It’s all about luck and timing: Getting the international school job of your dreams

Do you want to live next to this?  Who doesn’t like the beach?


Or this? All expats dream of living in Europe!?

Or experience this view all the time during the winter?

If you really want to live and work in a specific city in the world and there are only 2-4 jobs available at the two international schools there, the chances are so very slim that you will ever get one of those jobs some day.  Looking and looking each year to see if one of those positions pops up on the vacancy websites.

So, it is all about luck and timing.  If, by chance, your job appears as a vacancy, your heart starts racing, but now what? Did you already decide on moving this year and are on the hunt for a job or would you have to “break contract” to accept this new job?

Take a chance!  Send in your CV and supporting materials and hope for the best.  The heavens might align and the school grants you an opportunity to interview.  I have had my share of interviews, and many don’t go your way.  Some years it feels like no schools want you…the good schools (e.g. your dream schools) and the not-so-good schools…even if you might have 15 years of experience on your back.

Yes, of course, schools looks at your CV and check out your experience.  “Do you have prior UK curriculum or PYP experience? No?  Sorry, we are looking for teachers that have had prior experience in our curriculum.”  How disheartening for some teachers that have their heart in a place (where their dream job is) that is seemingly so difficult to get into, when they aren’t the “right fit.”

A friend of mine (a seasoned international school teacher) told me recently it is all about whether the schools like you or don’t like you.  Check out the movie “She’s just not into you” by the way!  If you are indeed the one for the job, you are the one no matter what your CV says.  It has happened!

“I don’t have any connections? Surely the more people I know in the international school community the better.”  Will your contacts and networking connections help you land a job at your dream school?  100% yes, it happened to me personally.  HOWEVER, it is important to remember that even without those connections, it is possible to get that job, your dream job!  Remember, if you are the right one, it will be very clear that you are right one for the position.

So, keep your eyes and ears open and take chances in your life (even if it means that you might have to make a few sacrifices) and in your job search because you never know when your next opportunity will present itself and where your next placement will be.  So many teachers say “there is 99.9% chance that this is my last year in this country/city.”  Many times you can’t force a move or change in position.  Waiting for the right moment to pounce is important.  So, once again, it is all about luck and timing.  Wait for the right chance and then work hard to get the job, stay focused on your goal (and dream school), and it just might happen one day!

International School Community News v2011.01 – 10 May, 2011


v2011.01 – 10 May, 2011
The first International School Community newsletter has arrived!  First of all, we would like to thank all our current members for their support so far.  Many thanks go out to all those members that had a part in the development of this website.  International School Community strongly encourages for members to leave comments and submit their votes on the schools they currently work at or have worked at in the past.  We also encourage you to take a minute to update your member profile so that others will be able to network with you more easily.  Enjoy being an active member on this website and help yourself and others to continue on in the “International School Community.”

 

Current Promotion: All new members that sign up will automatically receive a free 1-month subscription of premium membership.  If you are already a member, you can still benefit from this promotion.  Just sign-on and click on the My Account tab and then the renew your subscription link.  Use the coupon code “1FREEMONTH” on the payment page, and you will automatically receive the free 1-month subscription of premium membership.  Make sure to forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues so that they can also benefit from this promotion.

Recently updated schools (more):

  • Shekou International School (Shekou, China)
    “The campus is very beautiful, lots of nature. Many of the teachers live within walking distance from the school and have views of the ocean…”
  • Graded School Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
    “Many other teachers choose to live in the trendier areas and take the school bus to work or combine public transportation with taxi rides (shared with other teachers)…”
  • Benjamin Franklin Int’l School (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Shanghai Community Int’l School
    (Shanghai, China)
    “There is one campus that is in Pudong and one in Puxi. From both campuses it takes about 30-40 minutes to get to the center of the city (to the Bund area)…”
  • Seoul International School (Seoul, South Korea)
    “The school uses current practices such as readers and writers workshop, and provides training if necessary in these areas. Teachers are required to stay until 5 on Mondays so a lot of this work can be done then.work can be done then…”
  • Hong Kong International School
    (Hong Kong, China)
  • Columbus School Medellin (Medellin, Colombia)
    “The school is basically on top of a mountain…”
  • American School of Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain)
    “Once you have your residency card, you are totally covered (within Spain) by the public healthcare system and everything is free…”
  • Shanghai Rego International School
    (Shanghai, China)
    “I have a housekeeper come and clean my apartment and do my washing/ironing 2 times a week for 5 hours total. I pay her 15 RMB an hour…”

Recently added schools:

Requested schools to be reviewed:

Recent blog entries:

Site Stats
Current members: 49
School profiles: 719
Surveys: 2
Blog entries: 27
Pictures: 10
Posted comments: 71

Member spotlights:
Clare Rothwell
“I enjoy the way students of different cultural backgrounds play together and include each other in games in spite of communication challenges.”

Christy Niemeyer
“It all started on New Year’s Eve 2003. I was talking with someone at a party whose sister was teaching in Malaysia. This person was telling me the exciting and lucrative life her sister was leading by working internationally…”

Website updates:
•The whole sign-up process has been revamped.
•The recently updated school profiles feature has been improved. Comment tidbits and map feature added.
•The map feature can now be enlarged on the school profiles pages.
•The survey section is now available to non-members.

Uploaded photos:
  Shanghai Rego International School (city section)
 American School of Barcelona (benefits section)

New Survey Topic:
Which area of the world would you prefer to work in?

Vote here!

Member spotlight #4: Noah Bohnen

Each month International School Community will highlight one of our members.  This month we interviewed Noah Bohnen:

Tell us about your background.  Where are you from?
I am Canadian, born in Toronto Ontario.  I have been teaching for 13 years, mostly MS, mostly math/science.

How did you get started in the international teaching community?
I had taught for 4 years in Peterborough, Ontario and my wife, who is also an international teacher, suggested that we do a stint overseas.  We loved the travel and adventure so much that we are still on the road 9 years later.

Which international schools have you worked at?  Please share some aspects of the schools that made them unique and fun places in which to work.
The Columbus School, Medellin Colombia.  Colombia is truly a gem.  Having traveled to over 50 countries, there is no place quite like it.  When we were there, there were still very few tourists and you really felt like you were on a cultural frontier.  The people are some of the kindest and happiest on the planet.  I still have very close Colombian friends with whom I keep in contact.  The school itself is one the most beautiful campuses I have ever seen.  It is on top of a mountain, with views of the city.  Its facilities are incredible.  The staff is young and a lot of fun.  The teaching can be challenging, but the workload is very manageable.

The Lincoln School, Buenos Aires.  This is the type of school where people typically stay 6+ years.  A true international school where English is the lingua franca.  The school is a lovely place to teach and work.  Resources are good and the kids are keen to learn.  Buenos Aires is a very nice place to live and raise a family with a ton to do, and abundant clean food, air and water.  The travel opportunities in Argentina are excellent, particularly if you are a fan of the outdoors.

Describe your latest cultural encounter in your current placement, one that put a smile on your face.
I was supervising a school dance and when I started teasing some Latino 7th graders about which girl they were going to dance with, they calmly told me 4 or 5 names and added, “Meester, we aren’t Canadian, so we aren’t afraid to dance with girls.”  Lost that one!

What are some important things that you look for when you are searching for a new position at an international school?
1. Living situation.  Housing, safety, medical, services for families, etc.
2. Opportunity for professional growth
3. Is it a true international school?
4. Potential savings

In exactly 5 words, how would you describe the international school teaching experience?
1. Rewarding
2. Different
3. Adventurous
4. Dynamic
5. Unpredictable

Thanks Noah!  If you are a member of International School Community and would like to be our next member spotlight, contact us here.  If we choose to highlight you, you will get a coupon code  to receive 6 months free of premium access to our website!

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