We often hear from trainees who are concerned that they might struggle to find jobs as they lack teaching experience and academic qualifications. Many also think they might be too old to be successful in the ESL job market. The good news is that these factors are often irrelevant when looking for a teaching position as the demand for TESOL qualified teachers is so high in many areas. In reality, the vast majority of people who are currently working as ESL teachers worldwide had no previous classroom experience before they got the job. While it is true that a few countries and some individual employers restrict English teaching jobs to people with a degree, most have no such restrictions and are open to employing TESOL qualified teachers regardless of their academic record.
When it comes to your age, you will find that most employers are not concerned with the number you put on your job application. There are a few countries that enforce a mandatory retirement age for teachers, but these are small in number and should not have much impact on the vast majority of teachers. Over the years, we have successfully trained many thousands of people over 50 years old, and older, who have gone on to find rewarding teaching positions in classrooms all over the world. Whatever your age, work history, or academic record, you are more than welcome to sign up for any of our TESOL courses as we know from experience that every fluent English speaker has the potential to become an inspirational teacher.
No Teaching Experience, No Problem
We are often asked how you can teach English in a foreign country when you have no previous experience in the classroom. And our answer is: Without completing a TESOL certification course it would be quite difficult. However, once you have finished a good quality TESOL course you should possess all the basic skills and knowledge required to confidently take charge of your own classroom. For more info, check out our FAQ: Can I teach English abroad without any teaching experience?
English Teaching Options Later in Life
Once you reach a certain point in life many people decide they need a change of career, a bit of adventure, or just the chance to do something different with their lives. ESL teaching is certainly one option that can provide all of these things. For an insight into why more mature teachers actually have some advantages when applying for English teaching jobs, take a look at our FAQ: Are there any age limits for TESOL teaching?
While you are on our FAQ Page you can also browse through over 200 other questions that are commonly asked by our trainees. You should find all the answers you need in straightforward and easy to understand English. Whatever questions you have regarding teaching English at home or abroad, ITTT has the answers to help you move forward.
