Getting the Best Paid International Teaching Jobs

I want the Best Package Possible!..Sure who wouldn’t

What to look out for when deciding so you can earn

the highest Money & Benefits!

When it come to getting a good remuneration package in an international school you need to consider more than just the amount of zero’s that are at the end of the pay cheque.  In addition to the salary international schools also offer a great number of benefits that you would not normally get when you teaching in your home country.  In addition, depending on where you are teaching the amount of income tax could either add or subtract to what’s left at the end of the money.  Here are some things you should consider when looking for the best paying international teaching job…

When you are looking at getting the best paid salary package, most teachers easily get excited by the salary that is being offered, and some of those teachers end up finding that they are not actually saving a lot or any better off then when  they left their previous job.  It’s important to remember the types and the amount of benefits a salary package has to offer and review it as a whole package before making a decision.

There are many types of schools internationally and as a result the pay and packages vary immensely.  The places you are likely to get paid the highest is in an international school, college or university.  The reason is the demand for native speaking English Teachers is high to serve the population.  In addition the type of students who go to international schools are often looking for the best teachers, whose command of English is native rather than learnt.  As a result the fees for these schools is a lot higher and respectively the salaries for teachers are as well.

With an increase number of international schools, currently at 5000 and rapidly increasing the supply of quality teachers is less and so schools pay higher to get the right calibre staff for their pupils.

Salary Packages

As mentioned previously, you should review the overall package before making a decision to take on the job.  While its appealing to take the job which just pays you the highest salary, this alone may not make it profitable for you.  Here some additional aspects to look out for

Housing – schools often provide you with housing so you don’t have to pay rent!  For some teachers this alone could be a huge saving.  If the school does provide you with accommodation you should find out what type of accommodation is provided.  If it’s not provided the school may offer you an allowance to spend at your free will on where you want to stay

Utilities – schools either provide all your utility bill costs, or provide you with a set rate and anything you use on top you have to pay for.  You should find out what you’re getting in your package.

Flights – in most cases the flight to and from and country are paid for.  In some cases you may have to purchase the flight yourself and the school reimburses you upon arrival.  They may also give you a free flight after one years services

Bonuses – yes you read right! International schools give you bonuses.  They often use the term Gratuity and this varies based on the country and the labour law.  For example, once you have done 1 years service you may be entitled to 1 months salary bonus.

Tax – this is a big one to consider.  You may find some countries pay so well but when you see how much tax you are paying that you really have little of or no money left at the end of the month and if you do have some money, the general cost of living is so high that you don’t have much money left at the end of the month in savings.

In some countries you may find that the benefits you get are taxable also, which further brings down your savings. You should definitely do the maths, if you find you are having to pay tax.  Also check if you have to pay tax in your home country and if you have to make any voluntary contributions to say your pension fund.  The last thing you want is to return home and find a huge penalty or bill to pay off.

If you are applying to teach overseas, you should be able to find out this information from your employer, or from the employers website.  Ensure you have this before making a decision, especially as you may be going into the unknown for the first time.

We would love to hear from you if you have any advice to give fellow education professionals about salary packages you have come across when teaching abroad, be it a good or bad experience

Wishing you all the success in your international job search.

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team

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“Ramadan Kareem” – What does it mean for Teachers Internationally?

Ramadan Kareem

The blessed month of Ramadan has started this week. Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sexual activities from dawn until sunset. Fasting is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality.

SeekTeachers™ thought it would give you an insight into this, especially for teachers who are in the Middle East. If you are a teacher working overseas, you already are apt to learning about different cultures and religions and so here are some key points we would like to highlight in this blog about the special holiday season of Ramadan.

1. The month of Ramadan is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. The others are prayer, charity, performing pilgrimage and testimony of faith.  The month of Ramadan marks the period in which the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammed (bpuh).
2. Muslims are expected to rise to a higher level of spirituality by withstanding the desire to consume food during the hours of daylight. This means no eating, drinking, smoking and other pleasurable activities from sunrise to sunset. Even drinking water is not allowed, or any form of chewing.
3. The working day is much shorter as Muslims devote their time and sacrifice their desires for God.  In some countries the reduced work hours will also be provided to non-Muslims.  In the Gulf, many schools would even shut at midday with a rush of children leaving to go home to pray and rest with loved ones.  Traffic can be quite hectic during this period so non-Muslim’s should be weary of this. Schools start later and finish earlier, and teachers are not allowed to work in school 15 minutes after the children have left. There will be no school meetings and clubs at the end of the working day.
4. For non-Muslims this would also mean that out of respect they should refrain from eating and showing public affection in front of Muslims out of respect.  In addition they should dress conservatively so that both men and women should not be wearing revealing clothes or clothes which outline the silhouette of their figure.
5. It is appreciated and respected when non-Muslims say Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem to Muslims
6. Charity is a big element of Ramadan, where Muslims are expected to donate generously in respect for the poor and needy.  It is also done to allow Muslims to appreciate what they have both materialistically an non-materialistically.
7. The fast begins when sunrises and ends when sun sets.  The name given to the start of the fast is  Sehri and the end of the fast is called Ifthar, which is broken by eating a date.
8. During this time Mosques are full for evening prayer providing a community spirit which can take place for a couple of hours.  During the time of Ifthar there are many tents erected for both Muslims and non-Muslims to socialise and eat.
9. For Non-Muslims or expatriates, you may find that you are invited to have dinner with the locals.  If the opportunity arises avoid refusing as it would be considered disrespectful.  When entering the home of a Muslim, ensure to take off your shoes and eat with your right hand.  Again try not to refuse any food offered.
10. Any form of entertainment be it acquiring alcohol, bars, clubs, hotels will likely be prohibited in areas like the Gulf, although you may find some bars open in the evening.  Avoid playing music too loud as well
11. During this period you will find many that shops are open till quite late and there can be some attractive discounts and bargains available at this time
12. At the end of Ramadan the celebration of Eid Al Fitr happens, where you will find families getting together for a time of celebration and money is given to children.
13. Non Muslim teachers can and should make use of their time more effectively during this period, especially when it can feel pretty slow in areas like the Gulf.  Ramadan moves backwards 10 days ever year so if Ramadan is at a time like August/September use it wisely to get immersed into the culture and lifestyle, as well as prepare for the term to begin. We all know what its like when the first term kicks in and all goes haywire.

Please feel free to add your comments, views, opinions or experience wherever you are in the world.

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Teaching in Doha

Teaching in Doha – What is it like? What should I be aware of?

The SeekTeachers™ team continue their quest to give you the “real deal” insight into the working life in various areas.  This time round we got the “low down” from a very experienced senior teacher in Qatar, Doha.  There are definitely some golden nuggets to take away from this blog!  Here is what he has to say..

Patience and tolerance are probably the most important qualities you will need both at school and away from work.  Patience with both your school administration and life in Doha itself.  You can expect your school, like so many others, to be run by a Director of Schools, yes there will be a Principal, but he/she will not have the autonomy that you would expect in Western schools.  The Principal is there to carry out directions and instructions from the Director, who invariably is not Western and has very little educational management background.  There will also be the Qatari owner, who will have his say in how things should happen.

Remember, Qatar is now officially the richest country in the world (based on income per capita) and is set to become even richer.  Qataris are smart businessmen, look at how they bought Harrods, most of London’s city centre property and whole addresses, how they bank rolled Barclays Bank during the recent crisis, they have massive shares in UK businesses eg Sainsburys is over 1/4 Qatari owned.  Anyway, your Principal will have to get along with the Director and owner in order to survive (there have been instances when Principals have argued or said “No” to either or both and they have then found themselves on the next plane home!) This can make many Principals very nervous and stressed individuals and can make them appear to be on the side of the BIG Boss/es.  Try to understand the position they are in before you start venting your frustration at them.

Yes, you will go through an awful lot of frustration.  The list is long – frustration with obtaining necessary paperwork from the school, frustration with maintenance at your accommodation (the usual line from workmen is they will come “after 4.30”, but they fail to be exact or even say which day), frustration at language barriers, frustration at children in your lessons who do not really want to be at school and who get no support from home so your efforts seem wasted, frustration with their parents who will expect to see you 5 minutes before you are due to leave school and will want to spend an hour telling you that their child should have scored 98% in a recent test not 96% that you gave him.

So tolerance becomes crucial.  Remember, you are in the country as a visitor.  You are providing a service but you are being paid for that service and you are being provided with many “perks” with that job, so you are expected to “sing for your supper” an awful lot.  When you feel your blood beginning to get warm (which has nothing to do with the temperature being 40 degrees plus), take a step back, breathe slowly and remember that in the bigger picture of life what you might be expected to do or have to do is not that difficult really.

But there are many, many positives to working in Doha.  Not just no income tax, but when you sit down and work out what you would be paying/have deducted from salary back home – National insurance contributions, VAT, rent/mortgage, Council tax, very high utility bills, petrol costs etc. etc.  You can have the “Prada/Armani/Gucci” lifestyle if you want but you will pay for it.  Alternatively, you can choose material and have clothes made very cheaply and made very well.  If you want brand name food items you will pay for them but different food stuffs and different meals are much more affordable.  Why go to the international hotels and spend a small fortune on an even smaller platter of international cuisine when you can explore small, “backstreet” Thai, Sri Lankan, Indian, Turkish, Lebanese, Moroccan eating places?  Take that tolerant attitude you are developing when you stand outside one of these places thinking about going in, strike up a conversation with the waiter or manager, he will be very genuinely interested in you and if show an interest in him you may get treated that little bit better than others.

You can save money, you can transfer money very easily; you may wish to consider sending savings to an offshore tax-free account.  If you decide to stay for a length of time you can get loans for car purchases.  Remember cars are cheaper than in the west and generally bigger with more extras being included as standard.  Repayments are very reasonable as in theory there is no such thing as interest in Muslim law (although this is often disguised as administration charges).  You will also get a decent price when you want to sell and in some cases car dealers will guarantee to buy back.

Explore other countries – flights to and from neighbouring countries in the Middle East are generally affordable, so look to visit places you wouldn’t normally go to in your holidays.

Make your provided accommodation your home.  Get yourself to the Souks and buy some rugs (not necessarily silk but good strong wool); have a bed (and other furniture) made and delivered; look for wall hangings; use different materials for throws and covers; check that you can decorate the walls and get one of the maintenance guys from school to come and do it for a very cheap price; ask the cleaners at school if they would be interested in cleaning your place once a week and doing the ironing.

In short, you will get out of your Middle East experience what you put into it.

The Interview Stage

Your interview may be very short, don’t be put off if it is so.  Directors/Principals are incredibly busy and will have decided if they want you by discussing your CV before hand.  Make sure your CV is professional and clear, with a photograph (not a social snapshot).

Do your homework on the school and lifestyle in Middle East.  You can guarantee one question will be “Why do you want to work here?”

Be clear in your answers, you may be dealing with someone whose English is a second language.

Be polite no matter how your spoken to and treated, by this I do not man be a yes man/woman but don’t vent out like you would back home, it won’t get your very far here.

Have questions you want answering but avoid asking about salary.  This will be brought up by the school.  Don’t be afraid to negotiate but remember you don’t want to be greedy and your salary will be tax-free, rent free and your flights will be paid for.

Finish by asking the interviewer what will be the next step/stage be – will you receive a contract through email, when will you get your flight ticket and itinerary, where will you be teaching in the school (ie age groups, subject etc.).  This shows your keen and eager to the employer and increases your chances of being made an offer.

from a senior teachers in Doha, Qatar.

As with any country, there are pro’s and con’s.  This blog highlights exactly this but you should do your homework before you tread in to the unknown

If you like would to discuss something specific why not drop us a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team

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Life for Singletons in Incredible India!

If I am SINGLE, is it safe? What can I do? Where can I go?

As promised the SeekTeachers™ has begun to get the low down about working in India. In a series of blogs about working there, here is some more juicy information coming straight from a real educational veteran Mr Utpal Betai.

“Life for singletons

When you are planning to be part of Indian workforce as a foreigner you must be very careful as not to get involved in any kind of politics. You are not sure of local judicial as well as political system. You must never get involved directly or indirectly into any kind of party politics. People here are very sensitive to their religion and traditions. And public display of religious celebration and belief is common. Try to learn local language will help you settle down fast in India. Knowing local customs and traditions will help you understand people’s psyche.

Most of the people are GOD fearing and play by the rules. You can easily afford domestic help which can be distance dream if you live in West. Don’t trust your domestic helper and keep record of their identity can help you in the event of any incident. Here it’s better not to drive even if you are a gem of a driver. You can easily get driver and an experienced one at very reasonable rate. Traffic in most of the cities is nowhere near to global standards. Many expressways are coming up but the driving skills are still of stone ages. In cities like Mumbai or Delhi things are still ok but smaller cities people really don’t know how to drive. They really need education on driving skills and civic sense. In bigger cities general cleanliness is adequate but if you are not lucky and if you have to go to smaller cities you must be ready to witness dirty streets and cleaner houses. Here in India people tend to clean their own houses and offices but when it comes to streets and roads they forget to do the same.

Religious tolerance is adequate and racism is subtle. But as an outsider you must be very careful as you will be walking a tight rope and need to do balancing.  Early morning and late night outings must be avoided at all the time for females. Night life in city like Mumbai is fine but other cities are not so safe. Self defense techniques can really help you. You should stay away from cheap places of hang out. In workplaces the key is to go with the flow all the time. Any attempt to make any kind of revolution may put you in trouble. Living single in India can be boring and risky at times. People don’t seem to welcome the idea of living single and enjoy life. People here are too nosey about the things you do and places you go. So, create a shield around you can be a strategy in the beginning till you get to know people. If you are single male you will hardly have any trouble. But, if you are a single female extra care need to be taken because it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

People here tend to like people of lighter tone more than anything else. So, if you are one of those extra care should be taken and not to be over friendly with anybody in the beginning. Getting apartment or place to live on rent can be challenging if it is not provided by the school you are going to work for. For singles very few choices are available. Full service apartments are not common yet. Staying with somebody or sharing a room can be an option but do your homework and reading the fine lines of contract will help you avoid troubles later.  In smaller cities your expense will be in range of $300-$400 and in bigger cities $400-$500 at least. So, you should keep this in mind while negotiating your contract.

Lots of book stores and reading libraries are popping up everywhere so if you are a book-worm these are the places to visit on regular basis. If you like to play games like tennis or swimming you must get registered to any local club or resort and you will have good times. If you know how to cook that always helps but if you don’t again you can have cook at very cheaper rate cooking local and international dishes for you and according to your taste. Hindi is the national language and influence of local state language is also very overwhelming so you should learn few common words of each, that can be useful and people will not try to cheat you if you know a little bit of the local language.

Must see places to visit and explore

If you visiting India for the first time Himalayas and Taj Mahal are the must see places! If you are going to stay in India for a period of one or two years you should try to visit as many places as you can as India is full of places of historical importance and interest. As one of the early civilization of the world and full of rich history and heritage here you will find lots of Temples and Forts of Mughal and pre Mughal era. India is surrounded by great mountains of Himalayas in the North Eastern part of the country. Scenic beauty of hill stations and origins of some the great rivers of India are the first places to visit. Taj Mahal one of the best and only other greatest wonder of Asia besides Great Wall of China is really the place to be if you really get amazed by the construction and if you believe in monument of Love. Presidents and leaders of the world come to this place first even before they visit local leaders. Historically it is one of the best man-made construction. This place is really magical and once there you will really want to stay there for more if you can. Taj Mahal is situated in Agra a city near New Delhi capital city of India. Ride of Modern marvel like Metro rail of New Delhi can be a fun and you will be amazed that even in country like India this is possible.

Rafting and water sports on the banks of Ganges or other huge rivers of Northern India is really fun if you love adventure and like to have adrenaline rush to your veins.  India is full of Natural beauty. Serene Places are all over but mainly you should head north or south if you are really in mood to go near Mother Nature. Kerala is the place to be if you want to go near GOD as they call it GOD’s own country. Pristine water lagoons and waterways are part of the wonderful scenic beauty waiting for you to explore. Staying in House boats can be an experience of lifetime.  Various therapies of Ayurveda are available to rejuvenate you and make you stress free. Blue water and almost white sand can be found at some of the beaches of southern states of India. Goa is the place to be if you like to walk along the sea shores on beaches. It is really different from main land India. You can relish the sea food and dry fruits available here.  Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are two states where you can get the glimpse of rich heritage and culture of ancient India and do pay visit to Bangaluru and Hyderabad to get the glance of modern-day marvels of developing India. Major IT companies of the world are opening up their shops in these two southern cities of India. Newly built airports of Hyderabad is the showcase of strength of what India can achieve if political will is there.

Mumbai is one of the best cities of the world if you are really interested in night life and movies. Bollywood the much talked about Indian Hindi film industry is thriving and churning out more than 300 movies out of this city alone. Lately, Indian film industry is getting critical and box office success around the world after the great success of Oscar award winner film like Slumdog Millionaire. You can rub shoulders with film stars and directors at any five-star hotel or local resorts of Mumbai. Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It is like city of dreams for Indians so naturally its overcrowded and rushing towards becoming one of the best place to be to turn dreams into realities.

If you love to go to hill stations Ooty, Panchgini, Nainitaal, Darjileeng, and Simla are places to be. You must visit Paradise on earth Kashmir if you really want to enjoy holiday in the lap of Mother Nature. Boat houses and gondola rides are must if you want to relax and make the most out of the trip.  Political tension is part of daily life in Kasmir so be extra cautious if you plan to visit Kasmir. Amritsar is the place to be if you want to see Golden Temple yes a temple really made up of Gold. Rajsthan. It’ a state where you will see desert life full of vivid colors and forts of historical era. You will be amazed by the hospitality by local people. If you want to see Asiatic Lions in natural habitat Sasan Gir, Gujarat is the place to be. Mahatma Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad is worth the visit if you are a fan of peace and non-violence. All in all India offers a wide range of places and options to visit and have experience of lifetime.

Palace on Wheels, special trains made by Indian Railways is worth a try if you want to see India and Indian people. You will be treated like a king naturally its expensive but it worth every penny you spend.

For food you will have lots of variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Dosas and idlies worth a try if you life rice and things made of rice. Sambar a lentil soup goes with dosas is really tongue tickling recipe. Pau bhaji and paani puri spicy treats if you can handle. Naan Indian freshly cooked bread tastes good with any curry of your choice made with cheese or paneer or choice of your meat. Lots of options are available for drinks too.”

By Utpal Betai

If you like would to discuss something specific why not drop us a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Teaching in India

Teaching in India – What is it really like?

In an approach to provide more real life experiences of what its like teaching overseas in various parts of the world, SeekTeachers™ has begun to get real low down from actual people who have been there and done it and can share their experiences with you.

We begin with working lifestyle for teachers in India. SeekTeachers™ caught up with Utpal Betai, a veteran educationalist in India to discuss what pointers of what educators should be aware of when coming to work in India.  This will be a series of blog’s coming your way so watch this space!

This is what Utpal had to say..

“Teaching in India can be fun as well as challenging at the same time. If you are going to work for International School you will get handsome salary package and some other benefits like housing and medical cover. But, you must be ready for culture shock as people in India are going through a revolution on almost every front. Things in India are changing very fast as country is witnessing almost double digit growth rate.

Teaching is a noble profession and you must be ready to live up to expectation of parents and society at the same time. People here are ready to pay any price for education as it is the only mode of survival if one is not involved in any kind of business.  People worship teachers as GOD and teachers enjoy a special status in Indian society for ages. But, this should not carry you away from your goal of providing best of the best when it comes to education. Students really work hard to make mark in their respective fields.

Indians are embracing technology at a record pace too. Earlier it was like 2-3 TV sets were common now 2-3 PCs or laptops per household is the new norm. Broadband and Wi-Fi is everywhere but don’t expect to get the same Internet speed you have been enjoying in the West. Government is also opening up in terms of Education. So, you will soon find all major famous Universities of the World to open their campuses in India too.  It is changing but people here are not ready for change always and resist for change is a common phenomenon. So, I think as a newcomer to India you should not involve yourself in any kind of revolution to begin with.<

Safety and security can be a point of concern if you are female and especially single. You must understand local language if not able to speak. Languages like Hindi or Urdu is more common is easy to learn and understand. People are very western friendly but to remain bit cautious can help you avoid any kind of trouble all the time. People are bit sensitive to their religious and cultural belief too. People enjoy a lot during Festivals and public display of Religion is a common thing here.

For food you don’t need to worry as all the famous world cuisine is available but sometimes bit costly. If you are vegetarian and ready to eat bit spicy, lots of options are available. On general sanitation and civic sense people are still not ready as their Global counterpart but things will change eventually. Lots of shopping malls and multiplexes are coming up with new crop of clubs to entertain you at places near you. If are going to live in or near big cities things are very much at par with the international standards but if go little bit out of city you will be surprised to see things are still not up to the mark.

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and Digital Whiteboards are fast becoming norm here in schools as well as universities. Multimedia teaching tools are part of even Play Schools. Projection devices are getting installed in almost every school and every class now a day. Readymade educational CDs and DVDs are being used by students more than ever. Online education is also catching up. Educational TV & Cable channels are also trying to lure students.

Government is trying to make the education system more dynamic and providing student options to select courses and subjects of their choice and learn at their own pace. Lots of distance learning and online courses are also available for working professionals. Cutting edge technology and state-of-the art campuses are coming up to provide world class educations to the students of India. But, everything comes at a cost which is sometimes out of reach of common man, which is same as it is in Western world.”

By Utpal Betai

If you like would to discuss something specific why not drop us a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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