From Global Career News.com

Teach Abroad
Learn to Teach English with Oxford TEFL in Prague, accredited by Trinity College London.
By Mali Charlaff - Tutor and Careers Advisor at OxfordTEFL Prague
Mar 9, 2006, 08:20

 
Will I get a job?
Prague
In short, yes!  The TEFL market in Prague and the wider Czech Republic (CR) is very healthy.  Be prepared to run around, both when looking for jobs and after you get one:  much of the work is in-company, so it will be your responsibility to get to whichever business park your employer dispatches you to.  Warning:  this may often be at an ungodly hour too!  It's not unusual for lessons to start at 7am!  Remember, bosses may not want employees having their workday eaten into.  Other factors to bear in mind:  you may get a chunk of hours from a single employer but you may not (this can depend on the time of year and other factors).  It's common for teachers to build up a full schedule either through one or more than one school.  "A full schedule" is usually 20-25 contact (teaching) hours.
 
Will I get one quickly?
There are no guarantees, a lot depends on how serious/flexible you are.  There are bigger hiring times, but Prague tends to be fairly year-round in terms of hiring new teachers. Serious = have a demo lesson ready to go (many employers include this in the interview process); flexible = accept work at short notice (a school may have just taken on a new contract with a client and need teachers to step into the breach).  Remember too that by being willing to work outside of the capital, you're immediately upping your chances of finding work as most people stay in Prague.  Be adventurous!
 
I'm American/Non-EU  - Is this a hassle?
Prague
No.  Prague has loads of Americans, many teaching TEFL.  Getting a visa that allows you to work legally is relatively simple.  After entering the country as a tourist (for which US nationals get 90 days), the next steps are (a)  Finding an employer and (b) Starting the application process.  This process takes a few weeks and does inevitably involve a little red tape, but rest assured that it's an extremely well-trodden path.  One of the larger schools here even has a company van that ferries teachers across the border to Dresden, Germany and back within the day as part of the visa process!
 
So I hope all that puts your mind at rest; TEFL's a great way to see the world and Prague couldn't be a better place to start - OK, OK, I'm biased!  But come and check out what makes me so...
 
About the Author:
Mali Charlaff is a Careers Officer at Oxford Tefl Prague.  Mali joined the company over two years ago when the operation moved to its current Konviktsk location.  Mali loves living in Prague, working in the heart of the Old Town and the beautiful surroundings of a former convent.
 
Much of Mali's work as a Careers Officer involves answering emails from prospective Cert. trainees concerned about life in Prague after the course is over.  Mali can be contacted at careers@oxfordtefl.cz
 
 
 


© Copyright 2006 by The Global Career Center Organization