amazing to live in Vietnam though, it looks so beautiful... (Caucasian people apparently have a nicer time in the south for obvious reasons))

Wow... this sounds pretty awesome. Who runs this thing? Where do I go for all the information about it? Where do I go to apply?

[Danielle]

Ah, yes! I have a few friends that do that. One of my friends has been doing it for a few years, changing countries every year. Google CELTA.

[Rob]

Apr 23, 2010 13:19:18 GMT -5 Danielle said:

Ah, yes! I have a few friends that do that. One of my friends has been doing it for a few years, changing countries every year. Google CELTA.

That's awesome! And I started searching it as I was replying, haha. Just wanted to see if RabbitWho had a specific place where she learned about it.

[RabbitWho]

Aye tis a Cambridge course but as far as I know you can do it all over the world, wherever they've approved it, costs around 1000 euro. Probably a bit more by now, I got the CELT which was the Irish Equivalent. They copied the Cambridge course piece by piece, same books and everything.

It's a really intense course, get the books and read them before you do it, Schriever Learning Teaching and Michael.. Michael... Darn what's his name.. His book is called Practical English Language Teaching.

You're pretty much guaranteed a job if you don't mind traveling.

As far as I know Americans get automatic work-permits in Argentina for teaching English. But that's another country where you won't earn any money. Competition is really tough within the EU because they'll hire Irish and British people over you because it means no paperwork, but in other European Countries outside of the EU you'll have a fair shot.

Daves ESL cafe forums are a good place to get information BUT that forum is a level 1 tribe so be very careful, if i had paid attention to them I'd have believed Czech people hated foreigners (they like us!) and jobs were impossible to get (they're easy!) everyone just likes to be negative there. So get the information but don't let the "they'll eat your brains in Argentina" advice scare you.

[TheIslander]

Alternatively you can take TESOL course, it is the equivalent of CELTA. Some people say TESOL is easier but the truth is that they are both level 4 courses so there is not much difference. It is up to you to choose between TESOL or CELTA. BUT people who usually aim to obtain a TESOL/CELTA certificate usually start out by doing a TEFL course.

TEFL is usually all you need to teach in a native english-speaking country, if you aspire to teach in asia you need a TESOL/CELTA (usually).

I'm in the process of obtaining a TEFL course myself. The requirement where I live is an A-Level standard certificate in english, 18 years of age and being a native english speaker.
While a TESOL course requires a TEFL course, 20 years of age, university degree and knowledge of AT LEAST one other language (I presume under A-Level standard somewhat Level 3).

[RabbitWho]

Careful! Online TEFL courses are not worth the paper they are printed on. Most reputable schools won't even look at them. Sorry. Maybe if you are in it for charity work and you don't mind teaching 50 kids in china for 100 dollars a month.
My friend had a 120 hour online + 1 weekend TEFL course from i to i and no one would even reply to her emails.
Considering the lies on their websites and what they promise people I think they should be arrested.

A CELTA is a complete course, no need to waste money on a starter.
I've never met anyone who did it except people who realized the mistake they'd made. None of the people on my course had prior experience or ESL courses.

Anyway in Korea you'd be looking at 1,800 dollars a month, you have to find an agency to get you a job, but they'll pay for your flights and usually even find you accommodation. They take some money out of your wages for the first few months, and usually it's written into the contract if you get fired in the first 6 months you have to reimburse them for the flights there and pay for your flights home too. But I've only heard of that happening to one person.

i know someone who went there and she says absolutely do not teach outside of the big cities because while it is a wonderful culture they do keep to themselves and it's very very hard to make friends unless there are other Ex-pats from European or American countries where people are more outgoing and think of strangers as friends they haven't met yet.

[TheIslander]

Apr 23, 2010 13:43:40 GMT -5 RabbitWho said:

Careful! Online TEFL courses are not worth the paper they are printed on. Most reputable schools won't even look at them. Sorry. Maybe if you are in it for charity work and you don't mind teaching 50 kids in china for 100 dollars a month.
My friend had a 120 hour online + 1 weekend TEFL course from i to i and no one would even reply to her emails.
Considering the lies on their websites and what they promise people I think they should be arrested.

A CELTA is a complete course, no need to waste money on a starter.
I've never met anyone who did it except people who realized the mistake they'd made. None of the people on my course had prior experience or ESL courses.

Anyway in Korea you'd be looking at 1,800 dollars a month, you have to find an agency to get you a job, but they'll pay for your flights and usually even find you accommodation. They take some money out of your wages for the first few months, and usually it's written into the contract if you get fired in the first 6 months you have to reimburse them for the flights there and pay for your flights home too. But I've only heard of that happening to one person.

i know someone who went there and she says absolutely do not teach outside of the big cities because while it is a wonderful culture they do keep to themselves and it's very very hard to make friends unless there are other Ex-pats from European or American countries where people are more outgoing and think of strangers as friends they haven't met yet.

Um, sorry to burst your bubble but TEFL is not a starter course. Having both certificates is NOT a mistake, I have come in contact with people who have all three (CELTA, TESOL, TEFL). Having more qualifications is never a mistake. Whoever says that having an extra certificate is a mistake is a big bluffer.

I do stand to be corrected but to my knowledge TEFL and CELTA/TESOL are two different things.
TEFL is teaching english as a FOREIGN language while CELTA deals with a higher level of english. As a TEFL teaching you will teach people with basic knowledge while CELTA/TESOL teachers teach it at a higher level. TEFL is more likely to deal with youths and CELTA is more likely to deal with adults.
In most cases TEFL cannot replace CELTA/TESOL and CELTA/TESOL cannot replace TEFL due to them being different types of courses aimed at teaching different types of people.

Either way, taking any of these courses ONLINE is not a very wise choice . If you don't have a background in teaching and are not a natural at it it isn't very wise to be thought how to teach over the internet. Teaching requires interaction, if you were never thought how to interact face to face you have not learnt much.

I don't know where your friend has applied, but I have had offers to teach english in europe just (mentioning) that I am doing a TEFL course, as I don't have one as of yet and am too young to consider an overseas job.

[RabbitWho]

Okay we'll agree to disagree, it's just every teacher and every employer i've met in the last two years of working as an ESL teacher has told me that these things are a waste of money.

CELTA and DELTA are about teaching English as a Second Language (You only say EFL within English speaking countries) to both adults and children.



If you don't trust me you could read about it on the internet instead.

I don't know where your friend has applied, but I have had offers to teach english in europe just (mentioning) that I am doing a TEFL course, as I don't have one as of yet and am too young to consider an overseas job.

Yeah there are lots of jobs like that, all you have to do is send them your passport and 500 dollars for them to do the paperwork and you're set

[Rob]

The money required to take these courses is soooo high, wow. I have no way of getting the required funding without a job right now. Yes, I agree that it will be made back after doing the course and getting a job from it, but I have no way of getting so much money right now.

I will keep this in mind for the time when I do have the money, though.

For now, I need to figure something else out...

[RabbitWho]

Hmmmm... how to get money without having a job and how to get a job without having money...

[TheIslander]

Apr 23, 2010 14:18:24 GMT -5 RabbitWho said:

Okay we'll agree to disagree, it's just every teacher and every employer i've met in the last two years of working as an ESL teacher has told me that these things are a waste of money.

CELTA and DELTA are about teaching English as a Second Language (You only say EFL within English speaking countries)

Could you please trust me on this seeing as how it's my job and I hold the qualification?

If you don't trust me you could read about it on the internet instead.

We're not disagreeing on much really it is actually common knowledge that working "base up" in all fields of study is the best policy - so nothing, irrelevant of its lesser value in relation to other qualifications is useless.
I only said that I have found opportunities to teach with a TEFL certificate in central Europe (non-english speaking), this implies that despite CELTA/TESOL being the greater qualification - TEFL is also well-esteemed for certain jobs and should not be overlooked.

I myself aspire to sit for CELTA/TESOL some time, but I do not have the required age/university qualification. But I believe that in doing TEFL I will not be wasting time.

[TheIslander]

Apr 23, 2010 14:24:06 GMT -5 Rob said:

The money required to take these courses is soooo high, wow. I have no way of getting the required funding without a job right now. Yes, I agree that it will be made back after doing the course and getting a job from it, but I have no way of getting so much money right now.

I will keep this in mind for the time when I do have the money, though.

For now, I need to figure something else out...

How about sitting for a TEFL course? They usually cost less.