Member Search Feature Update: Which Job Titles Do Our 23342+ Members Have?

We are getting more and more members every month. Currently, we have over 23342 (up 3796 members since October 2020). We are definitely the place to go for networking with other international school educators!

Out of these thousands of members, we have teachers who hold many types of positions.  Check out our Members’ Job Titles page to see how many we have in each of these positions.

Using the data from this page, here are the current Members’ Job Titles statistics: (13 February 2022)

43 Activities Coordinators – (up 4)
17 Admission Coordinators – (up 4)
13 Admissions Director – (up 2)
124 Art Teachers – (up 17)
79 Assistant Principals – (up 13)
113 Biology Teachers – (up 25)

30 Business Office Workers – (up 2)
98 Chemistry Teachers – (up 11)
989 Classroom Teachers – (up 111)
22 Communications Workers – (up 3)
131 Counselors – (up 25)
155 Curriculum Coordinators – (up 23)

232 Department Heads – (up 45)
9 Design Teachers – (new)
21 Development Coordinator – (up 2)
41 Drama Teachers – (up 6)
71 Economics Teachers – (up 12)
361 English Teachers – (up 54)
285 EAL Teachers – (up 25)

209 Foreign Language Teachers – (up 33)
26 Geography Teachers – (up 6)
134 Heads of School/Directors – (up 17)
88 History Teachers – (up 10)
122 ICT Teachers – (up 17)
8 Interns – (up 1)

84 Librarians – (up 9)
42 Marketing Workers – (up 9)
256 Math Teachers – (up 43)
105 Music Teachers – (up 15)
6 Nurses – (same)
339 Other – (up 36)

152 P.E. Teachers (up 31)
76 Physics Teachers – (up 15)
161 Principals – (up 27)
21 Psychology Teachers – (up 3)
121 Science Teachers – (up 26)
10 Secretaries – (up 1)

87 Social Studies Teachers – (up 12)
118 Special Needs Teachers – (up 20)
10 Speech Pathologists – (up 1)
50 Teaching Assistants – (up 6)

Biggest increases: Dept. Heads, Classroom Teachers, English Teachers, EAL Teachers, Math, Foreign Language Teachers and Principals.

Want to get a job at an international school in one of these positions? Log on to International School Community and start contacting our members to get answers to your questions.  Many of our members definitely know about the life of an international school teacher at the schools they currently work at and the schools they have worked at in the past.

So where in the world do our current members live?  The members, who have stated so on their profile, currently live in the following regions of the world:

568 that are currently located in Asia – (up 149)
61 that are currently located in Caribbean – (up 8)
71 that are currently located in Central America – (up 10)
967 that are currently located in East Asia – (up 116)
241 that are currently located in Eastern/Central Europe – (up 39)
634 that are currently located in Middle East – (up 85)
130 that are currently located in North Africa – (up 14)
1095 that are currently located in North America – (up 88)
184 that are currently located in Oceania – (up 18)
868 that are currently located in South East Asia – (up 110)
218 that are currently located in South America – (up 46)
296 that are currently located in Sub-Saharan Africa – (up 48)
898 that are currently located in Western Europe – (up 91)

Looks like North America is still in the lead!  We recommend that all our members keep their profiles as up-to-date as possible so that their networking possibilities can be at their highest. Update yours today.

Check out all of our 23342+ members here.  If you are not a member yet, sign up here for free!

Why Aren’t Seasoned International School Teachers Getting Hired?

There seem to be a lot of teaching vacancies being posted at 1000s of international schools this recruiting season. These positions are in many countries around the world (although MANY of them are in China it would appear this year).

But even if there are 1000s positions available and (most likely) 100s of those in positions that you can apply for, it seems to be quite difficult to get an interview, and even if you get that, getting hired is another big hurdle!

It is understandable that a teacher just starting out in their international school career is not getting called in for an interview, but why are many seasoned international school teachers not even getting the school’s attention?

Let’s say there is a teacher looking for a new position for the coming school year. This person has worked at three different top-tier international schools averaging around six years at each one. This person has also received glowing reviews from their supervisors, and they are looking for another international school of a similar curriculum and similar status in the international school community. But after applying to a select few, and after even having one interview at one of them already, this person is not moving forward to the next rounds of the interview process.

It can be really frustrating for this person. Why is this happening? Why aren’t these highly sought-after experienced teachers finding it easier to get the attention and support of these international schools?

Back 15 years ago, it seemed that the power was truly in the international school teacher’s hand. Sure there was still competition, but you could get many interviews at the recruitment fairs and also get multiple offers to consider. 

Today, it is a different story for sure. There could be 100s of applicants applying for just one position. One teacher at an international school in Zurich said 400-500 people applied for just one position! The power is surely back in the hands of the international school as the candidates simply outnumber the number of positions available. This situation is definitely the case at the top-tier international schools in desirable locations. It is unclear if that is also the case at lesser-known international schools in less desirable locations.

Getting a job at a good international school or at any school really is always all about being at the right place at the right time. It is all about luck and timing. Sometimes, it isn’t even really about how your CV looks or what you said in your cover letter. With international schools getting 100s of CVs for one position, there sometimes just isn’t time to read that many cover letters.

So how can you get noticed? How can you increase your luck so that you are at the right place and the right time? Some say having a connection at the international school can help, and maybe for some, it does help. But with a lot of strict interviewing guidelines that many international schools have adopted, having a connection to the school does not always get you noticed or to the top of an admin’s list of people to interview. The position also might be just filled internally in the end or filled locally for that matter. A nightmare situation for a recruiting international school teacher.

The key is just to keep your hopes up knowing that the right position will present itself to you when the timing is right. Do your research, fill out everything the school requires for an application, and stay in touch with the right people at the school. Keep in mind that if they don’t have any new news to share with you, that is why they are not getting back to you or they are just not that into you.

This article was submitted anonymously by an ISC member.

Save $$$ at International Schools ANYWHERE: Tip #5 (Network with other Super Savers)

As a career international teacher, I am happy to continue this series on Save $$$ ANYWHERE! Last month we introduced the Extravagant Vacations topic as a way for international teachers to save $$.

Helpful Hint #4: Network with other Super Savers

In any country, there is always a way to live economically and save. Asking teachers and administrators is rarely helpful, as they are all part of the same “elite” group. To find ways to live well and save, you must source out locals or other foreigners that have lived in that country for a long time.

If they’re not part of the upper crust of society, they’ve learned how to live like one, without spending like one. This should be part of an international school’s induction program, but unfortunately, they are rarely helpful, as they assume all foreigners are wealthy and don’t mind spending money. Make local friends, search the internet for long-term foreigners, every country has a strategy to live well and save BIG.

It all starts with the understanding that savings is a choice. If you want to experience the high-flying expat lifestyle, with fabulous vacations, and a Starbucks latte every day, you can do that, but that is a choice. A higher salary is not a license to spend money.

Schools that offer high salaries, are usually located in countries with a very high cost of living. Buying from local markets, avoiding the foreign import section in the grocery store, taking the local buses, and network with people OUTSIDE our school community, have helped us exceed our saving goals.

We pride ourselves on being global, and by stepping outside of our comfort zone, we’ve learned that to live well, we don’t have to sacrifice our savings. Pay yourself FIRST, live well, and save like an All-Star!!!

Stay tuned in the future for Tip #6 on Save $$$ ANYWHERE!

This article was submitted by an ISC member and veteran international school teacher. If you are interested in being a guest author on our blog, please contact us here.

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