Great Resource

Introducing Educators Going Global – A New Resource in Our Global Community

March 19, 2023

Where – besides the International School Community – do you go to learn about and stay connected to International Education? We have a new one-stop shop for you! It’s called Educators Going Global.

We just started a new enterprise with multiple channels organized around school life, recruiting, transitions, finances, and travel. 

The central portal of our endeavor is the Educators Going Global (EGG) website. There you will find a podcast, a blog, a resource library, and links to our YouTube videos where international educators share their “Going Global Stories.” We also have a Facebook group where we post resources and crowdsource questions on topics such as potential guests, questions we need help with, and lots more. 

We hope you will see our website as an additional tool for your international teaching toolkit. Have a question about finances or your upcoming transition to a new school? Visit our site to select “Finances” or “Transitions” to see podcast episodes, blog posts, books, and website resources for your review. 

At the same time, you can subscribe to the Educators Going Global podcast on your device using your favorite podcasting app to listen to our shows. We have posted 15 shows now and we have many more in the works. Our guests have been interesting and informative, and there is something there for everyone, whether you are new to International Education or a long-time veteran like ourselves.

We will share with you how to travel, teach and connect!

That should cover What Educators Going Global is. Now, here’s the Who! We are Audrey Forgeron and David Carpenter.  

Audrey is a thirty-year international teaching veteran of seven international schools on four continents. She has variously taught Health and Physical Education, Social Studies, French, Film and Design Technology in grades three through twelve and has been an instructional technology educator. She is now a trailing spouse and mother of two grown Cross-Cultural Kids (CCKs), and she is currently training to become a life coach.

David is also a long-time international educator, having worked in ten international schools over a 30-year period. He has worn many hats, from Social Studies teacher to Counselor to Curriculum Designer to Instructional Technologist to Instructional Coach for Wellness. David is now semi-retired, wearing his dad hat whenever possible to support and learn from his adult sons, Maxwell and Samuel. 

So Why are we keen to share our insights and the expertise of our guests? We want to give back to the community of educators that gave each of us so much. We see our effort as a public service. 

Our mission is to inform both veteran and aspiring international educators about working overseas – What it’s like and how it’s changing, Where to find more information, Why “going global” is so attractive, and How and When to work through the recruiting process. We do this via targeted podcast episodes that include informational interviews and personal vignettes related to these five Ws of international education.

We work to tell the whole story, so you are really in the know about international schools. Our motto is: Eyes wide open!

The bottom line is that just like when we worked in international schools, we want to build community and be of service. Please connect with us as we go global together!

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Information for Members

24000 Members Milestone: 25% off Subscriptions and Renewals!

October 1, 2022

It is a time of celebration for International School Community as we now have over 24000 members on our website!

To celebrate our 24000+ members, all members can get 25% off of all premium membership subscriptions from 1 – 7 October, 2022 (ending 23:59 PST on 7 Oct, 2022).

The 25% off coupon code is: OKT2225O

Even if you are a member with Premium Membership already right now, you can still add more premium membership during this promotion. Just login to our website and go to the Manage Subscription page, choose the membership option that you’d like and then enter this coupon code (OKT2225O). Next click on the Make a Payment button to pay either with your PayPal account or without logging in to PayPal and just paying with your credit card.

Once you have premium membership access, please take this time to submit some comments on the schools you know about on our website. For every 10 comments you submit, your account will automatically be updated with one free month of premium membership. There is no limit, too. So if you submit 40 comments, then you will get four months of premium membership added to your account for free!

International School Community’s website launched back in February 2011.  When our first newsletter came out in May 2011, we only had 49 members!  On average, we have been getting over 300-400 people signing up to become new members each month.  We hope this trend continues!  The more members we have, the more people you have to network with.

International School Community’s goal is to be the largest online community for international schools educators.  Our website provides a useful, informative and celebratory environment for networking with other international school teachers and learning about different international schools around the world.

We created a website that would highlight the ins and outs of working at international schools (the benefits, the school itself, the city and travel information, etc.).

Another major goal of this website is to provide experienced teachers the platform to share what they know so that prospective and seasoned international school teachers can make more informed decisions as they venture out to a new international school.  Making connections and gathering information about international schools in our community has never been easier!  Whether you are looking to make new friends, network with other international school teachers or learn more about the wonderful world of teaching at international schools, International School Community is the place to be.

We want members to provide real information that is specific; information that is related to all the different topics we need to know about before signing a contract. International School Community offers up-to-date information in a highly organized, easy-to-use manner.

We also offer a vast amount of information and links related to the world of teaching at international schools and education in general via our blog.

You can search our vast collection of international school profile pages to find that specific international school you want to know about. You can also search our member profiles and be able to find a contact to send a private message to so that you can get firsthand information about a school that member has worked at.

While the focus of the site is to serve the international school teaching community by providing real and useful information about international schools, we have specifically organized our website to promote our members to leave comments and information that are useful for everyone.  Enjoy being an active member of our website!

We strive to have the largest collection of resources and services for the international teaching community.  International School Community really wants to take writing reviews and comments about international schools to the next level.

Here are what some of our current members are saying about International School Community:

“It’s really useful…it’s a really good way to find out practical info about schools when you’re looking for jobs. If you are interested in particular schools, you can just contact any member from that school to find out insider info! It’s also good if you just want to find out what life is like for teachers in other cities! Really unique idea!” (An international teacher in China)

“International School Community is a great resource for international school teachers. Whether you are doing research for a new job, or just connecting with other teachers, this site is has a plethora of great information. I especially love that this site has a positive feel to it, rather than a place for teachers to vent. I really recommend registering to be a part of this great idea.” (An international teacher in South Korea)

“You have an amazingly wonderful website and seeing these comments is extremely helpful to me.” (A teacher looking to teach abroad at international schools)

“I am very impressed for a website to take the time to do this. You have a great resource that I certainly could have used when I first set off overseas teaching in 1998!! The site works well and it is nice to get a good background on almost every school I’d wish to work in. You are doing a fantastic job with your website, keep it up!” (A veteran international school teacher)

“I truly love being an international educator and researching and comparing schools, as well as discovering great schools that aren’t as well-known. I am grateful for ISC having a platform that makes it all so easy.” (Another veteran international school teacher)

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Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Things a Recruiting Int’l Teacher is 😟 Worrying About in November

November 25, 2017

Yes, it is November and many international school teachers are already thinking about the next school year. Actually, many of these teachers started recruiting back in September or August! It is necessary to recruit this early because international schools seem to be hiring earlier and earlier every year. Additionally, the international school recruitment fairs are also requiring candidates to have already applied to attend their fairs by now; by November you are most likely too late to apply to attend one (especially the ones in Bangkok)!

So, what are the top 10 things a recruiting international school teacher is worrying about in November? Maybe you can relate to some of these!

1. Why aren’t schools writing me back!?

You are trying to be proactive. Sure, it is advisable to contact international schools as soon as you see that they have a vacancy listed. You might even send your CV to schools that don’t even have a vacancy for you at the moment. It is really unfortunate though that many schools just don’t have the time to write everyone back in a timely manner…or at all. Though the truth might be that if the school really wanted to contact you, they would!  If they are not contacting you, it might also mean that they are simply not ready to start short-listing candidates or that you are indeed not the best fit for the position at this moment in time.

2. Should I tell my school that I am FOR SURE leaving at the end of the current school year?

International schools are not making it easy for recruiting teachers.  It appears as if many schools are requiring that their teachers tell them (if they are going to leave or sign another contract) earlier and earlier in the school year.  It makes sense though.  Admin needs to plan ahead.  The earlier international schools start recruiting, the better choice and more selective they can be when hiring for the next school year.  But officially signing the paper stating your intentions, it is something that will raise your heart beat a bit (in a good way and not so good way, depending on your present situation).

3. When will I finally secure a job?

It is so nerve-wracking to quit your job without having another job already lined up.  An international school teacher is lucky to already get a job secured in November for the next school year. Admin positions might get hired around this time, but typically not regular teachers. Many teachers don’t sign a contract for their new job until April or May, so to wait that long…it is torture!  Even if you go to an international school recruitment fair, it is not guaranteed that you will be signing a contract there either. You often need to wait another few weeks as the school wants time to interview some other candidates at the next recruitment fair. They also need time to contact and check all your references.

4. How am I going to stand out at the recruitment fair?

We’ve seen them at the fairs.  The candidates that seem to have everything in order.  They’ve thought of everything!  They have smart, professional, and personalized stationary for thank you notes. They also have extra flash drives with their portfolio presentations on them to give to the schools.  Some teachers  at the recruitment fairs have CVs with unique, eye-catching designs.  Others will have scrapbook-like binders with photos that show highlights from their teaching career; nice to have real photos of your teaching as talking points during your interview.  The truth is you do need to think about your strategy at the fair, well ahead of time, so that you are prepared to represent yourself in the best way possible.

5. Can’t I just interview with schools on Skype and not have to attend a recruitment fair?

Attending recruitment fairs are great for networking and meeting your potential future boss in person, but they are also quite stressful and expensive. It is sometimes more ideal to just do all your interviewing over Skype.  It is cheaper for your budget and also cheaper for the schools to hire people online.  Some teachers are lucky and they get a school wanting to do a first interview with their shortlisted candidates before the recruitment fair even starts. Of those pre-screened teachers, some will get snatched up because of that pre-recruitment fair Skype interview (more and more candidates are getting hired via Skype and only Skype). Others though, will still have to go to the recruitment fair to do another in-person interview.

6. What if I don’t get another job at an international school and I need to move back to my home country?

It isn’t the end of the world to move back to your home country. But when you want to continue on in the international school community, moving back to your home country is definitely a last resort option.  Come March/April, if you haven’t secured a job, the thought does run through your mind.  Your mind runs through all the possible scenarios. Will you move back to the last place you lived in your home country and work in the same school/district as you did before?  Will you consider a different city in your home country and try to start a new life there?  Some of these scenarios do actually sound enticing to you, but your mind always goes back to the next international school that you are hoping to work at.

7. Will my top school have a vacancy for me and if they do, will the vacancy still be there by the time the recruitment fair starts?

When you see that your top school has posted a vacancy for that fits your skills, it is a time to rejoice!  Screaming out loud in your apartment is not uncommon when this happens; screams of exhilaration, relief and excitement! Once those feelings subside a bit, the realities of the situation start to set in. What if someone who is more qualified than me gets the school’s attention first? What if they end up hiring that position internally, a person already working at the school?  What if someone with a connection to the school gets referred for the position (hiring a good candidate with a connection to somebody who already works at the school is desirable!)? Maybe they will decide to fill the position with some local hire; it is usually cheaper to do that. So many scenarios and possibilities completely out of your control. When recruiting, it is truly all about luck and timing. If it was meant to be, to work at your top school in next school year, then it will happen regardless of all the time and effort you put towards applying for the position. That does not mean you do not try everything in your power though to get the school’s attention, demonstrating you are a good fit for the vacancy. Some teacher might back out a month after they sign the contract (that you were hoping to get) and you might be second in line for the position!

8. Did my current and past supervisors give me a super-positive confidential references or not-so-positive ones?

I guess that is why they are confidential, they are not for you to see or know about. Even if you have a good relationship with your boss, it is hard to know exactly how honest they will be on those confidential references that you might have to do  (if you are attending a recruitment fair for example).  The likelihood that they wrote you a positive reference is far higher than them writing a super negative one for you. When schools are not writing you back though, it is easy to start thinking about what the schools might be reading on your recruitment fair online profile. It is good to remember that most admin are supportive of their teachers, and will do all they can to help you secure your next job.

9. Kidding oneself that you are all cool, calm and collected about everything.

No one wants to be stressed-out for 3-5 months, but that is what your future holds for your when recruiting.  Inevitably, it is going to be a bumpy ride.  Be proactive about this and think of ways that you can get yourself grounded.  When in the middle of the craziness of recruiting to work at an international school, don’t forget about your health and well-being. One idea to keep yourself in the right frame of mind is to continue enjoying what your host country has to offer. It is easy to take for granted the awesome opportunity to live in your current host country when recruiting, since your main focus is currently on moving. Don’t let that distract you too much and get out to continue to enjoy what your host country has to offer.  Additionally, keep going out with your local friends that you’ve made during your time there and to get your mind off recruiting for a few hours.

10. Is there hope just around corner?

The fact is that it typically all works in the end, when recruiting. You WILL find a job. Many times, teachers do find the position at the school and in the city of their dreams. Keep your hopes and dreams alive during these recruitment months. Your positive energy will be apparent to your interviewer and the stars will align as you somehow have just the right answers to their tough questions.  Make your dream school become your reality!

This top 10 list was submitted to us by a guest author and International School Community member.

All guest authors to our blog get one year of free premium membership to our website.  Email us if you have a top 10 list idea and would like it to be highlighted on our blog as a guest author.

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Great Resource

The International School Recruitment Fair Toolkit

January 8, 2016

The recruitment fair season has started!

International School Community is the place to gather information and ease your mind.

Over the past five years, we have amassed a vast array of informative materials for everything to do with recruitment fairs.

The following is a list of all of our materials and statistics to help you stay well-informed:

Hate recruitment fairs, some say they are fun!
Top 10 reasons why attending an international school recruitment fair is super fun!

Think Search and ISS are your only options?
A New Kind of Recruitment Fair for International Schools in Asia

Got multiple job offers to consider?
• Comparing the Schools and Comments
• 12 Tips for Selecting an International School

Think living overseas is easy?
Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas

Get a glimpse of what your new journey to work will be like.
The Journey to School

Want to stay one step ahead against the other candidates?
9 Lessons Learned Regarding International School Hiring Fairs

The survey says!
• On average, how many interviews do you go to at an international school recruitment fair?
• Which international school recruitment fair have you had the most success at?

Why not get firsthand information from veteran international school teacher blogs?
• Three Job Fairs, Three Jobs: An International Teacher Hiring Saga
• Which international school job fairs do you recommend and the job fair circus!
• Are you ready? The international school recruitment fair season is a few weeks away! (A Search Associates fair experience)

A director who thinks recruitment fairs are a thing of the past.
“From the Principal’s Office” (A principal working in Sudan)

Now if you didn’t get a job after attending an international school recruitment fair, take a look at the results of our recent survey of our members.

Almost 40% of people survey said that they got their last job via Skype interviewing; that is basically double the number of people who got hired at a recruitment fair.

Skype is truly the future of getting a job at international schools!

Good luck recruiting this year, everyone. May you get the job of your dreams! And may the schools find the best fit for the positions they have!

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Highlighted Articles

Five ways to increase your chances of landing your dream job

September 30, 2015

#1 Get references from previous employers

References have never been as important as they are today, yet a lot of teachers don’t keep copies on file. It’s better to have a few personal, detailed recommendation letters than a dozen LinkedIn endorsements from people you’ve never worked with. Make sure you ask your previous employer for a recommendation letter and contact details when you leave and make sure you have digital copies readily accessible. Most schools will want to contact your referees before they hire you, and if you include two or more from principals who vouch for your character you certainly are a much stronger candidate than the teacher who adds “references available on request” at the bottom of his resume.

#2. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

Preparation is always the key, whether it’s submitting a resume, applying for a job, attending an interview or meeting with the employer. Make sure you’ve done your homework. Nothing is more embarrassing than writing high school principle on your application or misspelling the name of the state you’re licensed in. Also, generic cover letters are easily spotted. Make sure you read up on the school and the position you’re applying to before you expound why you’re the best fit for the position. Once you’ve secured your interview, it’s also good to learn more about the person conducting the interview so you can ask some specific questions about his or her experience. All people like to talk about themselves, hiring managers and principals are no different.

#3. Network Extensively

Social or professional networking can bring you amazing results. Most schools have employee referral programs in place and having a current employee (or better yet, HoD or vice-principal) vouch for you is a great foot in the door. Being on good terms with recruiters can also help says Stephanie Li at Teaching Nomad (a teacher recruitment agency based in Shanghai, China). In the weeks leading up to a new semester some of our clients will have urgent openings because contracts fell through or visas were rejected. While such positions might have originally required five years of teaching experience, the school is now content with two years.

#4. Don’t Let Rejections Discourage You

Getting rejected is just a part of the game. And it’s so easy to get frustrated when you see rejection after rejection coming in. Make sure to keep track of all the schools you’ve applied to so you can follow up on schools that haven’t gotten back to you yet. Tracking your results will also allow you to review your strategy and modify your action plan. It takes ten applications to secure one interview, and it might take ten interviews to get a job offer. Knowing it’s a numbers game makes it easier to cope with rejection and continue your job search.

#5. Clean-up your social media & Update your LinkedIn profile

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram have become go-to tools for hiring managers and recruiters recently. Keep a clean profile and don’t have any offensive texts or images. Sometimes good candidates are rejected because they have too many pictures on their Facebook with alcoholic beverages in their hands or have a couple lewd status updates. It’s very important for education professionals to exude professionalism and maturity. Also be mindful of cultural differences says Oliver Gorman at Teaching Nomad. Last month we had a great Math teacher for a school in Saudi Arabia, but she got rejected because she was wearing a short skirt in one of her Facebook profile pictures. Either change your privacy settings or take questionable content off completely.

On the flip side, LinkedIn is where job seekers usually don’t add enough information. Most recruiters search for specific hard skills or certifications (e.g. AMS Montessori teacher, AP Physics, IB Coordinator certification, Social Studies 7-12 teaching license etc.) when they’re looking to fill new positions. Make sure you keep your skills and positions on LinkedIn up-to-date, even if you’re not actively looking for a position. While soft skills are certainly important, they add absolutely nothing to your resume or LinkedIn profile. Best to substitute words like “multitasking, proactive, great communication skills” with hard skills people actually search for.

About our company: Teaching Nomad is an American owned and operated education recruitment company based in Shanghai, China. Our goal and purpose is to help great teachers find great teaching jobs. Year round, we have hundreds of teaching job vacancies. Whether your goal is to be an ESL teacher or teach in an international school, we have a teaching job for you. You can browse jobs online at www.teachingnomad.com/job-search for the latest job openings. Teaching Nomad is here to make teaching in China easier, so please feel free to reach out and contact us with any questions or inquiries!

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