GRADUATE TEACHING JOBS ABROAD

Teaching is a job that many young people consider, and why not? The idea of making a difference and helping shape the minds of the future is more than appealing, but how do you know that teaching is really the career path you want to follow?

This is where getting a teaching post abroad can help. If you've just finished university and looking for a graduate teaching job abroad, the chances are you have no idea where to start looking, let alone which country to choose.

There are so many different kinds of graduate teaching jobs abroad in every single subject - a quick Google search will tell you this. But the most popular pathway would be through teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Perhaps this appears to be quite far-fetched in terms of your chemistry or physics degree, but it is one of the easiest teaching jobs in the world to get. For a native English speaker, little more is needed than the mother tongue.

Many people think that you need to speak a foreign language yourself to get a graduate teaching job overseas. Many others believe a background in teaching or education is essential. Neither of these statements are true. It's 100% possible to find a graduate English language teaching job abroad.

Due to the high demand of English language teachers worldwide, the requirements are often basic. If you have a degree in any subject, your native language is English, and you have some kind of English language teaching certificate such as the TEFL certificate, you'll have no problem finding a graduate teaching position in another country.

Depending on where you choose to base yourself as a graduate teacher abroad will depend on how much you earn. However, teaching overseas has the potential to be quite lucrative. At the same time, it offers other priceless experiences. You can travel, see new parts of the world and learn about different cultures. Even if you're a first-time graduate teacher overseas with no prior teaching experience, you'll be able to earn enough to live comfortably and travel. How cool is that?

The Middle East is a popular place to head for newly graduated teachers, mainly because of the high tax-free salaries and perks. But be aware that a number of teachers, especially newly graduated teachers abroad find working in such countries challenging due to the huge cultural differences. Asia is also a popular destination. Japan and South Korea have long been firm favourites, and again then there's huge earning potential there. However, the cost of living doesn't come cheap.

In more recent years, China has become a popular teaching destination for new grads looking for teaching jobs abroad. China's growing economy and massive population mean that English language teachers are always in high demand.

Getting a teaching job in China with no experience is relatively easy, as you only need to tick a few boxes to get a job. You will need a passport from the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, or the USA. An undergraduate degree in any subject, and a basic English language teaching certificate.

If you get a job in a state school or a private language school in China, the majority of them will also offer a few extra perks, such as annual return flights, accommodation and Chinese language lessons.